Someone needs to check in on Shantel Jackson—if that’s still her name. She used to go by Miss Jackson, I think. Anyway, before we get into that, congrats are in order for Nelly and Ashanti! TMZ just reported that they’ve been married for six months. Can you imagine if, back in 2013, when they first split, someone had said, “Just wait ten years—you’re going to marry Nelly and have a baby with him”? You’d probably think they were out of their mind!
So here’s the scoop: Shantel’s apparently heartbroken and has started posting some pretty provocative videos. It turns out there was a wedding recently that fans weren’t clued in on. Rumor has it that Ashanti and Nelly got married in secret. While the couple deserves congratulations, some fans are annoyed about missing out on seeing Ashanti in a wedding gown. But that’s not all—Shantel Jackson isn’t happy either, and it’s not just because she wasn’t invited. She’s upset because she feels Ashanti took her man, and she’s not shy about letting everyone know. Did Nelly and Ashanti really get married quietly, and how is Shantel expressing her frustration? Let’s find out.
If it works for you, just go for it. I don’t dwell on the past or look back. TMZ has uncovered that Ashanti and Nelly have actually been married for six months now. It’s pretty impressive they managed to keep it under wraps for so long, especially given their high profile. According to the documents, they tied the knot on December 27, 2023, in St. Louis, which is Nelly’s hometown.
Honestly, no one was expecting to hear about Ashanti getting married before she had the baby, since she had mentioned she didn’t want to be pregnant at the wedding. So it seemed like the wedding would come after the baby. But it looks like she couldn’t wait, and good for her!
In a recent interview, Ashanti also talked about her wedding plans. When asked if she was going for something big and glamorous or something more intimate, she said she was aiming for a mix of high fashion, glamour, and Caribbean vibes, with a beach, ocean, and lots of sunshine. Here’s hoping she got everything she wanted!
Shantel Jackson seems to have had quite a rollercoaster with her love life. She’s really been through the wringer, especially with Nelly and Floyd Mayweather. When Shantel started dating Nelly after her split with Floyd, it seemed like a new chapter for her. She even called Nelly the love of her life, but it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Nelly faced accusations of cheating regularly, and several women came forward with claims of mistreatment. Despite this, Shantel stuck by him and defended him publicly, which led to a lot of backlash. It’s clear she was deeply committed to him, but getting involved in public disputes like that can be risky, especially when the situation is so messy and personal. It’s hard to fully understand what’s going on behind closed doors, but it’s evident that Shantel’s been through a lot in the spotlight.
You can imagine how heartbroken Shantel must have been when Nelly left her for Ashanti, especially after all the drama that had happened. To be fair, Shantel was the one who ended things, but she only asked for a break, and Nelly just walked away for good. “My ex and I didn’t part on bad terms,” Shantel said. “And your ex is Nelly, right?” “Yes, my ex is Nelly.” “So how long were you together?” “Seven years. It was a long time.” “And we didn’t even know you two had split up. I mean, I was keeping up with things and had no idea what happened. Are you okay talking about it?” “With him being on the road so much and me being less around, we started drifting apart. It got to the point where we needed to figure out what we were doing.” “So it was kind of like a break, then?” “Yeah, you could say that. A break.” Shantel was clearly hurt, and it seems like her way of dealing with it is to throw shade at Nelly and Ashanti whenever she gets the chance.
Recently, during a Q&A on Instagram, a fan asked Shantel how she felt about getting back with an ex. With her usual sass, she replied, “I don’t go backward. I’m hot, single, and ready to mingle. My roots? I’m American Indian, Black, and White. As for going back to someone you really loved—if it works for you, go for it. But I don’t look back.”
Meanwhile, Nelly posted a photo of Ashanti sitting on his lap with the caption, “Of course not, beautiful. I’m fine. Love you too.” Ashanti shared the photo again with a playful, “Lma babe. Ima know you out.” Their back-and-forth caught a lot of attention.
Feeling overshadowed, Shantel decided to grab some spotlight of her own by posting a stunning video on Instagram.
Shantel might have thought she was being subtle, but fans were quick to notice. The comment section blew up with people pointing out, “Miss Jackson says she’s unbothered by Nelly and Ashanti, but she clearly isn’t, considering her reactions every time Ashanti posts.” It seems the shade didn’t go over well. One person even commented, “She’s not moving on because she’s still hung up on Nelly.” To be fair, Nelly did once promise Shantel forever. He said, “I wouldn’t want my life without Shantel in it. We’ve been seeing each other for five or six years. When you connect with someone like that, it’s something that lasts. She’s sweet and beautiful, and as we got to know each other, I realized she’s beautiful inside as well.” But that ship has sailed, and Shantel needs to accept that Nelly and Ashanti are together for the long haul.
Fans are over the moon because this is what they’ve been hoping for from the start, and it’s been more than a decade coming. Ashanti and Nelly first crossed paths at a 2003 Grammy nomination event, where Nelly made a bold move by asking for Ashanti’s autograph. Ashanti remembers, “When I first met Nelly, he asked me for my autograph. I think he was joking, but I wrote it down on the program.” She also shared, “That picture has shown up in a lot of publications as something else, but it all started as a joke. For the record, it took him a while to get my number.” Even though they were serious about keeping their relationship private, Ashanti was publicly insisting in 2005 that they were just friends.
Sorry, girl, but that excuse is getting old. With Ashanti singing, “When my man leaves the house, I know he’s coming right back. I got that good, good, I got that good, good,” and Nelly making a cameo in her 2007 “Good Good” video, their relationship was pretty obvious. Despite this, Ashanti insisted they were just friends. They were seen together at various events over the next two years, and it wasn’t until Ashanti performed the national anthem at a Lakers game in 2008 that she finally admitted they were close. She told People, “Me and Nelly, we’re good friends. We kick it, hang out a lot. The industry is very hard, so it’s good to have fun and lighten it up.” At the time, she denied any engagement plans but didn’t completely rule it out for the future.
Things heated up even more in 2009 when Nelly released the video for his song “On Me,” featuring Ashanti. Their chemistry was undeniable, with Nelly rapping, “I want to make you someone more than just a bone in my closet. I want to win that type of relationship,” making it clear they were more than just friends. But Nelly stuck to his story that they were just pals. In an interview with WrapUp TV, he said, “What people don’t understand is that I think you really have to be friends first. There’s no time limit on this. I’m not a person who wants to be married more than once. I’m not a person who wants to be in a relationship more than once. You’re dying if you leave me.” He also mentioned that marriage wasn’t on the table because they were both too focused on their careers.
Despite their denials, breakup rumors started flying in 2013, with accusations of infidelity from both sides.
For years, Nelly had been hearing rumors about Ashanti’s alleged romantic escapades, but he didn’t want to believe them. It was common knowledge in the industry that Ashanti wasn’t exactly the picture of innocence and that Irv Gotti had been romantically involved with her. Despite these rumors, Nelly chose to ignore the chatter about Ashanti allegedly being with other rappers like Jay-Z and Nas, or lesser-known producers like Santana, who had worked with both Ashanti and Keshia Cole.
There were even whispers that Ashanti had a fling with Keshia Cole, which supposedly fueled their public feud. This drama was a lot for Nelly to handle, but he wasn’t exactly guilt-free either. Ashanti had called him out for cheating in her song “Never Should Have,” expressing her pain and disappointment. Despite the turbulence, the connection between Nelly and Ashanti was strong. They reconnected, exchanged numbers, and their relationship picked up where it left off.
Their reunion was partly thanks to mutual friends and social media. Ashanti mentioned that she was surprised when Nelly reached out, with help from mutual acquaintances like Fat Joe and DJ City. Their friends and family were overjoyed when they learned about their engagement and the news of Ashanti’s pregnancy.
In November 2022, Nelly and Ashanti surprised everyone by reuniting on stage at Power 98.3 and 96.1’s Under the Mistletoe concert in Arizona, performing “Body on Me.” The chemistry between them was as electric as ever. Soon after, they were seen holding hands at a boxing match in Las Vegas, and the rumors of their rekindled romance were confirmed.
The couple made their relationship official on the red carpet at the birthday celebration for Quality Control CEO Pierre P. Thomas in Atlanta. Fans were thrilled when Ashanti announced their engagement in April 2023. Nelly proposed in a cozy, intimate setting while Ashanti was still in her pajamas—a gesture that brought her to tears. It seemed like their love story had come full circle, ending on a high note.
A few months later, Ashanti made a joyful announcement: she’s expecting! She shared an adorable video with her momager, Tina Douglas. In the video, Tina asks Ashanti if she’s ready to go on stage, and Ashanti’s response leaves no doubt about her news. She captioned the video: “Baby, baby, baby, baby. Sean, how much time do you need?”
“I need about 9 months.”
The schedule was packed: Springfield, Illinois, and then San Diego, California. After San Diego, there was a break of about 4 days before heading to Vegas. They had appearances lined up on GMA, Today’s Show, Access Hollywood, and platforms like Apple, Spotify, and Pandora. Plus, there was a photoshoot with an ocean theme that Ashanti wanted to get just right.
“Ready? Ashanti is over the moon about becoming a mother. She told Essence, ‘Motherhood is something I’ve always dreamed of, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans who have supported me through my career is incredible.’ This will be Ashanti’s first baby. Nelly, however, is no stranger to fatherhood. He’s already a dad to Chanel and Cornell Haynes, both of whom are grown, and he also adopted his late sister’s children, Shawn and Sydney Thomas. With Nelly being nearly 50 and having experienced fatherhood before, many wondered if he’d be open to having another child. But he’s standing by Ashanti’s side and embracing this new chapter.
Fans are overjoyed for the couple’s reunion. One person commented, ‘They’ve both grown and realized they truly love each other. They’re getting it right this time. God bless their union.’ Another said, ‘I’m so happy for them. If you love something, sometimes you have to let it go. If it’s meant to be, it’ll come back. This is them. Congratulations!’ What do you think? Would you have preferred a public wedding? Do you think we’ll get to see some wedding photos soon? Share your thoughts in the comments below.”
