Rapper Nelly and singer Ashanti Douglas have been celebrating their new engagement and pregnancy since announcing this past spring.
Fans say they can already tell that the chart-topping St. Louis native is going to be a lion of a husband and father after how he checked a fan about his lady.
After the Celebrity Tea House profile posted a couple of pictures of the two on its Instagram page from earlier this month with the caption, “Aww The Haynes Family.”
One avid Ashanti fan named Elan Lanae commented, “But it’s not the Haynes family. It’s definitely the Haynes/Douglas family. I know y’all gone be mad but be mad at him for not marrying her after this time and giving her his last name.”
Somehow the artist, born Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., found out about the woman’s post and blasted her in the comment section for not recognizing his surname as the crest for the family.
He replied to her, writing on the now-private account, “Ummmm It’s definitely the Haynes family…!!! Lol.”
When fans started to see Nelly’s remarks, one of the profile’s followers wrote, “He responded and cleared the Hater’s HAYNES period.”
“That’s right Nelly!! Say That!! People Need To Mind Their Own Business & Go Get Them A Man! Congratulations HAYNE’S FAMILY!!” another co-signed.
Another Instagram account, user @MsCarlav23, saw the quote and posted it on her profile, adding, “UMMM yall gone stop playing with @nelly about @ashanti because 1 thing for sure and 2 things for certain; HE LOVES EVERYTHING about that woman and WE DO TOO.”
Others chimed in on how the “Country Grammar” artist gently snapped on the fan.
“ANNNNND she responded to everyone BUT HIM…these people gone learn to leave this man alone!!!” one person wrote, while another said, “Nelly Said play with ya mammy not me! Lol.”
A third comment read, “Nelly standing on business lol!! They better stop playing with Nelly wife lol.”
A few began suggesting that Nelly and Ashanti were already married including one fan that said, “Man, they probably married already not ready to tell us.”
Another said, “Tell them Nelly! It’s for y’all to know and them to keep trying to find out!!!!”
The celebrity “it” couple rekindled their relationship in 2023 and have recently announced that the two will be having their first, “baby baby baby baby.”
In an interview with Essence magazine, Ashanti talked about all the new changes about to happen in her life.
“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.”
The Grammy Award-winning artists first crossed paths and possibly began their relationship in 2003.
Interestingly enough, Ashanti apparently was involved with her label head, Irv Gotti, around the same time. In 2022, after appearing on “Drink Champs,” the Murder Inc. producer said that he was in love with her despite being married to Deb Lorenzo.
“I can get past you [Ashanti] wanting to be with Nelly,” he told host NORE, although the podcaster quickly pointed out that it didn’t seem like he was entirely over the matter. “Listen, at the time, when it happens, any man, it hurts [when] the chick you f-cking are in love with is with this n—ga.”
“You wanna hear how I found out?” Irv continued. “This was God wanting me to find out. I was at home. NBA package, I like watching sports. ‘Oh my God, what’s this commotion going on in the stadium?’ ‘We just found out what the commotion is: Nelly has walked in with Ashanti.’”
The breakup not only shattered the romantic entanglement between the music executive and his artist but also marked the onset of their professional issues.
Still, Ashanti and Nelly pushed on as a couple until 2013.
After spending another ten years apart, they had an unexpected reunion at Fat Joe and Ja Rule’s Verzuz in September 2021. The two were spotted at various events and performances together but it appears they didn’t begin to confirm the rumors until they were spotted holding hands in April 2023.
Months later in September, the singer hit the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards wearing a clutch with his and her’s face on it.
Since then, Ashanti and Nelly appear to be headed towards marital bliss as they await the birth of their first child together. Ashanti will be a first time mom and Nelly will become a dad of five. He has a son and daughter with his ex and serves as the legal guardian for his niece and nephew after his sister passed of leukemia in 2006.
