Nelly had a pivotal motive for tying the knot with Ashanti. Precisely three months past their first wedding anniversary milestone, the 50-year-old rapper, during a guest appearance on The Bootleg Kev Podcast, unveiled the impetus behind his urge to wed the 44-year-old R&B sensation, Ashanti, promptly upon discovering her pregnancy.
According to Nelly, they hadn't deliberated on marriage when the joyful news broke. Yet, witnessing the trajectory of their relationship, he realized it was a step he yearned to take. "I thought, 'Yo, you know what? Let's just get this done because our lives are about to be filled with so much, and everything is happening so swiftly.' I didn't want her to be just another baby mama, you feel me?" Nelly elaborated. "Since we both knew our place in life, if we were reconnecting like this, it must be fate's way of telling us this is what we're meant to be."
Legal documents accessed by PEOPLE revealed that Nelly and Ashanti exchanged vows on December 27, 2023, albeit the news was officially confirmed only in June 2024, months later. The couple tied the knot mere months after rekindling their romance and confirming their relationship status again in September 2023.
Prior to the marriage confirmation, Ashanti disclosed during an April 2024 interview with Essence that she and Nelly were anticipating their firstborn together. In August 2024, a representative for the duo informed PEOPLE that their bundle of joy, Kareem Kenkaide Hayes, nicknamed KK, arrived on July 18, 2024.
Last November, Ashanti told PEOPLE that having KK in their lives was "nothing short of amazing." "He's a gift from heaven. He's an angel. My life is currently extraordinary. I'm overflowing with blessings, so incredibly happy. I'm head-over-heels in love with him," she expressed at the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala in Los Angeles.
More recently, Ashanti was present at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards to present her husband with the Landmark Award, which celebrates "artists whose album releases have been instrumental in inspiring and molding culture across numerous decades," as stated in a press release.
During his appearance on The Bootleg Kev Podcast, Nelly admitted that it was a complete shock to receive the award from Ashanti, as he initially assumed she was just leaving his dressing room to return to her seat. "I was backstage, wearing my in-ears, and I recognized that voice. I glanced at the screen and thought, 'Wow.' It was incredible, man. Absolutely incredible," Nelly enthused. "She's my everything. She did amazing."
