"Proud and happy"

Singer Ashanti and rapper Nelly are parents

US singer Ashanti (43) and rapper Nelly (49) have become parents to a boy. The couple's spokesperson announced the news on Wednesday. The baby was born on July 18.

The "proud and happy parents" are completely in love with their offspring, said the spokesperson. Their little son is called Kenkaide Hayes. The couple announced the pregnancy in April.

She is so proud of her body that it gave her a baby, Ashanti wrote on Instagram (Wednesday) with a photo and video of herself in her underwear. This is what she looks like four weeks after giving birth, she commented.

Here you can see a photo of the pregnancy.

This is the US singer's first child. Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes, is already the father of two grown-up children. He also adopted two children from his sister, who died of leukemia in 2005. Ashanti and Nelly had been together for some time since 2003, but had split up again in the meantime. They have officially been a couple again since last year. 

The R&B singer is known for songs such as "Happy" and "Foolish". She has also appeared in several films and TV productions. Nelly was successful with albums such as "Country Grammar" and "Nellyville".