If you’ve spent any time on social media lately, you’ve seen them. Nelly and Ashanti are basically the poster children for "if it’s meant to be, it’ll find its way back." For years, whenever someone searched for Nelly the rapper girlfriend, the answer was complicated. It was a rotating door of rumors, long-term partners like Shantel Jackson, and a lot of nostalgic wishing for the 2003 era.
But things aren't just rumors anymore. Honestly, the "girlfriend" title is officially outdated.
They’re married. For real. And they have a son.
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The Timeline Nobody Saw Coming
The journey from "it's over" to "I do" took literally twenty years. They first met at a Grammy press conference in 2003. Back then, they were the "it" couple of hip-hop and R&B, even if they were notoriously tight-lipped about it. They broke up in 2013, stayed apart for a decade, and then the world stopped when they held hands at a boxing match in Las Vegas in 2023.
It’s kinda wild how fast it moved after that.
By December 2023, they were secretly married in St. Louis. They didn't even tell the public until months later when they announced they were expecting. Their son, Kareem Kenkaide Hayes (they call him KK), was born in July 2024. If you’re keeping track, that makes 2026 their second anniversary of being "back-back."
Why it actually stuck this time
People change. Nelly admitted in a recent 2025 interview that their first run was like a "test drive." They were young, famous, and didn't know how to handle the pressure. He’s 50 now. Ashanti is 45. They’ve both said that being apart for ten years allowed them to actually grow up and realize what they were missing.
The Shantel Jackson Era
Before the big reunion, the answer to the Nelly the rapper girlfriend question was almost always Shantel Jackson. They were together for seven years. It was a serious, long-term thing that started around 2014. They even did reality TV together on Nellysville.
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But they split in 2021. Shantel later said she felt they needed space to see if it would bring them closer or push them apart. It pushed them apart. She’s since moved on to her own business ventures, like her "Shoe Gummie" brand, and they seem to be on decent terms, but it was clearly the end of a very long chapter.
Managing the "New" Family Life
Life for Nelly in 2026 looks a lot different than the "Hot in Herre" days. He’s navigating being a "new" dad again while his other kids—Chanelle and Tre—are full-grown adults.
- The Parenting Style: On their Peacock show Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together, they’re pretty open about their differences. Ashanti is the "mama bear" who is a bit frantic with her firstborn. Nelly? He’s the veteran. His motto is basically "as long as the house doesn't burn down, we’re good."
- The Nanny Compromise: Nelly was very real about not wanting to be a 50-year-old chasing a toddler. He told Ashanti he’d support having more kids as long as they had "professional chasers" (nannies) to help.
- Baby Number Two? There’s been massive speculation throughout 2025 and into early 2026 that they’re expecting again. Ashanti has dropped hints, saying that looking at KK makes her want "one or two more."
The Reality TV Pivot
If you want to see the "girlfriend" dynamic evolve into a "spouse" dynamic, the Peacock docuseries is where it’s at. It’s not just glitz. It shows them arguing about travel schedules, managing their careers, and dealing with the exhaustion of a newborn. It’s surprisingly grounded for two people who have been famous since the early 2000s.
What This Means for the Fans
The reason people still search for Nelly the rapper girlfriend is that this relationship feels like a win for everyone who grew up on their music. It’s rare to see a celebrity couple go through a decade of "betrayal" and "resentment" (words Ashanti used back in 2015) and actually heal.
They’ve moved past being a "brand" and into being a family. Nelly even mentioned that he married her so quickly after the pregnancy because he "didn't want her to be a baby mama." He wanted the foundation to be solid.
Key Takeaways for 2026
If you’re following the story, here is what is actually happening right now:
- They are legally married. The marriage happened in late 2023.
- KK is the focus. Their son Kareem is nearly two years old and is the center of their world, though they keep his face mostly off social media to protect his privacy.
- Career collaboration continues. They still perform "Body On Me" and "Dilemma" together, and there are constant rumors of a joint album in the works.
The best way to keep up with them isn't through gossip blogs anymore. Their reality show and their recent red carpet appearances at the iHeartRadio Awards show a couple that is finally comfortable. They aren't hiding. They aren't playing games. They're just living.
To understand the full scope of their current life, you should look into the latest episodes of their Peacock series, which dives into how they balance their St. Louis and New York roots while raising a family in the spotlight.