Nelly says he sped up the process in marrying Ashanti after he learned she was pregnant. He reflected on their decision to get married during a recent interview with Bootleg Kev, explaining that he didn't want her to become a "baby mama." The conversation began with Nelly recalling how he ran into Ashanti during the Verzuz between Fat Joe and Ja Rule in 2021. They had been separated for eight years at that point.
“When I went to Verzuz, I had somebody with me,” he admitted. “We didn’t even talk. I just went over, got a hug…break the ice…We didn’t talk for another almost 8-9 months to a year. We didn’t have a conversation.” From there, he discussed how Ashanti ended up getting pregnant after they did rekindle their romance. “Once we found out that she was pregnant, I was just like yeah… We hadn’t talked about any of that yet,” he said. “But I was like, ‘Yo, you know what. Let’s just knock this out because we’re gonna be doing so much, and everything’s moving so fast.’ And I didn’t want her to be a baby mama.”
Nelly & Ashanti's Relationship
Nelly and Ashanti famously first dated from 2003 to 2013 before getting back together a decade later. They tied the knot in a private ceremony in 2023 and welcomed their first son, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, in July 2024. Ashanti recently confirmed that the two are planning to have more children in the near future as well. “We’re going to add some more,” she told E! News, earlier this year. “Definitely a girl to balance it out. I’m outnumbered in the house right now. So, a girl would be great.”
As for how motherhood has been treating her, she added: "I am feeling amazing, incredibly pleased, humbled. My life has completely changed for the better. I feel full, you know? My cup is full.” Elsewhere in Nelly's new interview with Bootleg Kev, he discussed reuniting with the St. Lunatics, working with Tim McGraw, and much more.
