Nelly Tells His Side Of Ashanti Hug Story

It was the hug heard, and seen, around the world.

When Nelly walked through Fat Joe and past Ja Rule to hug Ashanti during Tuesday night’s Verzuz battle between the two New York legends, the internet went up in flames. The former lovers who, after dating for ten years, according to Ashanti, had not seen each other at all before the “Hot in Herre” rapper walked across the stage to give her a hug in front of a packed crowd and hundreds of thousands of Instagram Live viewers.

nelly ashanti

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Ashanti, fresh off performing three songs (two with Ja, one with Joe), hugged Nelly back and that was that but because of the immense hype surrounding the battle and hug itself, reconciliation rumors immediately began to swirl. Fans speculated that Nelly wants Ashanti back and videos from before the hug show him planning out going over to hug his ex.

Despite fans yearning for a Nelly and Ashanti return a la Bennifer, Ashanti was quick to shut down any rumors, revealing that she is already in a relationship and *not* with the St. Louis rapper.

Not to be outdone, Nelly went on The Big Tigger Show to tell his side of the story.

“It wasn’t like that,” he told Big Tigger. “I said what up to everybody, bro. I said what up to everybody. I didn’t want no uncomfortable feelings. Nothing like that. I just said what up.”

It’s clear that, with the buzz surrounding Ja and Joe’s Verzuz, fans were dying to get a taste of the 2000s back but both Ashanti and Nelly have gone out of their way to make one thing clear: it’s not happening.

What did you think of Nelly’s bold move walking across the stage like that to hug Ashanti? Was it just a hug? Was it something more? Let us know in the comments.