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The Real Reason Nelly and Ashanti Got Married After Dating 20 Years
Nelly married Ashanti in 2023, and he’s been talking about what prompted his decision to put a ring on the songstress’ finger. The 50-year-old rapper, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., appeared on the Monday, March 24 episode of The Bootleg Kev Show podcast, where the host asked him about his wedding to […]
Nelly married Ashanti in 2023, and he’s been talking about what prompted his decision to put a ring on the songstress’ finger.
The 50-year-old rapper, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., appeared on the Monday, March 24 episode of The Bootleg Kev Show podcast, where the host asked him about his wedding to Ashanti, 44. That’s when the “Hot In Herre” rapper admitted that he and his then-girlfriend “hadn’t really talked about” getting married until they found out that she was expecting their first child.
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“I was like, let’s just knock this [wedding] out,” Nelly told the podcast listeners before he explained, “We’re going to be doing so much, and everything’s going to be moving so fast.” He added, “I didn’t want her to be a ‘baby mama.’”
The three-time Grammy Award-winning musician and Ashanti first started dating in 2003 and were together for years before they split up in 2013. The two rekindled their relationship in 2023 and got married in December of the same year. Nelly and Ashanti welcomed their first child, Kareem Kenkaide “KK” Haynes, on July 18, 2024.
Nelly fathers four other children — Chanelle, 31, and Cornell, 26, from a previous relationship with Channetta Valentine, along with Sydney, 27, and Shawn, 26, whom he adopted after Valentine’s sister, Jaqueline Donahue, passed away from cancer.
To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.
