Ashanti and Nelly Secretly Got Married in 2023

Nelly and Ashanti privately married six months ago! The “Foolish” singer, 43, and “Hot In Here” rapper, 49, tied the knot on Dec. 27, 2023, according to legal documents obtained by TMZ on June 19. The couple had previously announced they had gotten engaged and were expecting their first child together, but had yet to share the news of their marriage. 

Earlier this week, Ashanti opened up to Entertainment Tonight about her proposal, calling the occasion Nelly popped the question a “beautiful, intimate moment” at their home. As for if she was expecting the engagement, the expectant star joked that her outfit proved she had no clue. “I definitely had one of his T-shirts and his boxers,” she said.

When it came to telling her now-husband that she was pregnant, the mom-to-be revealed she broke the news to him via FaceTime. “He was so happy and we were both smiling and it was so funny,” she shared. “I was actually at his mom’s house. He was in the studio. It was a really cool moment. It was a little bit of everything.”

Nelly and Ashanti first got together back in the early 2000s, breaking up and getting back together until they split more permanently in 2013. The couple then rekindled their romance a decade later in 2023, announcing almost a year later that they had gotten engaged and were expecting their first child together in April 2024.

That same month, Ashanti told Essence that she was looking forward to having a child with Nelly and becoming a mother. “This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” she said at the time. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to.”

The “Baby” singer looked glowing as she celebrated her first Mother’s Day as an expectant mom in May, sharing photos of their celebration on Instagram. In the photos, the artist can be seen posing with Nelly and her other family members while smiling from ear to ear.

“This Mother’s Day was so special,” Ashanti wrote alongside the post. “Having our families together as we are about to embark on such an incredible journey was amazing. Wishing all of the amazing Moms and Moms to be a beautiful Mother’s Day…!!!! #grateful” She added of the late posting date, “Yeah yeah I know I’m late… it was so much food I got distracted Ps… I only had 1 plate tho.”