Nelly and Ashanti ‘married in secret ceremony six months ago’

Ashanti and Nelly are married, having reportedly tied the knot over six months ago.

The musicians confirmed they would be having a child together in April this year, sending fans into a nostalgic meltdown. The couple were first linked back in the early 2000s when they were two of the biggest stars in entertainment.

They rekindled their romance last year, announcing their engagement and pregnancy this year.

Now, it appears that the “Foolish” and “Dilemma” artists had kept a big part of their reunion under wraps, as new documents seen by TMZ and People reveal they have actually been married since 27 December 2023. The marriage appears to have taken place in Nelly’s hometown of St Louis County.

Earlier this week, Ashanti had discussed her dream wedding with Entertainment Tonight, even going as far as to say that she wanted to deliver her baby before celebrating the union.

Although she kept the date a secret, she had hinted that she hoped it would be a “combination of fashion, glam, Caribbean vibes,” adding, “I have to have a beach, an ocean, sunshine, palm trees!”

The star also opened up about the moment the rapper popped the question as she explained she had not been expecting the move at all.

“I definitely had one of his T-shirts and his boxers,” she joked.

But she added that the proposal was nevertheless a “beautiful, intimate, moment”.

Back in April, Ashanti had shared the news of her engagement with Essence.

“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation,” she 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 that the pair had gotten back together and that the reconciliation “surprised both of us”.