Ashanti and Nelly are parents!
This week, in an interview with “Entertainment Tonight,” Ashanti announced the arrival of her and Nelly’s first child together — Kareem Kenkaide Haynes. Despite his slightly early arrival on July 18, baby Kareem was surrounded by love as he came into this world.
“[Giving birth] was such an amazing and incredible feeling and experience,” Ashanti told the publication, recalling how Nelly had to fly in last minute for his son’s birth. “Just having all of us in the delivery room and seeing his face for the first time, I cried. It was just so emotional and so spiritual. Kind of having a vision of this moment for so long.”
As previously reported by theGrio, Ashanti first teased her pregnancy in a campaign video for at-home fertility diagnostic company Proov, which she and the rapper co-own with founder Amy Beckley, Ph.D. Shortly after, she confirmed that she and Nelly were engaged and expecting.
“I always wanted children; I always wanted to get married,” she said. “I [just] didn’t know that I was going to spin the block and be with my ex from a long time ago.”
The couple’s unexpected rekindled romance came almost two decades after the two first sparked relationship rumors. In 2003, romance rumors began to swirl between the “Baby” singer and the “Hot in Herre” rapper when the two were spotted together at the MTV Video Music Awards. Now, 20 years later, the two are married with a child.
“[It’s] just all of these emotions happening at one time, just knowing that this is your person, this is your purpose, this is what it’s supposed to be,” the new mom added, reflecting on her and Nelly’s journey. “And the three of us together; when we were all able to hold each other it was such an electrifying feeling. It just validated all of that. It was very emotional and spiritual, to say the least.”
However, Kareem’s arrival was not the only milestone that made Ashanti emotional. The “Foolish” singer revealed how adamant and intentional Nelly was about naming their son.
“His dad named him with a lot of pride,” she explained “We were going back and forth for a long time on his name and he was very adamant. He was like, ‘This is what I want, I love this.’”
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Though his first name, Kareem, means “generous, kind, noble, bountiful and dignified,” his middle name, Kenkaide, is an ode to his maternal grandfather.
“I thought it was just so amazing and so thoughtful and so sweet because Kenkaide is my dad’s name, and obviously my dad has only girls, so Nelly was just like, ‘I think that would be really dope.’ This was all his idea.”
While the parents are still debating who baby KK resembles, Ashanti praises her husband for being so “confident, gentle, and soothing” with their son. Adjusting to life as a new mom, the songstress is proud of her postpartum body, sharing a glimpse of her mom-bod on Instagram.
“Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time.. lol. I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings,” she wrote in the post’s caption. “[…]I’m so proud of my body for giving me my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby.”
Through it all, Ashanti says motherhood has changed her mindset. With her son now the top priority, she describes feeling a sense of selflessness and protectiveness over Kareem.
“Just feeling like I don’t care what it will take…[or] what I have to do, I’m just going to give everything and my all to my son,” she said. “It’s just this overwhelming feeling of love and admiration…this little boy has my entire soul wrapped around his finger.”
