Ashanti announces pregnancy with Nelly after experiencing viral belly rub incident on stage

Ashanti recently shared how she revealed her pregnancy to her fiancée Nelly in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. Despite a viral December 2023 appearance where Nelly caressed Ashanti’s belly on stage at the Black and White Ball in St. Louis, the singer stated that they were unaware of her pregnancy at the time. “When he blurted that out on stage, we actually didn’t know. I hadn’t even taken a test at the time,” Ashanti explained, noting that she was simply adjusting a pendant on her dress.

After her period was missed, Ashanti began to suspect she was pregnant and confirmed the news with a test. She shared the happy news with Nelly over FaceTime. “I couldn’t wait, I had to let it out,” Ashanti said. “And he was like, ‘Oh, I knew it.'” Describing the moment as full of happiness and laughter, she shared, “He was so happy and we were both smiling and it was so funny. I was actually at his mom’s house. He was in the studio. It was a really cool moment. It was a little bit of everything.”

On Mother’s Day, Ashanti posted photos on Instagram of herself with Nelly and their families, showing off her growing baby bump. “This Mother’s Day was so special,” she captioned the post. “It’s been amazing to have our families together as we embark on such an incredible journey. Happy Mother’s Day to all the amazing moms and moms-to-be…!!!!”

Ashanti humorously referenced the delay in her Mother’s Day message, writing, “Yes, yes, I know I’m late… there was so much food that I was distracted.”

In April, Ashanti and Nelly announced that they were expecting their first child together. The news was confirmed in a video Ashanti shared on Instagram. When asked by her mother how much time she would need before a performance, she replied, “Uh, I’ll need about nine months,” which drew a surprised reaction from her mother.