Ashanti, 43, gives birth to first child with husband Nelly just two weeks after rapper was arrested for drug possession

ASHANTI has given birth to her first child with her husband, Nelly.

The couple announced they were expecting a child in April 2024, shortly before it was revealed Ashanti and Nelly had been married for nearly a year.

Ashanti and Nelly - seen here at a gala in Atlanta, Georgia - have welcomed their first childCredit: Getty Images

Ashanti announced the big news with a full-body photo on InstagramCredit: Instagram/ashanti

The singer, 43, dropped the exciting news on Instagram alongside a full-body mirror photo on Wednesday.

"Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time.. lol," she wrote.

"I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings!

"This is what postpartum looks like I’m loving these super cozy @fridamom shorts!

OH BABY!

Ashanti revealed her pregnancy news in April through a comedy skit starring her mom.

The Rain on Me singer said she was expecting their first child in the comedic Instagram video.

The video showed the singer about to take the stage as her mother, Tina Douglas, asked her how long it would be until show time.

Ashanti walked through the curtains with a pregnancy test, saying she would need "about nine months."

The video was captioned: “Baby, baby, baby, baby” - a nod to her classic 2002 hit, which she circled back to in her birth announcement.

At the same time, Ashanti and the Hot In Herre rapper announced they were engaged.

However, TMZ reported that the timeline is a little fuzzy and that they may have gotten engaged three months earlier.

Although the pair announced they were engaged in April 2024, it was reported by TMZ that they actually tied the knot in December 2023.

This birth marks Ashanti's first but Nelly's fifth.

'WE COOL AGAIN'

The two hip-hop legends confirmed their rekindled romance in 2023.

Nelly dropped the news while speaking on Rasheeda Frost's Boss Moves.

"Yeah, we cool again," the rapper revealed.

"It wasn't anything that was, like planned. I think we both was pretty much doing what we do.

"But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more."

Nelly and Ashanti's resurrected romance comes a decade after the pair called it quits.

The couple began dating in 2003 after meeting at a Grammy Awards press conference at the height of their respective careers.

However, the Body On Me musicians broke up in 2009 and got back together the following year.

Ultimately, the couple split for good in 2013 until they got back together in 2023.

Ashanti and Nelly secretly married six months ago as stars prepare for birth of first child together

SECRET WEDDING

The same day Ashanti announced she was expecting, the couple revealed they were engaged, according to Essence.

"This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation," she told the outlet as she proceeded to call Nelly her "fiancé."

Nelly & Ashanti's Relationship Timeline

Fans are in awe of Nelly and Ashanti's love story, as they've undergone several milestones in their romance. Here's a breakdown of their relationship timeline.

Nelly and Ashanti met at a Grammy Awards press conference in 2003 and began dating shortly after.
In 2009, rumors circulated that the couple had called it quits.
They squashed the chatter when they attended rapper TI's wedding the following year.
After 10 years of dating, Nelly and Ashanti eventually split in 2013.
In February 2023, rumors began brewing that the exes had rekindled their relationship after fans spotted clues on social media.
They further fueled rumors that they were back together that April when they were seen together at a boxing match in Las Vegas, Nevada, and holding hands upon leaving the venue.
Nelly confirmed that he and Ashanti were an item again during an interview in September 2023.
In April 2024, the duo announced they were engaged and expecting their first child together.
Later that June, it was revealed that the pair had secretly tied the knot six months earlier.

"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," she said.