Nelly and Ashanti are expecting their first child together. According to US Weekly, the pregnancy confirmation comes after teasing a baby during an appearance in St. Louis. “Nelly and Ashanti are welcoming their first baby together,” an insider revealed.
The baby will be the first for Ashanti and the third for Nelly. The two were spotted laughing and holding Ashanti’s belly at Nelly’s Black and White Ball.
The couple, who got back together earlier this fall after breaking up about eight years ago, were joined by Monica, Bow Wow, and other celebrities.
One of the performances of the evening included Ashanti and Nelly performing Ashanti and Ja Rule’s 2022 “Mesmerize,” with Nelly lip-synching Ja Rule’s adlibs on the track.
The event, which took place at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis, returned after a seven-year hiatus. The event’s proceeds went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and scholarships for Harris Stowe State University. At the ball, they granted two wishes to local families.
“Make-A-Wish is the best,” Nelly told local news outlet KSDK. “I mean listen we all have our personal foundations but when you think about Make A Wish in theory, what could be better and they’ve done such phenomenal work for who knows how many years.”
Last month, Ashanti spoiled Nelly, copping him a new custom Impala for his 49th birthday.
TMZ spoke with celebrity car dealer Ronnie Garber who stated DJ Envy connected him with Ashanti to gift the 1962 Impala convertible. The blue ride has a Corvette motor and a new sound system with Nelly’s logo.
Before the car was presented to the STL legend, fireworks went off. Nelly was emotional when he got the car, stating it was his dream ride.
You can see all the moments below.
Ashanti bought Nelly his childhood dream car as a present for his 49th Birthday pic.twitter.com/8WMB7NPLmG
In October, Nelly had Ashanti speechless as he presented her birthday gifts, showing an iced-out watch and flooding her neck. While opening the gifts, Ashanti is held speechless, in awe. She puts on all the pieces and celebrates with her man, continuously hugging him and showing appreciation.
Nelly had Ashanti literally lost for words after he iced out her wrist and lit up her neck for her birthday!
Ashanti and Nelly dated on and off from 2003 to 2013, but earlier this year, they sparked rumors they were back together after seen holding hands in Las Vegas. Later reports indicated they had indeed gotten back together. Now, it appears the two have reached a new level: According to an Us Weekly report shared today (December 2), Ashanti is pregnant. An unnamed source told the publication, “Nelly and Ashanti are welcoming their first baby together.”
Neither Ashanti nor Nelly have publicly confirmed the pregnancy. If Ashanti (who’s 43 years old) really is expecting, though, the baby will be her first, while Nelly (49) has two children with Channetta Valentine: Chanelle (29) and Cornell Haynes III (24).
This news comes after pregnancy rumors started swirling this weekend. According to TMZ, the two were at Nelly’s 11th Black And White Ball at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis, and while on stage, Ashanti put her hands on her stomach, after which Nelly did the same. They then laughed, which had people thinking what happened was an inside joke about their yet-to-be-revealed baby news.
The two went Instagram-official with their relationship in October, when Nelly shared a birthday tribute to Ashanti that read, “One time for the birthday girl…. Such a beautiful, an incredible person inside and out and one of the hardest working women. I know.. @ashanti Enjoy your day Ma you look awesome!!!! Happy Birthday Love ya!!!!”
While celebrity breakups and divorces seem to be dominating the news in recent weeks, one high-profile couple is still going strong. Nelly and Ashanti showed that their rekindled romance is still stronger than ever over the weekend as the two made an appearance at Nelly’s 11th Black and White Ball.
The couple, who got back together earlier this fall after breaking up about eight years ago, were joined by Monica, Bow Wow, and other celebrities.
One of the performances of the evening included Ashanti and Nelly performing Ashanti and Ja Rule’s 2022 “Mesmerize” with Nelly lip-synching Ja Rule’s adlibs on the track.
The event, which took placed at the Four Seasons Hotel in St. Louis, returned after a seven year hiatus. The event’s proceeds went to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and scholarships for Harris Stowe State University. At the ball, they granted two wishes to local families.
“Make-A-Wish is the best,” Nelly told local news outlet KSDK. “I mean listen we all have our personal foundations but when you think about Make A Wish in theory, what could be better and they’ve done such phenomenal work for who knows how many years.”
Valentine’s Day is still a few months off, but romance is obviously in the air all around us – or at least sexual tension. There have been many celebrity pregnancy announcements this year, with 20-year-old Bhad Bhabie being the latest lyricist to confirm she’s got a bun in the oven with her beau. Just days after that news broke the internet, some are speculating that Nelly and Ashanti may also be starting a family, though we’re still awaiting official confirmation from the happy couple.
The rumours began over the weekend when the R&B icons once again came together on the stage, once again perfectly coordinating their outfits. Nelly looked ever the gentleman in his all-black suit, meanwhile, Ashanti’s curves caught plenty of eyes as she entertained the audience in her little black dress with midsection cutouts and a seriously racy leg slit. Her dress notably has a large silver embellishment on the front, which the “Hot In Herre” hitmaker happily put his hands on – a move some took as indicating that a baby is on board, or at least in their plans.
In the video above, nearly everyone in the room reacts in shock and excitement after watching Nelly hint at having a child with his lover. As is always the case when he’s in her company, the 49-year-old couldn’t stop smiling. It’s currently unclear if he and Ashanti plan to tie the knot before welcoming a baby, or if they’re simply having fun trolling the internet by feeding into the rumours. Regardless, we’ll be sure to fill you in on more information as it comes.
For the most part, the internet is a big fan of Nelly and Ashanti’s decision to reconcile. Of course, there will always be haters with negative opinions, and Tasha K certainly hasn’t been holding hers back. Read what the embattled YouTuber had to say about the couple at the link below, and check back later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
With Afrobeats taking over on a global scale, it’s only right we pay homage to the artists who are paving the way. Insert Joeboy, one of the biggest, rising African artists to date. Hailing from Lagos, Nigeria, the singer-songwriter creates his own lane straddling the genres of Afropop and R&B.
Boasting 2.9 million followers on Instagram alone, Joeboy was discovered by Mr. Eazi, who went on to sign him to his emPawa Africa imprint back in 2017. Fast forward to today, Mr. Eazi serves as Joeboy’s biggest fan.
Most recently, Joeboy unveiled his newest EP titled Body, Soul & Spirit. The 7-track project speaks volumes to his current state of mind, especially after a rather emotional year. This also serves as his most vulnerable project yet, touching on topics such as navigating societal pressures, paranoia, insecurity and the dark side of love.
The Source spoke with Joeboy virtually to discuss the moment he fell in love with Hip-Hop, his new project, why he started singing, and more!
What was the moment you fell in love with hip-hop?
I was 6, 7 years old and I used to watch Nelly videos. “It’s getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes! I am getting so hot…” I know I was too young to listen to that kind of music. I fell in love with hip-hop immediately. Nelly was the first rapper I could rap word for word.
You guys gotta do a song together!
If it’s possible, it’s going to happen for sure. Maybe when I see him. When I come to the US next, maybe I’ll come across him and we’ll make something happen.
New album Body, Soul, & Spirit out now. What does this project mean to you?
Body, Soul & Spirit has been my most introspective project yet. I decided to do something and create music that felt the most original to me. I wasn’t creating this music with the mindset of ‘Oh, I want it to be like this or be like that. ‘I let it come naturally. I knew that one way or the other, it’d connect with people. Songs like “Only God Can Save Me,” “Surviving,” “Enemy” are songs that connect with people spiritually.
Also, the original plan was to release the deluxe for the album I dropped earlier this year, Body & Soul. But my label wanted an EP. I said okay, I’ll just kill two birds with one stone. I’ll make it an EP, but it’s going to feel like an extension of the album.
What’s the significance in the title?
The idea of Body, Soul & Spirit, every song on there touches on those three different aspects. The song “24/7” is about me just wanting to enjoy myself so that signifies body. When you hear the song “Surviving,” you feel something in your soul. The song “Only God Can Save Me” represents the spiritual aspect. Me personally, I believe in spirituality. I believe the spiritual controls the physical. Being a very spiritual person has helped me overcome a lot of challenges that might have taken me off the edge. But thankfully, I believe in spirituality. I believe in God. Me believing in that process really helped me become a better person.
I know you were going through it when you made the project. How much was music therapy for you?
Me personally, I like to make music about my experiences in that particular time. I like to make sure it’s original, so whatever I’m singing about is probably something that happened to me. Most of the time, it’s something that happened to me and I decided to express it. For me, it’s a form of therapy. Let me make music about my experiences, that helps me feel better.
People end up loving it. I get messages all the time. The song ‘“Only God Can Save Me,” I get a lot of DMs from my fans or people that listen to me that go, ‘That song is so real, it’s my state of mind at that particular point in time.’ That’s the major goal for me — to connect people’s souls. It goes beyond every other thing. If I can connect with you as a person, if you listen to me and go, “Wow, this guy’s actually speaking to me right now, he’s singing my mind right now.”
What made you start singing?
It came naturally. I love listening to music. I grew up in a music-loving family. My dad used to play keyboards. My elder siblings were in the choir. It was something I enjoyed, it was fun. I love watching music videos, I love watching Michael Jackson. Music was an escape for me, it wasn’t even planned but it was preordained.
The first time I ever recorded a song, I went to the studio with my friend who was an artist who was like “I’m going to the studio.” I said, “Oh, let me go with you.” Just as a random observer. When we’re recording, I said let me try something. And I did. That’s how music started for me. From there, I started recording and making covers. Started posting covers. Then a particular cover blew up, of Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You.” That was how I connected with Mr. Eazi. To cut along story short, here we are.
What does Mr. Eazi think of the project?
He loves it! Mr Eazi is probably one of my biggest fans. I always send him my music. He always says “adjust this, adjust that.” That’s my G.
I love the music video to “24/7,” what inspired this?
When I was growing up, when I was in university, I thought I was going to end up being a banker and end up working in an office. The idea for “24/7” was what if that was my destiny and I ended up becoming a banker, that was the person I would be. I’d be carefree and be the life of the office. I decided to make that a video. Like OK, how would you have been if you’re a banker? I asked myself that question. Oh, that exactly makes sense. I decided to make it into a video. Amazing, amazing video. I love the storyline.
Do you think you’d be happy with a 9 to 5?
No, I would not be happy with a 9 to 5. Definitely. Even before I blew up and I was in uni, I used to always dread it. I don’t like too many rules. When something’s so defined and predictive like oh, every day’s the same thing. I knew I wouldn’t be happy in a 9 to 5, for sure. Music is more 24/7. Music is actually more intense when it comes to the work time, but it’s something I genuinely enjoy doing. So it’s all good.
How do you feel about where you are now?
I am happy. It’s a blessing, I’m honored. When I was in high school, secondary school, I did not seem like the kind of person that was going to end up being a famous or popular person. Or that’s going to end up in this line of work. You could ask even my secondary schoolmates, they can’t believe it. They’re like “I didn’t know you could sing.” God decided to change my path. It’s beautiful how you never know where life will take you. Everything that I have achieved and I’m achieving, it’s way beyond my expectations and I’m grateful for that. That motivates me to keep going and improving on myself, and doing things on a bigger and larger scale.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cz_aYEooprr/?hl=en
People are complaining about the “Enemy” open verse. Why only females?
The song “Enemy” is a conversation between me and a lady. So I was like Okay, I’ll make an open verse for just females, so ladies can respond to me with their own version. I’m speaking as a guy in a relationship, so I need a response from the ladies. A lot of guys are fighting me, but I have something for the guys too. Just be patient.
What do you say to someone who wants to start singing?
Make sure it’s something that you genuinely love. Don’t do it because you want to be famous or rich, or you feel it’s the next best thing to do because everybody around you is doing it. It has to be natural, it has to be something you love. For me, it was something I enjoyed doing. Now, I enjoy making music. Whether I’m releasing music or not, I’ll always be recording or writing songs, or making a song or helping somebody write their song. That’s always been it for me. I always tell my people, my friends: I’m not famous because I want to be famous, but because I’m very good at what I do. The negative parts of the music and the hustle doesn’t really get to me because at the end of the day, I’m doing what I love.
What’re you excited for next?
Global domination on a bigger scale. I’m so happy for the next phase of my career. Now, my mind is so clear. This is the clearest mind I’ve had since the very beginning of my career. I have the plan, I have the vision. I’m more confident, I’m more intentional. I have a lot of people around me that’s ready to get the job done. I’m so excited for what’s to come.
Tasha K does a lot of talking and yesterday she had something to say about Ashanti and Nelly’s relationship. “Ashanti, y’all doing too much! I just don’t understand why we need to see his face on a purse. If y’all together, if y’all really together, why you need to have three, four birthday parties? Why you need to buy him a car, why he need to buy you everything but a ring? And you supposed to be a high-value woman. You ain’t got no kids, you still got your body together,” Tasha ranted. She definitely received some pushback for her thoughts, but that didn’t stop her from doubling down.
She starts her new rant off re-affirming the comments she made previously. She then tries to frame her criticisms not as hate, but as advice for Ashanti because Tasha wants “to see her win.” She continues, “I don’t want to see a MF spin the block on you to do the same thing he did to you before.” Despite her insistence that she’s not hating, fans in the comments didn’t take her side. “Aint no way her momma let her run her mouth this much growin up? Sis cant be quiet to save her life,” one of the top comments reads, with many others expressing similar sentiments. Check out the new rant and fan reactions to it below.
Tasha K isn’t just in trouble with fans online, she could also be in trouble in real life. Earlier this week, video made the rounds online of Tasha getting in a fight with somebody outside a party in Miami. She claimed she was acting in self-defense and some online agreed.
Others couldn’t believe that with all the trouble she’s already been in that she’s still getting in fights with people. Tasha famously owes Cardi B a ton of money from a lawsuit over false comments she made about the rapper online. What do you think of Tasha K’s new comments about Ashanti and Nelly’s relationship? Let us know in the comment section below.
Ashanti is spoiling her man, Nelly, copping him a new custom Impala for his 49th birthday.
TMZ spoke with celebrity car dealer Ronnie Garber who stated DJ Envy connected him with Ashanti to gift the 1962 Impala convertible. The blue ride has a Corvette motor and a new sound system with Nelly’s logo.
Before the car was presented to the STL legend, fireworks went off. Nelly was emotional when he got the car, stating it was his dream ride.
You can see all the moments below.
Ashanti bought Nelly his childhood dream car as a present for his 49th Birthday pic.twitter.com/8WMB7NPLmG
Last month, Nelly had Ashanti speechless as he presented her birthday gifts, showing an iced-out watch and flooding her neck. While opening the gifts, Ashanti is held speechless, in awe. She puts on all the pieces and celebrates with her man, continuously hugging him and showing appreciation.
Nelly had Ashanti literally lost for words after he iced out her wrist and lit up her neck for her birthday!
2023 has been a year full of chaos and turmoil in the music industry and beyond. One thing keeping people smiling throughout it all is watching Nelly and Ashantirediscover their love for each other. The pair have been spending plenty of their free time together in recent months, whether on stage bumping and grinding or performing salacious songs for each other. On Monday (October 30), a video of the New Yorker and her man in Atlanta for One Music Festival began circulating on blogs, as she allowed the NSFW lyrics from Sexyy Red’s “Pound Town” to fill Nelly in on her bedroom fantasies.
“I’m tryna get my coochie scratched,” the viral song blasts, “I’m tryna get my coochie stretched,” the next bar continues as Ashanti laughs. At this point, the fashionista looks her other half directly in his eyes while agreeing. The “Hot In Herre” hitmaker is always grinning from ear to ear whenever he’s in his lover’s company. However, this bold confession had him laughing and cheesing harder than we’ve ever seen Nelly smile.
As cuffing season continues, more single social media users are convincing themselves that spinning the block might be worth it after all. “These two make me think me & my ex might still have a chance ,” one IG user wrote in @theneighborhoodtalk’s comments. “Nelly ain’t stopped smiling since he got that old thing back,” another chimed in, once again advocating for exploring past options instead of seeking out new ones.
Sexyy Red isn’t the only artist we’ve seen Nelly and Ashanti showing love to in their recent videos. While celebrating the R&B diva’s birthday earlier this month, she loved every minute of her man serenading her with Jodeci’s “Freek’N You.” Check out that laughter-filled video at the link below, and tap back in later for more hip-hop/pop culture news updates.
In the tumultuous shift from ’99 to the early 2000s, hip-hop witnessed the demise of East Coast vs. West Coast rap feuds, the ostentatious bling era led by icons like Jay-Z and P. Diddy, and the peak of gangsta rap embodied by N.W.A. The dawn of the new millennium brought forth a seismic transformation, as crunk music ascended, Southern hip-hop took center stage, and the once-rigid regional boundaries blurred. In this chaos, artists like OutKast and Nelly emerged as trailblazers, shifting the hip-hop paradigm.
Nelly’s debut album, Country Grammar, emerged as a defining moment, etching an indelible mark in the annals of the genre. The title track, “Country Grammar (Hot S***),” erupted like a sonic hurricane, catapulting the rapper to international stardom. But what alchemy allowed this record to amass over 10 million copies sold in the United States alone? In this exposé, we shall unravel the elements that have forged its everlasting resonance, solidifying its status as a classic amid the chaotic rap landscape.
How It All Began
Nelly and the St. Lunatics during Nelly Live In Concert at World in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage)
Country Grammar, my friends, stands as a testament to Nelly’s unparalleled knack for seamlessly melding divergent hip-hop styles. Born in the heart of Texas but raised in the gritty streets of St. Louis, this rap maverick harnessed the essence of his roots, uniting the fiery fervor of Southern hip-hop with his distinctive Midwestern swagger, birthing a sound that resonated with all who encountered it. The album’s producer, Jason “Jay E” Epperson, incorporated catchy beats and hooks so infectious they could lure the devil himself to dance.
In the mid-1990s, a serendipitous collision occurred when Jay E and Nelly, along with other St. Lunatics crew members, found themselves at a skating rink studio. Jay E would speak in an interview with HotNewHipHop about their musical kinship leading to Country Grammar. “We just started growing together as a musical family,” says Jay E as he recounted the formative days when they collectively penned “Gimmie What U Got.” This was the moment when the stars aligned, and Jay E sensed his destiny as a producer was etched in the cosmos. Soon, the artists embarked on the journey that would lead to the creation of Country Grammar’s first song.
“The first song we ever did from Country Grammar was ‘Batter Up,’” says Jay E, who also credited the song as the beginning of Nelly’s “singsong lane,” a style for which the rapper is known. When creating the tracks that ended up being on the multi-Platinum-selling album, Jay E spoke about the production process. “The main thing I started with was the drums,” he says. Next comes the melody, then the bassline, a relentless pulse that seizes your soul and rattles your very speakers.
Jay E and Nelly also adapted some classic Southern rhymes that date back further than Country Grammar. “Nobody can take credit for ‘Down Down Baby’ [referring to Country Grammar”s chorus],” says music reviewer Tom Breihan in an article for Stereogum. “’Down Down Baby’ is a part of American folkloric tradition, a clapping-game chant that goes back, at the very least, to the mid-20th century…” Breihan also mentioned how the chant worked in “Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop,” a 1959 hit by Little Anthony & The Imperials.
As the new millennium unfurled, Labor Day Weekend bore witness to Nelly’s audacious ascent into the upper echelons of the Billboard Hot 100 charts with his debut mainstream opus, Country Grammar. This audacious album would go on to unleash three titanic singles upon the world: “Country Grammar,” “E.I.,” and “Ride wit Me.” These compositions, much like the entire sonic tapestry of the album, wove a mesmerizing fabric. They melded the unmistakable elements of New Orleans bounce, a rhythmic “singsonglane” akin to R&B, and the age-old pillars of hip-hop. But it was the incorporation of the album’s title track’s chants that conjured a storm, one that swept across the nation with relentless fury.
Today, Country Grammar is a glistening jewel in the abyss of hip-hop, a Diamond album, a rarefied breed that has seduced over 10,000,000 souls into its harmonious embrace. Its melodies have transcended the boundaries of albums and become the heartbeat of countless movies and commercials, an omnipresent force lingering in the collective consciousness. This opus, my friends, is no mere album; it’s a seismic shift, a watershed moment in hip-hop’s tumultuous journey. It set a new trajectory, one where artists boldly grasped their regional identities, and the genre, forever altered, embarked on a journey of unbridled experimentation, a journey only the fearless dare to undertake.
As the 27th annual Urbanworld International Film Festival approaches, it’s set to honor the most iconic rap videos of all time. With Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA serving as the festival’s ambassador, a special tribute titled Lights, Cameras, Rhymes: 50 Years of Hip Hop on Screen will spotlight legendary music videos, featuring discussions led by acclaimed director […]
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OMG THEM SHOWING UP AND OUT FOR EACH OTHERS BIRTHDAY HAS BEEN AMAZING TO SEE!
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(@mrsalexsmith___) November 1, 2023
: @gettyimages ) pic.twitter.com/9KzsQmxtRf
,” one IG user wrote in @theneighborhoodtalk’s comments. “Nelly ain’t stopped smiling since he got that old thing back
,” another chimed in, once again advocating for 
