Ashanti Reportedly Pregnant, Expecting Second Child With Nelly

Ashanti and Nelly‘s romance continues to bloom as the recently married couple reportedly prepares to welcome their second child together, just months after their first baby’s arrival.

Sources tell The Jasmine Brand that the Grammy-winning artists are expanding their family again, following the birth of their son Kareem Kenkaide Hayne on July 18. The news comes less than a year after the couple’s secret wedding in St. Louis on Dec. 27, 2023.

The pregnancy marks another milestone in the couple’s rekindled relationship. Ashanti, 44, and Nelly, 50, first crossed paths at a 2003 Grammy Awards press conference, leading to a decade-long relationship that ended in 2013. Their unexpected reunion occurred in Las Vegas during a boxing match in April 2023.

After their first child’s birth, Ashanti shared her emotional journey to motherhood with Entertainment Tonight. “I cried it was just so emotional and spiritual at the same time. Having a vision of this moment for so long … it was such an electrifying feeling,” she revealed, adding on Instagram that she had been “waiting to be a mom for a long time now.”

During a recent ET interview, Ashanti referred to Nelly as her “soulmate.” Their reunion surprised even them, as Nelly confessed to Love & Hip Hop stars Rasheeda and Kirk Frost: “Sometimes being separate you understand one another more.”

The couple’s relationship has deepened through their musical collaborations, including their 2008 track “Body on Me” and their recent 2024 release “This Lil’ Game We Play.” Their chemistry was on display during Nelly’s recent 50th birthday celebration, where they performed a duet for party guests.

For Nelly, this new addition expands his already loving family. Beyond his children with Ashanti, he has two from previous relationships – Cornell III (Tre) and Chanelle (Nana) – and has served as a father figure to his niece Sydney and nephew Shawn since losing his sister Jackie Donahue in 2005.

Last month, Nelly celebrated Ashanti’s birthday with a heartfelt social media tribute: “Happy Bday To the most beautiful woman in the world. Putting Smiles on your face is something i wake thinking about and the thing I love doing the most… grateful to have someone who loves and appreciate me as much as I do them … love you mama.”

While the couple’s representatives haven’t officially confirmed the pregnancy, fans have flooded social media with support. “That’s how you do it. Don’t waste your time. She waited 20 years for true love,” one supporter commented on Instagram.