Nelly Confirms His and Ashanti’s Rekindled Romance: ‘I Think It Surprised Both of Us’

Nelly and Ashanti are calling each other baby again!

In a new interview with Love and Hip Hop‘s Rasheeda and Kirk Frost (shared by The Shade Room) the “Hot in Here” rapper confirms that he and Ashanti are a couple once again. 

When asked by Rasheeda if he and Ashanti are “back together,” the GRAMMY-winning rapper flashes his trademark smile while joking that the host gets right to the point with her question.

“Yeah, we cool again,” the “Over and Over Again” rapper says in the clip. “I think it surprised both of us though. It wasn’t anything that I don’t think was planned.”

Going into a little more detail, Nelly shared that he believes time apart played a role in their rekindled relationship.

“I think we both were pretty much doing what we do, but sometimes being separate you understand one another more,” he says. “You be like, ‘Yo, let me see exactly what they see.’ You know, because we all can be defensive sometimes in our own relationships. We know we wrong but we going to stand on it. But we all a victim to that.” 

Nelly, 48, and Ashanti, 42, called it quits in 2013 after a decade-long on-again, off-again romance. 

When asked if his relationship with Ashanti “feels good now,” Nelly admits it does.

“Yeah,” he says. “I mean, because it’s no pressure. Before I felt like both of us were doing what we were doing before career-wise, and when you got so many people in the middle of it, it can be tough.”

Nelly’s latest interview comes after he and Ashanti got close while singing Usher’s “Nice and Slow” after attending the singer’s Las Vegas residency. 

In April,  the rapper and the “Rain on Me” singer were seen holding hands as they walked through T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas during the Gervonta Davis vs. Ryan Garcia fight. In another video posted to social media, the duo was captured performing their hit, “Body on Me,” during a pool party.

Two months later, they made their first red carpet appearance at the birthday celebration for Quality Control CEO Pierre “P” Thomas.

Following the couple’s recent outings, a source told ET that the pair has been enjoying their time together amid their new romance. 

“Nelly and Ashanti are back together and both of them are very happy,” the source said. 

Another source told ET, “Nelly and Ashanti are really enjoying their time together.”

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