Nelly and Ashanti’s New Docuseries Revealed

January 21, 2025

Ever since the rumors first started spreading that Ashanti and Nelly were getting back together, the couple have been getting a lot of media attention.

What Will Nelly And Ashanti’s Docuseries Be About?

All eyes are on their relationship, which makes it the perfect opportunity to get people interested in watching a show about their lives.

Deadline reported the news that the pair are releasing a docuseries that will follow their journey into parenthood together, and it will reportedly document their upcoming wedding, too.

The outlet claimed that Peacock is the network that the show will air on.

And not only will Ashanti and Nelly be starring in the show, but they’re also producing it, along with Jenny Daly and Oji Singletary at Critical Content Studios.

Critical Content is the same company that was responsible for Sly on Netflix and Catfish on MTV.

The production for the show reportedly began filming a few months ago, so probably not that long after Ashanti gave birth to the couple’s son, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes.

He was born on July 18, 2024.

The Truth About Nelly And Ashanti’s Relationship

The news of the docuseries comes as a surprise for some people, because in the past, the couple have always fiercely guarded the details of their relationship.

According to HELLO Magazine, Ashanti and Nelly were originally an item between 2003 and 2013, and during that time, they famously kept denying that they were even together.

It was only after the breakup that they started to admit they used to be in a relationship.

But this time around, things seem different.

And though they’ve still tried to keep parts of their relationship under wraps, they’ve also been more open about it than ever before.

What Reality TV Shows Did Nelly Star In?

The upcoming show won’t be the first time that Nelly has starred in a reality TV program.

He was on BET’s Nellyville back in 2014.

The show ran for 2 seasons and followed the lives of Nelly, his ex, Shantel Jackson, and his four children.

He also made some appearances on the mockumentary Real Husbands of Hollywood, playing himself.

And in 2020, he came in 3rd place on the 29th season of Dancing with the Stars.

Nelly has also tried his hand at acting, with roles like Earl Megget in The Longest Yard and Terrence Davis in CSI: New York.

While Ashanti hasn’t appeared in a reality show that follows her life before, she has made several guest appearances on shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race, The $100,000 Pyramid, I Can See Your Voice, and To Tell the Truth.

Will Nelly And Ashanti Survive The Reality TV Curse?

When whispers of a docuseries first started to spread in the summer of 2024, there were some who were worried that the reality TV curse that’d affected other famous couples could get them.

But a report by COLLIDER looked at the different reasons why many believe that the couple will survive the program.

The article’s writer claimed that the two singers’ relationship had a “firm foundation,” since they were previously together for ten years.

She also wrote that each of them has a strong career outside of reality TV, with both of them still releasing music and going on tours around the world.

The article alleged that the reality TV curse often affected couples who were newcomers to fame and couldn’t handle the challenges that came along with that.

But, of course, Ashanti and Nelly have been in the limelight for more than 20 years now, and they are well aware of the highs and lows that they may face.

Is Ashanti Pregnant Again?

The news about the upcoming TV show isn’t the only reason why people have been talking about Ashanti and Nelly these days, though.

There’s been a lot of speculation brewing about something that could be going on in their personal lives.

In November 2024, sources told The Jasmine Brand that Ashanti was expecting another baby.

If the rumor is true, then that would mean the unborn baby would be Ashanti’s 2nd child and Nelly’s sixth.

He has two biological children from a previous relationship, and in 2004, he also adopted his sister’s two kids after she tragically passed away from an illness.

Bossip later reported that a journalist named Damon Arnold asked the couple a personal question while they were on the red carpet for Nelly’s annual Black & White Charity Ball.

He brought up how the speculation on whether Ashanti was pregnant first began at the same event in 2023, and he then directly asked them if they were expecting another one.

How Nelly And Ashanti Responded To Second Pregnancy Rumors

And a few social media users thought that their answers were a little telling.

Because Ashanti immediately smiled and told the journalist not to “do that.”

And Nelly simply grinned and said: “I’mma stay quiet.”

Other social media users jumped on the 2nd baby bandwagon after watching a performance the couple did together on New Year’s Eve, according to The Shade Room.

At one point during the show, Nelly saw Ashanti with a drink and jokingly asked her what she was doing with it and what exactly was in the beverage.

Ashanti told everyone watching that it was just water.

Social Media Users Claim Ashanti Is Pregnant Again

If that wasn’t enough of an eyebrow-raiser, a lot of people also commented on how Ashanti kept rubbing her belly during the performance.

The comment section on The Shade Room’s Instagram post about the performance was filled with claims that Ashanti must be pregnant.

One person wrote that they thought that they saw a “bump rub.”

Another commented that her “bump was bumping.”

A third user predicted that the question Nelly asked about what Ashanti was drinking meant that she definitely had a bun in the oven.

Nelly Speaks Out About Donald Trump

But the pair haven’t only been getting positive comments on social media these days.

At least Nelly hasn’t.

Because a CBS News report revealed that he was performing at Donald Trump’s Inaugural Liberty Ball on January 20.

A lot of people were surprised by his decision to perform for the Republican president, given that he’d never voiced his support for Donald Trump in the past.

In 2017, the famous rapper told Page Six that he used to like Donald Trump, but he just didn’t like him as his president.

Nelly said: “He doesn’t surprise me as a person, he surprises me as a president because you don’t expect certain things, certain attitudes.”

He also claimed that he “was more or less mad at him” because he couldn’t stay at his hotels anymore when he was touring on the road.

He even told him to ‘get it together.”

Social Media Users Blast Nelly For Performing At Donald Trump’s Inaugural Liberty Ball

When The Shade Room announced the news of Nelly’s performance in an Instagram post, a lot of the platform’s users filled the comments section with their critiques.

One person wrote: “We helped you get Ashanti back and this is how you repay us.”

Another user commented that it was extremely disappointing, especially since the performance was taking place on Martin Luther King Day.

Ashanti Speaks Out About Her Dream Wedding

The docuseries Nelly and Ashanti have been working on is said to be covering the lead-up to their highly-anticipated wedding.

Though Ashanti hasn’t given too many details about the wedding, she did let some things slip during an interview with Entertainment Tonight.

When reporter Deidre Behar asked her if she thought that it would happen sooner rather than later, she said yes.

And she revealed that she knew which month she wanted to get married in, but she wasn’t ready to say yet.

Deidre also wanted to know if she’d thought about what kind of wedding she’d like to have – if it was going to be something big and extravagant, or something more low-key.

Ashanti shared that it was going to be a combination of fashion, glam, and Caribbean vibes.

One of the most important requirements for her was that it took place on a beach with palm trees, next to the ocean, in the sunshine.

Nelly And Ashanti Confirm Engagement And Wedding Rumors

So, it’s clear that she and Nelly were already planning for their special day.

Just a day after the ET interview came out, TMZ published some surprising news that the couple had been keeping a secret from the public.

The outlet claimed that though Ashanti and Nelly had admitted that they were engaged and planning to have a wedding, they were actually already married by that point.

According to public records, the duo were legally wed on December 27, 2023.

The document didn’t reveal exactly where they’d gotten hitched, but it became official in St. Louis County, so TMZ predicted that they must’ve tied the knot in Nelly’s hometown.

The Disturbing Truth About Russell Simmons

January 20, 2025

Russell Simmons has tried to keep a low profile for years.

But that hasn’t stopped the shocking allegations against him from spreading far and wide.

Russell Simmons Served Lawsuit In Bali Home

In fact, the former music exec even fled the country to escape the stories that might have brought down his whole legacy.

In March of this year, it was reported that Russell had been served a lawsuit in his new home in Bali.

A server traveled all the way to the Indonesian island, going through two security checkpoints, to find and serve the Def Jam co-founder.

It reportedly took over an hour for the dedicated server to track Russell down.

The lawsuit was filed by former music executive Drew Dixon.

She was suing Russell for defamation after his negligence of her harm claims against him.

Terry Crews Makes Accusations Against Russell Simmons

But Drew is not the only one to make serious accusations about Russell.

Back in 2017, he was called out by none other than Terry Crews.

Terry described him as an SA empathizer and also showed some shocking receipts to back this up.

Terry had previously claimed that he himself had been touched inappropriately by WME agent Adam Venit.

Following his claim, he shared screenshots of a conversation between him and Russell which showed exactly whose side Russell was on.

The screenshots showed Russell asking Terry to give Adam a “pass” for what he had done.

This proved to be the beginning of the end for Russell’s public life in the US.

Russell Simmons’ Alleged Victim Recounts Assault

The allegations against him have grown more and more shocking since.

He was then accused, along with director Brett Ratner, of joining up to coerce women.

One of their alleged victims stated that she was convinced to go back to an apartment with both men when she was just 17 years old.

After that came the beginning of Drew’s accusations.

She made claims that in 1995, Russell harmed her in the most horrific manner.

Russell Simmons Speaks Out Against Alleged Victim

She went on to allege that since then, Russell has conducted a campaign against her to discredit her story.

Russell claimed that Drew was desperate for fame.

For years after that, he seemed determined to ignore the accusations against him.

Then, in 2023, he opened up about them in an interview with Graham Bensinger.

He claimed to have taken 9 separate lie detector tests to confirm his story.

Drew Dixon Convinces Court To Doubt Russell Simmons’ Claims

Drew, however, has not stayed quiet on her end.

After Russell left the US to live in Indonesia, he claimed that he couldn’t now be sued in a New York court due to being a stateless citizen who had retired to Bali.

But Drew claimed that the executive was running from the jurisdiction to avoid any accountability for his alleged crimes.

She went on to say that the court should seriously doubt Russell’s claims.

And after what happened earlier this year, it seems that they might have listened to her.

Usher Faces Backlash For Visiting Russell Simmons

During his time in Bali, Russell has not been short of company.

A few months ago, R&B superstar Usher came in for some negative criticism after he decided to take a trip to visit him.

The Source reported that the megastar received backlash online after he was spotted enjoying yoga with the disgraced music mogul.

Their meet-up was captured and shared on Instagram Stories, according to the Daily Mail.

In the clip, which was set to a song by Beyonce, Usher was seen taking part in some exercise and meditation in Russell’s Indonesian home.

Russell Celebrates Usher’s Friendship

The footage was first shared on Russell’s own Instagram, where he went on to celebrate what Usher’s friendship meant to him.

The video appeared to show Russell leading the yoga class that the singer was taking part in along with dozens of others, according to the Mail.

The Grammy winner was joined on his trip by his wife, Jennifer Goicoechea, who he married in Las Vegas following his Super Bowl performance.

In the time since the accusations against Russell were made public, he has gone on record about the friendship he continues to share with Usher.

He said that when he was at the lowest point in his life, Usher was still by his side.

He went on to say, “I had known Usher since he was a kid but we really bonded because of our mutual love for self discovery.”

He added that they shared a “belief in Yogic science as a direct route to realizing God’s consciousness in ourselves.”

Russell also talked about how Usher’s friendship, which continued after the allegations, had affected him emotionally.

He told people to remember that “a friend walks in when others walk out”, and said that he would never forget Usher’s “generosity of spirit” at that time.

Social Media Users Speak Out About Usher Visiting Russell Simmons

After the post was shared across the Internet, many people were quick to voice their disapproval at Usher’s continued association with Russell.

One user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “He should’ve not been in Bali with Russell Simmons.”

Another user said that Usher having pictures taken with Russell at the yoga class was definitely a choice.

They went on to suggest that it was very unlikely that the singer was unaware of the allegations made against his friend.

Usher also posed with many others during his Bali trip, including his new wife.

And he also took some more selfies with Russell in his house.

Ming Lee Throws Shade At Father Russell Simmons

But although some A-listers are still willing to see Russell, there are plenty of other people who he might have burned his bridges with.

Shockingly, some of those people are his own family members.

Last year, his own daughters, Ming and Aoki, hit headlines after a spat within the family allegedly put a strain on their relationship.

Us Weekly reported in June of last year that the drama started with a Father’s Day snub before turning into a social media brawl.

It started after Ming posted a tribute to their mom, Kimora Lee Simmons, on Father’s Day, which was described as a subtle shading of her father.

Along with the picture of her mom, Ming wrote: Happy Father’s Day.

After Ming shared her post, Russell wrote on social media, “Stop telling fathers they should have fought harder to see their children and start asking mothers why he had to fight at all.”

Aoki Lee Blasts Father Russell Simmons

Soon after, Ming’s sister Aoki joined the online feud to defend her sister and attack her dad.

She released a series of heated text messages between her and Russell in an exchange that took place the day before.

Along with the texts, she also shared an emotional video on Instagram in which she explained the family drama.

In the caption of the clip, she wrote, “My father is not well, for years, he needs help and won’t accept that he refuses to acknowledge he is not himself”.

She went on to allege that Russell had threatened and bullied her sister, as well as her grandma, who she claimed Russell had harassed in the middle of the night.

Aoki even alleged that her dad had sent a man to her sister’s apartment at 2 a.m. to scare her.

Us Magazine reported that Aoki claimed that Russell had threatened her career.

Aoki said that Russell told her that she would never get a job in fashion again if she spoke out against him.

But with Russell himself now potentially facing jail time for his supposed crimes, his power and influence look like they’ve been seriously weakened.

Russell Simmons’ Lawsuit Update

January 17, 2025

Ever since the first SA lawsuit against him came out in 2017, Russell Simmons has found himself in a lot of legal trouble.

Over the years, more and more cases have been popping up, and he’s now been accused of inappropriate behavior by over 20 women.

Russell was forced to step down from many of his high-power positions, including his role at Def Jam Recordings.

Russell Simmons Failed To Pay $3 Million To Accusers

He later retreated from the public eye and reportedly moved to Bali, Indonesia, which some suspect was an attempt to escape his legal troubles.

But what’s going on with his lawsuits these days?

A recent report by Variety revealed that Russell did not keep to his end of multiple agreements that he’d made.

According to court documents, he failed to pay $3 million to three women that he’d reached settlements with.

Though the documents didn’t specify why they’d reached the settlements originally, one of the women has publicly accused the business mogul of harming her.

They all entered into the confidential settlement agreements in November 2023, and Russell reportedly had until the first of October 2024 to pay the women.

But that date came and went, and they did not get a single dime out of him.

He was meant to be compensating them for ‘alleged personal, physical injuries, and sickness.’

The documents revealed that Russell owed two of the women, Sherri Abernathy and Sil Lai Abrams, $1,265,000 each.

And he was supposed to give the other woman, Wendy Carolina Franco, $515,000.

Russell Simmons’ Accusers Speak Out

Though he’d agreed to pay those amounts, he reportedly never confessed to the allegations against him in the settlements.

The three women filed confessions of judgment in the New York County Supreme Court, which would mean that they can begin the collections process if there’s a default.

Sil first wrote about how Russell harmed her in a book she wrote in 2007 titled No More Drama, but she did not name him.

Then, in 2020, she wrote an article for the Hollywood Reporter and directly accused Russell of hurting her back in 1994.

She claimed that the incident led to her attempting to take her own life at one point, which she nearly didn’t survive.

Sil later appeared in an HBO documentary called On The Record, which was about Black women in the world of hip-hop and the shocking experiences they faced in the industry.

The most recent allegation against Russell came out at the start of 2024.

Vibe reported that a music producer who used to work for Def Jam Recordings in the ‘90s accused the label’s co-founder of having his way with her on his bed in Manhattan.

She anonymously filed a lawsuit under New York’s Adult Survivors Act and the New York City Gender Motivated Violence Act.

Alleged Victim Told Russell To ‘Get Off’ And ‘Stop’ Several Times

In the lawsuit, she alleged that she rejected his advances and told him to ‘get off’ and ‘stop’ several times.

But she claimed that she was forcefully pinned and could not move under Russel’s weight and he would not listen to her.

The Jane Doe criticized Russell in a new court filing where she asked a judge not to accept his recent claims, according to Rolling Stone.

The millionaire entrepreneur had alleged that he cannot be sued in federal court in New York because he’s retired in Indonesia and therefore is a ‘stateless’ American citizen.

The court filing alleged that Russell was running from the court’s jurisdiction to avoid taking accountability for his actions.

The woman encouraged the court to question how truthful Russel’s claims were that he’d sold all of his properties in the US in 2021 and was completely residing in Bali under a retirement visa.

The Jane Doe revealed that in September 2023, Russell had sat for a limited remote deposition in her case.

According to her, he confessed that he hadn’t retired.

He was working in the US and still had ties to New York.

She also made the claim that her alleged attacker testified that he was also paying the lease on a Manhattan apartment for his daughters and that he’d kept an office space in New York for his company, Russell Simmons TV.

The woman’s latest filing alleged that the record label founder had testified that he was building a business empire and needed a partner for his current projects, but he did not have success in his active efforts in Dubai and Singapore because of the morality clauses required by those countries.

The lawyers who filed the court documents wrote: “Actively building an empire means that the defendant is ineligible for a retirement visa in Indonesia.”

Russell Simmons’ Cryptic Response

Something else that the Jane Doe argued in her filing was that Russell had done an interview in 2024 where he claimed that he still referred to the US as his ‘home.’

When speaking to AllHipHop, he said: “People saying that I somehow can’t come home when I’m there all the time wears on you.”

So, what was he talking about exactly?

Russell was addressing the loud whispers about how he’d left the States in order to avoid the legal mess he’d found himself in.

He told the outlet that there was no truth to that, and he shared that it wore on him after a while to keep hearing that same narrative.

He revealed that he was always in L.A., New York, and Miami, and he’d never had any reason to feel unsafe in the US.

Russell’s Celeb Friends Face Backlash

Complex reported on how Russell wasn’t the only one drawing criticism from the public.

Some of his celebrity friends faced backlash too when it came out that they’d been to visit him in Bali.

In March 2024, the supposedly retired mogul got paid a visit by one of the biggest names in the music industry.

Usher was in Southeast Asia on his honeymoon and decided to surprise Russell, who he’s reportedly known since he was very young.

Russell shared an Instagram post with pictures of their hangout.

He captioned it by saying that when he was at the lowest point in his life, he woke up and found Usher sitting by his bed.

He claimed that he had known the R&B singer since he was a kid, but they really bonded because of their mutual love for self-discovery and their belief in Yogic science as a direct route to realizing God’s consciousness in themselves.

He finished the post by writing: “I will never forget the generosity of spirit I witnessed in this man. God bless you baby bro.”

A lot of online users commented on how it was super strange to see them together.

Some of them pointed out how it was weird that Usher didn’t want to distance himself from Russell.

Especially since he’d already found himself linked to producer Lil Rod’s lawsuit against Diddy.

He made the allegation that a singer, who perfectly fit Usher’s description, had an intimate relationship with Diddy and that the pair of them were involved with a 3rd man.

A few months after Usher’s visit to Bali, Russell welcomed another famous guest – Taraji P. Henson.

He also made an Instagram post about her coming to see him, and wrote that she made everyone happy just with her presence and that he loved her.

Russell Simmons Said ‘… Don’t Attack My Friends For Visiting Me’

His celebrity visitors received a lot of backlash for their trips to Indonesia, so much so that Russell felt the need to tell online haters to back off.

According to Complex, he shared a video on social media saying that he didn’t want his friends attacked.

He said: “Just leave my friends alone. Don’t attack my friends for visiting me.”

Russell went on to talk about the accusations against him.

He insisted that he’d never spoken to the police about the alleged crimes, or even to a judge.

He claimed that presidents Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump all had more credible claims against them than he did.

Then he brought up the topic of how some people believed that he was escaping his troubles in the US by settling down in Bali.

And he said that the idea that he was hiding was ‘stupid.’

How Nelly Proposed to Ashanti

January 17, 2025

Ashanti and Nelly’s relationship has been full of ups and downs over the years.

But their love story reached a peak in 2023.

The couple – who first began dating in 2003, broke up, and then reunited years later – got engaged in a quiet moment that took Ashanti completely by surprise.

Ashanti Reveals Details How Nelly Proposed To Her

In 2024, Ashanti shared the details of how Nelly proposed to her, revealing how it all happened in a way that was so simple and sweet.

Nelly decided to make his proposal a private and intimate occasion.

Ashanti explained that Nelly’s proposal happened when the two were at home, just relaxing together away from prying eyes.

It was just the two of them in the comfort of their bedroom.

She described how she was not at all dressed up in anything fancy, simply wearing a pair of Nelly’s boxers and one of his T-shirts.

She later said that she felt that she couldn’t have been less prepared for what was about to happen.

Ashanti said in an interview, “It was just such a beautiful, intimate moment. We were not dressy.”

The surprise was so huge that Ashanti said that she just didn’t see it coming at all.

Although she suspected that a proposal might come soon, she had no idea when or how it would happen.

Ashanti revealed that when Nelly got down on one knee and asked her to marry him, she was overwhelmed with emotions.

She wasn’t expecting the moment, but it quickly became one of the happiest of her life.

Ashanti said, “The way it happened was just so funny.”

She was sitting in bed, casually watching TV, completely unaware of what was about to happen.

Then, Nelly proposed.

Immediately, she burst into tears of happiness and gave him a big hug and kiss.

She recalled that she was just overjoyed.

Ashanti said that she was shocked and happy all at the same time.

Clearly, it was a big moment for her.

When Did Nelly And Ashanti Get Married?

The couple had been on and off for nearly a decade before spectacularly reuniting in 2023.

Their engagement was a moment of celebration after a long journey.

As for their wedding plans, Ashanti has been thinking ahead.

The couple actually got married in December 2023, but the news didn’t reach the public until several months later.

They also have allegedly been making plans for a bigger event that will actually involve all their friends and family, even though they’ve technically been married for a while now.

Ashanti Envisions Her Dream Wedding

Ashanti has an idea of how she sees their big day going, although she’s not quite ready to share all the details.

She revealed that she’s been dreaming about a wedding with a combination of fashion, glam, and Caribbean vibes.

She has always imagined a beach setting, with the ocean, sunshine, and palm trees as part of the backdrop.

Ashanti did, however, share that she would prefer to have the wedding after she had their baby.

When Did Ashanti Have Her Baby?

Their baby son was born last summer, leaving the couple free and clear to tie the knot whenever they’re ready.

Before their son arrived, Ashanti said that both she and Nelly were super busy.

Their baby was on his way, and because of that, everything else had to wait.

Ashanti Speaks Out On Relationship With Nelly

The couple has been through a lot together, and right now, Ashanti believes that their relationship is stronger than ever.

She said, “The growth has been, like, superb, you know, like on both ends.”

The couple has had to overcome plenty of challenges in the past.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Ashanti opened up about the aftermath of their past breakup.

She said that she didn’t think that they would ever have a conversation again after they split.

But looking back now, Ashanti sees a world of difference between their relationship then and their relationship now.

She explained that before, they would sometimes argue.

Then, one of them would walk out, slam the door, and refuse to speak to the other one for days.

But things are different now.

This time around, they are both more grounded and better equipped to handle whatever comes their way.

Where Did Nelly And Ashanti Meet?

They first met in 2003 at a Grammys press conference and quickly became romantically involved.

Their relationship lasted for 10 years before they split in 2013.

After their breakup, Ashanti claimed that there was no drama between them, but they needed time to grow as individuals.

Their unexpected reunion came in 2021 when they performed together at the Verzuz battle between Ja Rule and Fat Joe.

The chemistry between them was undeniable, as everyone could see, and it wasn’t long before the two started appearing together in public again.

In 2023, they officially confirmed that they were back together, and soon after, they shared the news of their engagement.

Ashanti Speaks Out On Motherhood

Ashanti also spoke about the joy of becoming a mother.

She has been eagerly anticipating motherhood her whole life and sees it as an exciting next chapter she at one point feared wouldn’t happen for her.

In her interview, she shared how grateful she felt to have Nelly by her side, especially as they prepared for their new arrival.

She said that motherhood was always something she wanted.

And she thought it was amazing that she got to share this experience with her family and her fiance, as well as her loyal and supportive fans.

Power Couple Nelly And Ashanti

Ashanti and Nelly have a long history of collaboration in music, as well as being a hip-hop power couple.

They have worked together on several songs over the years, including Ashanti’s appearance in Nelly’s Body on Me music video.

They also reunited for a musical collaboration in 2023 on Jermaine Dupri’s This Lil’ Game We Play.

Ashanti shared how much she enjoyed recording with Nelly, saying that it was a ball.

Now, as they prepare to potentially grow their family even more and build a life together, Ashanti and Nelly are focused on their future.

And from the rumors that have been going around, the future is going to be busy for the two of them.

Nelly And Ashanti’s New Reality Show

It looks like the couple have agreed to put their happy lives together on display for all to see in a new upcoming reality show.

Here’s what we know about the exciting project.

In July 2024, multiple outlets reported that Nelly and Ashanti will be hitting the small screen in a show about their relationship and growing family.

The reports about a reality series were first shared by The Jasmine Brand on their Instagram.

And some insiders close to the couple have shared some of the first details we’ve learned about the show.

It was reported that sources had confirmed that the show would be filming in St. Louis, aka Nelly’s hometown.

It also seems likely that the show will follow them through several stages of Ashanti’s pregnancy.

In sharing the story of the proposal, Ashanti showed just how many sides there were to the couple.

They’re both superstars with a reality show in the pipeline and a swanky A-lister wedding to plan.

But when it came to the proposal, they both found joy in something small, quiet, and private.

No matter what the future holds, that moment of normality will be something that they will always remember as one of the most important nights of their lives.

All About Nelly’s Kids and Late Sister

January 16, 2025

Photo credit: t_trizzle1/Instagram, Nelly Fans/Instagram

Having a rap superstar like Nelly for a father can’t be easy.

But some of Nelly’s children have gone through something more tragic than anyone could have ever imagined.

Nelly’s Sister’s, Jackie Donahue, Heart-Wrenching News

In 2003, Nelly took in the kids of his late sister and best friend, Jackie.

What happened to them was heart-wrenching.

Though few were aware, Nelly’s rise to fame in the early 2000s was also a time filled with immense pain for him and his family.

When Nelly became a hip hop superstar, he hired Jackie to work as his stylist.

In 2001, Jackie went to see a doctor after feeling unusually tired.

At that time, Nelly thought that her fatigue was just because she wasn’t used to his demanding tour schedule.

But Jackie also started to experience severe pain all over her body.

When she was finally checked by a doctor, the diagnosis was one that would change their lives forever.

Jackie was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia, which is a form of cancer.

However, at first, it seemed like there might be a way out.

After treatment, Jackie actually went into remission for about two years.

But in 2003, the cancer returned.

Nelly Launched Campaign To Help Save Sister’s Life

Doctors told Jackie and Nelly that they needed to find a bone marrow donor.

Their search led them to launch the Jes Us 4 Jackie campaign.

The campaign aimed to raise awareness about the need for bone marrow donations and to encourage African Americans to sign up as donors.

The campaign got nearly 2,000 people to sign up, including Nelly.

But tragically, none of the donors turned out to be a match for Jackie.

Without a transplant, Jackie’s health continued to decline, and she passed away in March 2005 at just 31 years old.

In a statement shared by Today, Jackie’s family said that they were “deeply saddened” by her passing.

They also thanked everyone who had supported the campaign’s bone marrow drive.

In the statement, Jackie was remembered for her “loving spirit, energy, and unshakable faith.”

The loss was devastating for Nelly.

But it must’ve been even worse for Jackie’s children.

However, there wasn’t much time to mourn.

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A post shared by 🇧🇷 💘 Nellynática 💘 🇧🇷 (@nelly__fans)

Nelly’s Kids Appeared On Nellyville

With Jackie gone, it was Nelly who had to step in and take care of her children.

He adopted his niece and nephew, Sydney and Lil Shawn.

They moved in with Nelly and his two biological children, Chanelle and Cornel III, also known as Tre.

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The children appeared on Nelly’s reality show, Nellyville.

The show, which aired from 2014 to 2015, gave many people their first look at Nelly’s home life with his kids.

On the show, viewers got to see more about his adopted children.

In 2015, Sydney mentioned on Nellyville that she dreamed of becoming a model when she grew up.

After getting the chance to try it, she was surprised by how difficult it was.

She even said that she never realized how hard walking could be.

What Are Nelly’s Kids Up To?

Years after the show ended, in 2020, Sydney’s life changed when she gave birth to her son, Cross Kapone Wimbley.

She celebrated his second birthday on Instagram, calling him her world and the reason she kept going.

Lil Shawn, on the other hand, has continued to follow his dreams of getting into show business like his uncle and adoptive father.

According to his Instagram page, Lil Shawn, also known as Tab, is an artist.

But he’s also tried out other things, such as making video game streams and tutorials on his YouTube channel.

So far, his channel has gained almost 6,000 subscribers.

Like Sydney, Lil Shawn has also become a father.

He has a baby girl named Mahalia Shine.

In September 2020, he posted a photo of his daughter on Instagram.

He captioned it with a joke about celebrating her being 19 days old and calling it her “first photoshoot.”

Nelly’s biological daughter Chanelle has also become a mother.

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She shared on social media that she had given birth to a son named Ace.

So, even though Nelly is supposedly preparing to have another baby with Ashanti, he’s already been a grandfather for some time.

Nelly Speaks Out On Parenthood

But he doesn’t seem overwhelmed by it, as he always seems to handle the challenges of parenthood well.

In a 2015 interview on The Real, Nelly talked about how he raised his children.

He explained that he always just let things happen, saying, “You have to let the youth be the youth.”

He added that he allows his kids to make their own mistakes, but he’s always there to guide them.

In the same interview, Nelly discussed being a single father.

He talked about how important it is to have single fathers rather than just baby daddies.

This shows Nelly’s focus on being involved in his kids’ lives, not just staying distant from them.

After such a tragic loss, Nelly has done his best to be a parent to Sydney and Lil Shawn.

Nelly Honors Late Sister On Dancing With The Stars

A few years ago, during his time on Dancing With The Stars, Nelly honored their late mother in a special way.

In 2020, he and his dance partner Daniella Karagach performed a rumba to the song Nobody Knows by Tony Rich.

During the show, Nelly revealed that this song was one of Jackie’s favorites.

Before the performance, Nelly shared his thoughts about Jackie, calling her a “real tough cookie” and saying that she was the “captain of the ship” until she could no longer be.

He also reflected on the moment he realized he was going to lose Jackie, calling it one of the worst days of his life.

Nelly recalled that in the last days of Jackie’s life, she worried about her children’s future.

But Nelly assured her that she didn’t have to worry and that he would take care of them.

Still, Nelly stressed that looking after Sydney and Lil Shawn was “a whole family effort.”

After all they’ve been through, it’s good that they had Nelly to rely on.

But right about now, Ashanti will probably be hoping that Nelly can show the same level of attentiveness with their newborn as he always has with his other kids.

Nelly Arrested For Possession Of Illegal Substances

Things got off to a shaky start when Nelly got arrested so soon after their baby son was born.

According to The Shade Room, the rapper was taken into custody just before 5 am on August 7 of last year.

He was reportedly charged with possession of illegal substances after being pulled over by police.

He was also alleged to be facing trouble for having no insurance.

In a statement, the police said that they had arrested him for Failure to Appear on an old traffic charge.

He was later released, and a representative for the rapper has made a statement in his defense.

His attorney, Scott Rosenblum, denied the charge against his client.

He said that the rapper had not actually been charged with anything to do with substance possession, but instead for having no proof of insurance.

Rumors Suspect Ashanti Is Furious About Nelly’s Arrest

Rumors soon spread that Ashanti was furious with Ne ll y for letting her down.

But fortunately, they look like they’ve made up in more recent public outings.

The last thing their family needs is any more heartache.

Ashanti’s Sister’s Toxic Relationship

January 14, 2025

Ashanti’s sister, Kenashia “Shia” Douglas, has been through so much.

It was hard enough growing up in her famous sister’s shadow, but on top of that, she also suffered for years while she was in a seriously toxic relationship.

Luckily, she was able to escape and share her story with the world.

And she was also supported by her big sister.

Ashanti’s Sister Kenashia Posts Photos Of Her Domestic Violence Injuries

In 2020, Hot 97 released a report about how Shia shared a video on her Instagram for her 31st birthday.

You might not think that’d be a newsworthy story, but it was some of the pictures that she included in the video that ended up making the post headline news.

The video started off with really cute home-video footage of her when she was a little girl.

But about one minute into the video about her life, things got much darker when she included photos of herself with some seriously gruesome injuries.

The stomach-turning pictures were from when she was harmed by her ex.

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Kenashia, Ashanti And Tina Douglas Speak Out

It wasn’t until a few years later, though, that the public got to hear exactly what happened to her.

An article by PEOPLE talked about an episode of Red Table Talk where Ashanti, her sister, and their mom, Tina Douglas, were interviewed about what Shia went through at the hands of her ex.

Ashanti revealed that she didn’t know when it started, but it was ‘gut-wrenching’ for her when she found out.

She explained that as difficult as it was for her, she felt like she had to respect her sister’s decisions.

But that didn’t stop her from telling Shia that she was in a toxic relationship.

Ashanti told her: “You guys being together is like you’re each drinking bleach. It’s toxic.”

She also confessed that she understood that growing up with a famous sister meant that she wanted her own stuff.

So there were certain things that she felt like she had to put up with.

Ashanti Said, ‘… I Got The Bat. I Pulled Up In The Truck …’

Sadly, there was no guidebook on how to handle the situation they were in.

Ashanti agreed with her mom when she shared that witnessing the toxic relationship was the hardest thing she’d ever done in her life.

Ashanti admitted that there was one point where she reached her limit and felt the need to take drastic measures to deal with her sister’s partner.

She explained that even though she wasn’t a violent person, she used her resources and connections to make calls to see if she could find someone who would give Shia’s ex a taste of his own medicine.

But her sister ‘didn’t want to take that route.’

One time, when she got a distressing phone call from her sister, Ashanti reportedly saw red and wanted to take matters into her own hands.

She said: “I went in the garage. I got the bat. I pulled up in the truck. I had Vaseline. I was ready.”

She was willing to take him on by herself, because she had that much adrenaline in her.

Ashanti Praises Her Sister’s Strength

Ashanti once again showed her support when she shared a post about her sister in October 2022.

And you could honestly tell just how proud she was of her.

Ashanti took to Instagram to praise Shia for her strength.

She shared some of the graphic photos that her sister had posted in the birthday video two years earlier, which included an especially brutal picture of Shia with missing teeth.

Ashanti captioned it by saying that it was DV awareness month, and that words would never be able to express the amount of pain, fury, and disgust she felt reliving those moments.

She went on to share that at the same time, she was also so proud of how strong, courageous, resilient, and unbreakable Shia was.

She wrote: “My sister is a warrior! I love you deep and infinitely.”

She then thanked her for being so brave and bringing awareness to this evil, vile, and sad behavior that so many women face every day.

Ashanti finished her message by pointing out that some women felt so scared that they had no way out, and by sharing her story, she brought hope, strength, and continued to raise awareness of DV.

Kenashia Speaks Out About Domestic Violence

Shia also used her Instagram to talk about the serious issue earlier that month.

While talking about her traumatic experience, she shared that it was dangerous not only for obvious reasons but also because to the outside world, everything seemed fine.

It reportedly got to a point where the harming was regular behavior, and she would fight back and pick up whatever she could to protect herself.

Shia wrote: “I look at these pictures and I hold grace and patience for the woman I was and everything she didn’t know!”

She added that she didn’t consider herself a victim or a survivor.

It was all a part of her story, her life and her journey.

It sounds like she went through something so unbelievably difficult.

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Who Is Kenashia’s Ex Who Beat Her?

But who could’ve treated her so badly?

Well, even though Shia and Ashanti never named the ex, it didn’t take long for the media and the public to figure out who it must’ve been.

Sportskeeda reported that in an interview with Angie Martinez, Ashanti even hinted at who it was.

When the host asked her if the ex was someone people were aware of, Ashanti immediately answered that it was someone Angie knew.

So, clearly, it was someone well-known.

It didn’t take long for internet sleuths to figure out that the most likely candidate was the rapper Slowbucks.

He and Shia were in a relationship for 13 years before getting engaged in 2016.

When she shared the video for her 31st birthday in 2020, news outlets like That Grape Juice figured out that the person to blame for her shocking photos was probably him.

The outlet also reported that 50 Cent even called the rapper out.

He took to Instagram to write: “Yo what’s wrong wit you boy, hitting that girl like that.”

Kenashia And Slowbucks’ Relationship

The pair have reportedly had beef with each other over the years.

In the interview for Red Table Talk, Shia went into detail about how things soured in her relationship and the brutal final years before it finally ended.

She explained that she met Slowbucks when she was just a teenager, and it started out on a real high.

She would get lots of attention and gifts from him.

But that shine wore off, and he allegedly hurt her, mentally and verbally.

According to Shia, she felt connected to the man who was harming her because of the childhood trauma she went through when she was younger.

She told the hosts that she wanted to fill a void.

She claimed that the inner child traumas she had were because of her sister’s career.

And she found that trauma is not only something a person experiences – it’s something they’re lacking as well.

Kenashia’s Heartbreaking News

Later on in the Red Table Talk episode, Shia revealed something heartbreaking.

She claimed that her partner’s threatening behavior, and the mental, verbal, and emotional harm he did to her, caused her to lose a baby when she was 4 months pregnant.

Shia admitted that she and her man broke up a number of times.

But because of his mental manipulation, she felt like she needed to protect him, so she’d be open to making up.

It was when they got back together the first time though that the physical harm reportedly began.

She said: “He began to become very very jealous, very angry, even more controlling than he had already been.”

After years of putting up with him, Shia finally reached her limit after something truly horrific happened to her.

She alleged that during a small quarrel with him, her fiance suddenly flipped and punched her directly in her mouth.

She broke a bunch of her teeth.

That was when she knew it was officially over, and there’d be no going back.

The Tragedy Of Ray J

January 13, 2025

Ray J keeps finding himself in unexpected situations.

He went through a lot in 2024.

Ray J Claims Someone Tried To Kill Him

It was reported that his life was at risk more than once.

And he’s been open about the difficult experiences that he’s had to deal with recently.

A report by Hot 97 revealed that in November 2024, Ray J took to social media to make a wild claim that shocked his followers.

The 43-year-old shared a black-and-white video of himself on his Instagram Stories.

In his extreme allegation, he claimed that someone had tried to shoot him and end his life.

He cryptically added that he was being asked to apologize for something, but he didn’t say why or for what, only that he wouldn’t do it.

So nobody knows what happened to him, and he hasn’t talked about it since.

Ray J Confesses To Sharing Too Much Information

But Ray J is famous for running his mouth, which has reportedly gotten him in trouble in the past.

VIBE revealed that he even has his own show on YouTube called The Reality Check News, where he’s made all kinds of wild allegations.

It’s been suspected that some of the things he’s been claiming might have caused some problems for him.

In more recent interviews, he’s been a little bit more hesitant about opening his mouth and saying the wrong thing.

The Daily Mail reported that Ray J confessed in an interview with TMZ that he was sharing too much.

Ray J Said, ‘… Somebody Pays You To Keep It Quiet …’

In late 2024, he sat down with the outlet’s head honcho, Harvey Levin, to give some inside information for the documentary The Downfall Of Diddy: Inside The Freak-Offs.

Ray J, who reportedly used to be quite close to Diddy, shared some of the industry secrets he’d been hearing about his former friend.

He alleged that he’d heard about famous entertainers who were paying some of Diddy’s supposed victims to keep their names from getting out into the press.

He said: “Somebody has the truth, somebody pays you to keep it quiet, and hopefully that money that you got paid secures your happiness while you watch the lie continue to succeed.”

Harvey tried to get Ray J to share if he knew anyone personally who’d paid people money to keep their mouths shut about them.

But the R&B singer didn’t give a straight answer.

Ray J Shares Juicy Details About Diddy’s Victims

However, there was something a little more juicy that he was willing to share.

He told Harvey that some of Diddy’s alleged victims wanted to speak to him about what they’d been through at the hands of the disgraced rapper.

He claimed that they would call him, because they felt like they could trust him.

Harvey then asked Ray J if the reason that those people were calling him was because they were also famous, so they didn’t want their names to get out but they wanted Ray J to be the whistleblower.

Ray J answered: “Yes, that’s exactly what I am saying… and I don’t even know why I said it but I said it so what. Now they gotta be mad. Come get me.”

The TMZ founder also tried to find out if Ray J had been told about the specifics of what they supposedly did with Diddy, but that was when he shut down and admitted that he’d already said too much.

Did Ray J Get Into A Fight With Diddy’s Sons?

Ray J has allegedly gotten himself into trouble before by openly dissing Diddy.

In October 2024, the news broke that he’d almost gotten into a fight with the Combs sons in the parking lot of a club.

A report by TMZ claimed that things got heated between them after they attended influencer Tara Electra’s Halloween party in L.A.

A source for the outlet alleged that Ray J was leaving the event with his entourage when he was approached by Diddy’s sons, Christian, Justin, and Quincy.

The boys were reportedly accusing Ray J of talking trash about their dad, and the atmosphere got tense really quickly.

The source said that the men were getting in each other’s faces and chest-bumping, and it looked like Diddy’s sons Christian and Justin were ready to get physical.

A different insider told TMZ that Ray J was open to having a talk with Diddy’s three boys, but once they began disrespecting him, he was willing to fight for his honor.

The story goes that Chris Brown was also in the parking lot that night, and he reportedly interfered in an attempt to stop anything from getting any more aggressive.

Luckily, Chris was able to get the guys to calm down, so nobody was hurt.

Other insiders alleged that Ray J still thinks of Diddy and his kids as family, so he didn’t really want to get into a messy situation with the sons.

But did Ray J really almost end up fighting the brothers?

Or was it just hearsay from TMZ’s sources?

Ray J Speaks Out About Altercation With Diddy’s Sons

According to Ray J himself, the incident did go down like that.

A report by HipHopDX revealed that Ray J later went on Nicki Minaj’s Instagram Live and spilled the beans about what actually happened that night in the parking lot.

He claimed that they didn’t have a fight, but they did have a big argument right outside the club.

Ray J admitted that he was clapping back at Diddy’s sons, but he also claimed that he was trying to avoid the issue.

He added that the whole thing was unfortunate.

Ray J’s Fight With BET’s Security Guards

It wasn’t the first time in 2024 that Ray J almost got into a fist fight though.

He raised some serious eyebrows at the BET Awards in June.

TMZ described him as having a full meltdown after he was denied re-entry to the show by the security guards there.

Footage of him at the event showed him arguing with the security personnel and making threats.

At one point, he even said: “I didn’t bring the ghetto to BET yet, but I’m about to!“

Sources claimed that Ray J was filming backstage at the event, but he kept going outside during his breaks and he wasn’t wearing his credentials.

Eventually, one security guard reportedly told him that he couldn’t go back inside without his credentials, at which point he allegedly lost his cool and even took off his shirt.

Things only got worse later on that night.

TMZ reported that he almost got into a brawl outside GloRilla’s BET Awards afterparty.

Ray J and a Zeus Network executive allegedly got into a screaming match, and it was up to their bodyguards to separate them.

At one point, Ray J supposedly even threw a punch, but he didn’t end up hitting anyone.

He then went to his car, grabbed a backpack, and ran off into the crowd.

His entourage was eventually able to get him to calm down, get him back into his vehicle, and make him leave.

Ray J Admits To Wanting To Take His Own Life

The next day, Ray J shared a disturbing post on his social media that showed the kind of headspace he was in.

He claimed that he was at a breaking point, and everything that was going on in his life was ‘mind-blowing,’ and it was making him uncomfortable with the ‘perception of reality.’

He also shockingly confessed that it had made him want to consider taking his own life.

He said that after he was gone, he would be free of it all.

Ray J Claims He’s Been Forced To Keep Quiet

In his post, Ray J mysteriously claimed that he was being forced to keep quiet about something.

He went on to make the allegation that he’d been paid to shut up and he took the money, which made him feel bad and he hated himself for it.

He also wrote: “I DON’T WANT ANY MORE OF YOUR DIRTY MONEY!“

Ray J also apologized to his famous sister, Brandy, and then promised that he would make things right, and that he wouldn’t let ‘them’ get away with it.

In October 2022, TMZ reported on another social media post which had to do with the R&B singer’s mental health.

He shared a video of his feet dangling off the edge of a building and captioned it by asking if he should jump off and end it right then and there.

In a separate post, he wrote that if it wasn’t for his kids, he would jump off and end it all.

Ray J’s Sister Brandy And Fans Support Him

His sister later shared a throwback photo of the two siblings.

She captioned it with: “Need you bro @rayj.”

He reportedly received a lot of support from his fans, too, but other social media users weren’t as kind in their comments.

After his social media post about how he was feeling because of the BET Awards incidents, a Reddit user in a thread about that story commented on how it was a problem in today’s society.

They wrote: “Men complain about the lack of mental health options for men which is true, but look at how we treat each other when we see someone not acting their usual self.”

The Tragedy of Ashanti and Irv Gotti

January 10, 2025

Photo credit: Ashanti/Instagram and Irv Gotti187/Instagram

Ashanti and Irv Gotti have a long history.

She was discovered by Irv when she was just a teenager, and he signed her to his old record label in 2002.

Did Ashanti And Irv Gotti Ever Date?

But their relationship was reportedly more than just professional.

The two have given two very different stories about the way that they felt about each other in the early 2000s.

And these days, Ashanti allegedly does not want Irv to be a part of her life at all.

After hearing both sides of their story, the internet has pretty much sided with Ashanti, as have a bunch of other celebrities who know both her and the record producer.

Irv Gotti Opens Up About Relationship Status With Ashanti

Revolt reported that Irv openly talked about the status of his current relationship with Ashanti while on an episode of Drink Champs.

He told hosts DJ EFN and N.O.R.E that Ashanti was done with him.

But he claimed that he wasn’t sitting around thinking that she still looked great.

The outlet wrote that he also boasted about how he supposedly could get all kinds of beautiful women.

It wasn’t the first time that he’d spoken about Ashanti on that show, though.

And the last time he did that in a 2022 episode, he ended up getting himself into a lot of trouble.

He didn’t do himself any favors by speaking badly about her.

Fat Joe Calls Out Irv Gotti

Irv and Ashanti’s mutual friend Fat Joe even cut the record producer out of his life because of his choice of words on the show.

In an Instagram Live session, the rapper said: “When you keep ranting about somebody 20 years later, it feels like he’s not over the young lady, right?”

During his more recent Drink Champs interview, Irv explained how his and Fat Joe’s friendship had been affected.

He revealed that he didn’t feel like the rapper was his ‘brother’ anymore.

Irv claimed that Fat Joe’s defense for being cold with him was that he still did shows with Ashanti.

He went on to say that after Fat Joe called him ‘a sucker,’ he chose to pull back.

Irv justified his decision by saying: “If I was to go respond or anything with that, it could get crazy.”

Fat Joe Supports Ashanti And Nelly

Fat Joe has publicly remained supportive of Ashanti.

In an interview with PEOPLE, he said that now that Ashanti and Nelly had become parents together, he was known as ‘Uncle Joe.’

He also added that Ashanti was ‘the best mom in the world.’

50 Cent Trolls Irv Gotti

Irv’s broken relationship with Ashanti has attracted a lot of media attention, thanks to another celebrity, too.

One of his well-known rivals couldn’t resist teasing him when the news came out that Ashanti had spun the block with Nelly in 2023.

TMZ reported that 50 Cent used his social media to publicly shame Irv after the pair got hot and heavy on stage during a Las Vegas show.

He reposted a video of the saucy performance on his Instagram and then captioned it by saying that somebody should check on Irv ASAP.

He said that he knew that Irv was ‘going through it’ at that point.

According to VIBE, 50 Cent was at it again a year later when everyone found out that Ashanti was expecting Nelly’s baby.

He returned to Instagram to repost a meme that joked about how ticked off Irv must’ve been to find out about the pregnancy.

This time, 50 Cent captioned it with: “LOL I HAD TO SHARE THIS LMAO.”

But what did Irv say on the Drink Champs podcast in 2022 that resulted in so much public hatred for him?

Ja Rule Defends Ashanti

He went on the show with his and Ashanti’s mutual friend, Ja Rule.

They were there to promote the new docuseries on the rise and fall of Irv’s old record label.

An article on Andscape revealed that during the interview, Irv dished some unbelievable things about Ashanti and their alleged romantic relationship.

At first, Ja Rule, who’s been known to call Ashanti his little sister, was trying to play along with the kind of comments that Irv made about her.

But eventually, he stepped in and defended Ashanti when Irv kept calling her the ‘B’ word.

Irv Gotti Recalls Alleged Relationship With Ashanti

Irv claimed that during a moment when he’d separated from his wife, he and Ashanti were briefly involved in a romantic relationship.

He alleged that one time, after he and Ashanti had been physical together, he came up with her hit song Happy while he was taking a shower.

Ashanti ended up going out with Nelly between 2003 and 2014.

And Irv revealed in the interview that he found it difficult to accept the relationship since it began around the time he claimed that they were an item.

How Irv Found Out Ashanti And Nelly Were In A Relationship

According to him, he first learned about their romance in the worst way possible.

And he credited God for wanting him to find out.

Apparently, Irv was watching basketball at home when he heard that there was some kind of commotion going on at the stadium where the game was being played.

The commentators at the NBA game revealed that the commotion was caused by the arrival of Ashanti and Nelly.

At one point in the interview, Irv claimed that he MADE Ashanti and that she wouldn’t have gotten to where she was without him.

He ended up getting a lot of backlash on social media for his comments.

Online users talked about how he still had a wife at the time, and they brought up the 10-year age difference between him and Ashanti.

Ashanti Reacts To Irv Gotti’s Relationship Allegations

But how did Ashanti react to all of Irv’s comments and allegations about her?

Everyone knows that she is a famously private person and rarely talks about her personal life.

But after the way Irv had tried to make her look bad in his interview, Ashanti chose to speak up about it all.

According to the LA Times, she went on the Angie Martinez IRL podcast to set the record straight.

She said that by that point, she and Irv hadn’t even talked for ten years, except for a text that she got from Irv in 2016, where he apologized for talking about their relationship in a radio interview.

And he promised her that he’d never do it again.

But he clearly wasn’t able to keep that promise.

Ashanti Said Irv Tried To ‘Paint A Horrible Picture’ Of Her

Ashanti said that she thought that Irv’s rant about her might’ve been an attempt to hype up interest in his BET docuseries.

She also noted that in the docuseries, it seemed like he really went out of his way to ‘paint a horrible picture’ of her.

She was reportedly asked to be in the documentary multiple times, but she kept saying no.

Ashanti explained that she loved Irv’s record label and that they’d accomplished so much, but the way he handled the documentary just cheapened the brand.

Ashanti Said Her And Irv Gotti ‘Dealt With Each Other’

She also shared that she wanted to clear things up about what really went down between her and Irv.

She said that they ‘dealt with each other,’ but they were never actually in a romantic relationship together.

And she thought that it was unusual that he even used that label to describe what they had because he supposedly had several girlfriends back then.

Ashanti felt like Irv had built up the idea of what they were in his head.

And when it became clear to him that she didn’t feel the same way, he reportedly turned into a totally different person.

Ashanti Claims Irv Gotti Threatened Her

She revealed that things got really bad when he found out that she was with Nelly.

She said: “Irv would not let me come to the studio to record. Irv was telling everyone not to record with me.”

He allegedly told her that if she wanted to be with Nelly, then she should just go and sign with Nelly’s Derrty Entertainment label instead.

Ashanti went on to claim that he even threatened to cut ties with anyone who worked with her and requested that DJs stop playing her records.

She even alleged that Irv went as far as sending threats to people who were still working with her while she was dating Nelly.

She told Angie that she thought that at the time of the interview, Irv was mentally ill and not in a good place.

She explained that as a grown woman, she felt like there was a difference between when men are hurt and when women are hurt.

And how they carry that hurt and how LONG they carry that hurt.

The Tragedy of Ashanti’s Mom is So Sad

January 8, 2025

Photo credit: The Original Momanger/Instagram

Grammy-winning R&B star Ashanti grew up in a close-knit family in Glen Cove, Long Island.

Her mother, Tina, and her father raised her and her younger sister in a happy household.

Tina, who is both Ashanti’s mother and manager, has always been fiercely protective of both of her daughters.

Devar Hurd Harasses Ashanti’s Mom Tina

But in 2006, her world was turned upside down by a man named Devar Hurd.

Devar, a gym worker from Indiana, began contacting Tina with repeated phone calls.

At first, the messages seemed pretty harmless.

He talked about Ashanti’s music and his admiration for her.

Tina first tried to ignore him.

When that didn’t work, she told him to stop.

She even cursed at him, hoping that he would leave her alone.

But the calls didn’t stop.

Devar Sent Tina Douglas Graphic, Explicit Messages

Instead, they became more disturbing.

By 2009, the messages had escalated in a pretty scary way.

Devar began sending texts that were graphic and explicit.

He told her that he fantasized about Ashanti in degrading ways and sent her disgusting photos of himself.

He also described what he wanted to do to her in a lot of detail.

Most worryingly of all, he even seemed to track her movements.

During Ashanti’s role as Dorothy in The Wiz at City Center, Devar texted Tina to tell her that he knew where Ashanti’s car was parked.

He actually sent a photo of the car, parked outside the theater.

Ashanti’s Mom Takes Devar Hurd To Court

Tina described her fear and disgust during the eventual trial.

She testified that she had to pull Ashanti out of a rehearsal when she learned that Devar might be in New York.

She hired extra security to protect her daughter.

Tina said in court that she was thinking the worst could happen.

She went on to say that her job was to be Ashanti’s manager, but that she was her daughter first.

In court, Tina was calm but firm as she described the messages.

She told the story of how Devar’s texts had gone from annoying to terrifying.

She shared her horror at the explicit photos he sent.

Tina Douglas Said, ‘It’s Very, Very Frightening’

Tina told the jury, “To look at it now, and I’ve been looking at this, the shock value just never goes away. It’s very, very frightening.”

Devar’s defense attorney, Richard Verchick, argued that his client was misunderstood.

He claimed that Devar’s messages were not meant to harass or frighten but were a misguided attempt at connecting with his idol.

The lawyer said, “What he wanted was what we all want in life, love and work.”

He described the texts as friendly repartee and suggested Devar was simply trying badly to flirt.

Prosecutors Refute Devar Hurd’s Attorney’s Defense

But prosecutors painted a different picture.

Assistant District Attorney Carolina Holderness argued that Devar’s behavior was dangerous and deliberate.

She pointed out that he ignored repeated warnings from Tina and her family to stop contacting them.

She said that the defendant refused to listen, and that the messages became more personal and more offensive.

Devar’s dangerous obsession with Ashanti was obvious from his texts.

Some messages described a future where he and Ashanti were married, while others hinted at his fragile mental state.

He wrote in one text, “My mental state is very fragile with all this.”

He sent over 30 messages in a matter of weeks.

Each one made Ashanti and Tina feel more and more afraid.

The jury also saw an explicit photo Devar had sent, which was displayed on an overhead screen in the courtroom.

Tina narrated the image for the jury, saying that she was sickened by it.

Devar Hurd Charged With Stalking And Aggravated Harassment

It was obvious how the trial was going to play out.

Devar was convicted of stalking and aggravated harassment in December 2009.

At his sentencing in February 2010, he expressed regret for what he had done.

He told the judge that his intent was not to harm, and that he always wished the best for Ashanti.

Devar Hurd Diagnosed With Delusional Disorder

But his actions told a different story.

The judge, Thomas Farber, noted that doctors had diagnosed Devar with a delusional disorder after his trial.

Judge Farber sentenced Devar to the maximum possible time for his misdemeanor offenses and recommended psychiatric treatment in jail.

The judge told Devar that it was obvious to him that he needed to get help.

The prosecution had pushed for the maximum sentence, arguing that Devar’s psychological problems did not excuse his actions.

The Assistant DA said, “Even if he believes that Ashanti was in love with him, his conduct was not that of a man wooing a woman,”

Ashanti’s Mom Speaks Out About Devar’s Sentencing

Tina expressed relief that the ordeal was over.

She said through a spokesperson, “We’re really so glad to have this behind us, and we feel justice has been served.”

Ashanti did not testify during the trial, and no one from her family attended Devar’s sentencing.

The experience had taken a toll on all of them.

Ashanti Opens Up About Her Sister’s Toxic Relationship

But Ashanti’s family are no strangers to terrifying ordeals like this one.

A couple of years ago, Ashanti opened up about some harrowing details about her sister Kenashia Douglas.

People Magazine first shared a clip from Ashanti’s appearance on Red Table Talk which also featured Kenashia and their mom, Tina.

The conversation took a dark turn when they started discussing the gut-wrenching situation of Kenashia’s toxic relationship.

Ashanti talked about feeling helpless when she found out what was going on in her sister’s private life.

She opened up about how difficult she found it to not get involved, explaining that they had to respect Kenashia’s decisions.

But although she wanted to respect her sister’s choices, Ashanti couldn’t help but feel like she should be doing more to protect Kenashia.

She said that she was the big sister, and she told her that she didn’t like her partner and didn’t think that they should be together.

Apparently, Ashanti used to tell Kenashia to leave the relationship all the time, and she described both Kenashia and her partner as toxic.

She would tell them that being together for them was like they were drinking bleach.

However, she also suggested that she understood why Kenashia didn’t want Ashanti to get too involved in her business.

She said that since Kenashia grew up as Ashanti’s little sister, she wanted her own stuff.

And this was why she put up with certain things.

Ashanti is 9 years older than her younger sister, and she found it hard to figure out what her role and responsibility was in this situation.

Ashanti Pays Heartfelt Tribute To Her Sister Kenashia

She said, “And it was just like, how do you deal with this? What do we do now? No one gets a book on how to handle this.”

One month before the interview, Ashanti had also paid tribute to her sister on social media in light of DV awareness month.

She wrote a lengthy post, in which she went into detail about how important it is to speak up.

She also expressed her enormous pride in her sister for getting out of such a horrible situation.

Alongside her post, Ashanti shared grisly and upsetting pictures of a wounded Kenashia.

In her post, she wrote that words would never be able to express how much pain and disgust she felt reliving those moments.

However, she continued, addressing Kenashia directly and saying that she was proud of just how resilient, strong, and unbreakable she was.

She described her sister as a warrior, and said that she loved her deeply and infinitely.

Ashanti thanked Kenashia for her bravery and for “bringing awareness to this evil, vile and sad behavior that so many women face every day.”

Nelly and Ashanti Dodge Baby Rumors

January 3, 2025

Fans have been buzzing with rumors about Nelly and Ashanti expecting another baby.

The couple recently made headlines at the Black and White Charity Ball in St. Louis, Missouri.

Nelly And Ashanti’s Response To Pregnancy Rumors

But when questioned, they made sure that they avoided commenting on the rumors.

When asked directly if they were expecting a second child, both Nelly and Ashanti chose not to answer.

Ashanti responded with a playful “Don’t do that,” while Nelly simply said, “I’mma stay quiet.”

Despite the silence on the baby question, an insider shared that Nelly and Ashanti had a fantastic time at the event.

They were described as looking playful and loving, and they spoke with great love about their son, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, whom they welcomed in 2024.

The source revealed, “They were telling everyone what a good baby KK is.”

The couple even performed together on stage during the event.

Nelly and Ashanti sang What’s Luv, as well as the song Baby.

During the latter performance, they even changed the lyrics to “We made a baby, baby, baby, baby, baby.”

Fans Respond To Nelly And Ashanti’s Second Pregnancy Rumors

So it seems like they’re not afraid of stoking the fires of their baby rumors a little.

But Nelly and Ashanti definitely had a year full of major milestones.

Their son KK was born in the summer of 2024.

But just three months after welcoming their first child together into the world, rumors started swirling that they were once again expecting.

One fan commented upon reading the rumors, sharing their joy that Ashanti has finally become a mother after waiting so many years for her true love.

Another joked that the loved up couple couldn’t wait the required 6 weeks before getting pregnant again.

Others have stated that they’ll wait until official confirmation before they believe what they’re hearing about baby number two.

Nelly And Ashanti’s Secret Marriage

But when it comes to Ashanti and Nelly, the truth about anything can be pretty hard to figure out.

To the shock of many fans, it was revealed that the couple have actually been married for much longer than anyone suspected.

Reports confirmed that they secretly tied the knot over a year ago and kept the news from fans.

Public records show that they wed on December 27, 2023.

After that, they kept everyone in the dark with a complicated ruse to keep us all guessing.

Even after they revealed the truth about their marriage, people didn’t know quite what to believe.

By then, the rumors were already spreading that Ashanti was pregnant.

Nelly’s Surprise Baby Shower For Ashanti

But it wasn’t until her husband threw a pretty incredible baby shower that everyone knew that the rumor was actually true.

Nelly gave Ashanti a huge surprise along with friends and family back in July.

Ashanti couldn’t believe what Nelly had managed to organize without her knowing.

Footage of the singer’s surprise was captured by her publicist Juliette Harris.

The video showed the couple arriving at a high-end boutique in New York City, apparently to do some shopping.

But when they arrived, they were instead welcomed by their loved ones as they stepped out of the elevator.

When Ashanti saw what was going on, she was visibly shocked.

The guests all captured the sweet moment on their phones as Ashanti was seen gasping.

Juliette shared the video on social media along with a caption that read, “Nelly threw a surprise baby shower for Ashanti!”

The message continued by saying that Ashanti was “so surprised and looked incredible!”

Juliette informed fans that the shower was also attended by some famous faces, including Fat Joe, with his wife Lorena Cartagena, and country singer Breland.

Ashanti Reacts To Husband’s Surprise Baby Shower

From the pictures posted online, it’s obvious that Ashanti genuinely had no idea what was going on.

Behind her, Nelly’s smile as he watched his wife walk out of the elevator showed that he was happy at how his plan came together.

Ashanti later got the chance to share her reaction.

She made a speech at the party during which she shared what she had expected to happen that day, before she finally understood what was really going on.

In a clip of her speech that has since been shared online, Ashanti explained that Nelly had brought her to the venue for an entirely made up reason.

She said that she’d been told that she was arriving for a photo shoot.

Considering how many people were there photographing her amazed reaction to the party, maybe this was kind of the truth.

But when Ashanti was greeted by her nearest and dearest, she struggled to comprehend what was happening.

Despite that, she was obviously delighted.

She said in the clip that she was in shock, before going on to thank everyone who came to see her, saying, “I love you guys.”

She then turned to thank her husband specifically for the plan he’d put together for her.

Nelly then got the chance to talk, thanking everyone from both his own team and Ashanti’s for coming together to help him give her the baby shower she deserved.

The scene we all saw online looked so happy, and fans were delighted that the on-again-off-again couple was finally settling down.

Nelly Arrested Months After Ashanti Gave Birth

But more recently, concern has started to grow about some of Nelly’s behavior since Ashanti gave birth to their first son.

He was actually arrested a few months ago while Ashanti was back at home looking after their newborn, drawing outrage from online commenters.

According to The Shade Room, the rapper was arrested just before 5 a.m. on August 7, 2024.

He was reportedly charged with possession of illegal substances after being pulled over by police.

He was also alleged to be facing trouble for having no insurance.

In a statement, the police said that they had arrested him for Failure to Appear on an old traffic charge.

At the time, many fans were convinced that Nelly had put his relationship with his new wife in serious jeopardy.

Which for many fans was so heartbreaking after hearing what a happy family they’d already become.

But it seems that Nelly and Ashanti were able to sort things out.

Ashanti Speaks Out On Motherhood

Ashanti herself has admitted that becoming a mom has shifted her priorities in ways that she never expected.

She said that it changed her life because she was no longer the one in charge.

According to her, her son definitely dictated everything and was the number one priority over anything else.

This new sense of selflessness is something that Ashanti now fully embraces, as she is willing to do anything for her son.

Ashanti spoke to Entertainment Tonight about the overwhelming love she feels for Kareem.

She claimed that her little boy had her entire soul.

Ashanti also talked about what parenting was like alongside Nelly.

Describing their journey together as co-parents, she said that it has been really hard to describe in words.

She recalled a touching moment in the hospital when she was struggling to put Kareem to sleep.

She said that Nelly came in, and he just started singing.

And, in turn, Kareem got all quiet.

With such a perfect family picture, the idea of Nelly messing everything up seemed pretty devastating.

But if the recent rumors are true, then maybe the exact opposite is happening.