(CNN) — Congratulations are in order for singer Ashanti and rapper Nelly.
The reunited couple made both their pregnancy and their engagement public. They shared the news exclusively with Essence magazine, which posted an announcement on social media on Wednesday.
“This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope and anticipation,” Ashanti, 43, said in a statement to the publication. “Motherhood is something I’ve been looking forward to, and sharing it with my family, my fiancé, and my loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an incredible experience.”
Ashanti had fun with the news on her own verified Instagram account, with a video in which she is seen preparing for a performance.
When her mother and manager Tina Y. Douglas asks her how much time she’s going to need in the clip, Ashanti jokingly replies, “I’m going to need about nine months” as her mother gasps and the screen displays a logo for Proov, an at-home fertility and hormone marker test.
In a statement to CNN, the singer said: “As you know, I’m so close to my mom and dad, so I look forward to being a great parent to our child, like they were to me and my sister. Nelly and I are so excited to welcome and love Baby Haynes. (Nelly’s real name is Cornell Iral Haynes Jr.)
Ashanti and Nelly, 49, confirmed in September that they were reunited as a couple, 20 years after they were first linked in a relationship that ended after a decade.
Ashanti attended the MTV VMA Awards around this time, where Nelly was a scheduled performer. She carried a clutch with a photo of her and Nelly taken when they attended the awards ceremony together in 2003.
During an interview with E! News at the event, Ashanti said she thought the bag was “cute” and was asked if she and the “Hot in Here” star were dating again.
After a few laughs, she shyly replied, “I mean…yeah.”
Nelly also got candid during an appearance with “Love and Hip Hop Atlanta” stars Rasheeda and Kirk Frost on her show “Boss Moves with Rasheeda” last fall.
“We’re getting cold again,” Nelly said. “I think it surprised both of us. It was nothing planned. »
CNN has reached out to Nelly’s representatives for additional comment.
