"Baby baby baby"

Singer Ashanti and rapper Nelly have their first child

Singer Ashanti and rapper Nelly(Bild: APA/AFP/ROBERTO SCHMIDT)

US singer Ashanti ("Happy", "Foolish") and rapper Nelly are expecting a baby. The 43-year-old musician posted a short video on Wednesday with the caption "Baby baby baby baby....".

In the clip, the singer is getting ready for a performance when her mother, Tina Douglas, asks how much longer she needs. Ashanti replies glibly that she needs about nine months. Nelly (49) also linked to the funny announcement.

Ashanti is very much looking forward to her pregnancy
Ashanti told "Essence" magazine that she was very much looking forward to motherhood. In the interview, she referred to Nelly as her fiancé. The US media had been speculating about a possible pregnancy for several months.

It is Ashanti's first child. Nelly is the father of two grown-up children and also adopted two children of his sister who died of leukemia in 2005. Ashanti and Nelly had been together for some time since 2003, but then split up again. They got back together last year.

The R&B singer and songwriter became famous overnight 20 years ago with her debut album "Ashanti" (2002). It stormed the charts and won her numerous awards. She has also appeared in several films and TV productions, including "Coach Carter" (2005), "Resident Evil: Extinction" (2007) and "Army Wives" (2013). Born in Austin (Texas) in 1974, Nelly was successful with albums such as "Country Grammar" and "Nellyville" and won several Grammys.