Ashanti confirms pregnancy with Nelly

The R&B singer is welcoming her first baby

Ashanti has confirmed that she is pregnant with her first child with musician Nelly.

The 43-year-old R&B singer revealed that she and her Nelly are expecting a baby in a video shared to her Instagram. In the video, Ashanti can be seen getting ready for a performance as her mother Tina Douglas asks her how much time she needs. “Uh, I’m gonna need about nine months,” Ashanti replied, leading her mom to look shocked.

She also shared the news with Essence, revealing that she and Nelly, 49, are not only expecting but also engaged.

“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation,” Ashanti said. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”

Speculation first began to swirl around the pair after they were spotted at Nelly’s 11th Black and White Ball at the Four Seasons Hotel in St Louis in December, and eagle-eyed fans noticed Ashanti had what seemed to be a baby bump.

In a moment when both were on stage, the singer notably left her hands on her stomach. The rapper took notice and did the same leading them to make eye contact and burst into laughter. Fans took this as a sign that there was a little one on the way.

Back in September, Nelly shared on Boss Moves with Rasheeda show that the pair had gotten back together and that the reconciliation “surprised both of us.”

“It wasn’t anything that we planned. We both were pretty much doing what we do,” he said. “But sometimes, being separate, you understand one another more. You could be like, ‘Well yo, let me exactly see maybe what they see.’ We all can be defensive sometimes in our own relationships. We know we wrong but we going to stand on it, you know what I mean? But we all a victim to that.”

At the time, Ashanti added to People she and the Grammy winner were doing great, saying: “Everything is positive. [We’re] having a lot of fun.”

The “Dilemma” singer has fathered son Cornell III “Tre,” 21, and daughter, Chanelle “Nana,” 26, with ex-girlfriend Channetta Valentine. He also reportedly helped raise his niece Sydney and nephew Shawn after his sister, Jackie Donahue died in March 2005 of leukemia at just 31 years old.