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Are Ashanti and Nelly Dating? Inside Their Relationship After They Got Back Together
Nelly and Ashanti were an iconic couple back in the early 2000s and fans have speculated that they have since rekindled their romance after being spotted together at a boxing match in April 2023.
Are Nelly and Ashanti Dating?
Nelly confirmed he was dating the “Falling For You” singer again during a September 12, 2023, appearance on Boss Moves with Rasheeda.
“Yeah. We cool again,” Nelly explained to hosts Rasheeda Frost and Kirk Frost. “We cool again. I think it surprised both of us, though. It wasn’t anything that was, like, I don’t think planned. I think we both was pretty much doing what we do. But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more.”
Nelly explained that stepping away from their relationship over 10 years ago allowed them to “understand one another more.”
“We all can be defensive sometimes in our relationships and we know we wrong but we gonna stand on it,” the “Nellyville” rapper added, explaining he and Ashanti were in different places when they first started dating. “When you got so many people in the middle of it, it can be tough.”
For her part, Ashanti confirmed her relationship with the “Hot in Herre” artist later that day while attending the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards. The R&B queen looked glamorous on the pink carpet in a shimmy, mermaid gown, however, it was her accessory that fans kept looking at. Her clutch featured a photo of her and Nelly from decades before.
“This is where we first exchanged numbers. I was like, ‘Oh, this would be cute,’” Ashanti told TODAY at the awards show on September 12, 2023. “Everything is lining up in the universe. I’m happy.”
When Did Nelly and Ashanti Start Dating?
Nelly and Ashanti were first linked in 2003 after meeting at a Grammy Awards press conference. During a 2011 episode of Behind the Music, the “Only U” singer recalled their first interaction.
“The first time I met Nelly he asked me for my autograph, but I think he was being sarcastic and I remember writing it down on the program,” the New York native explained. “For the record, it took him a long time to get my number.”
Why Did Ashanti and Nelly Break Up?
Nelly and Ashanti split in 2013. While the pair initially stayed silent about the split, Ashanti opened up about their breakup years later on The Meredith Vieira Show in 2015.
“I think sometimes when people have their own insecurities it allows them to act out of character,” she responded when asked if their split was caused by trust issues. “I’ve been betrayed.”
She added, “Again, you just have to grow. You have to grow up and accept responsibility for the things that you do. I’m not a big fan of people being cowards. I think it’s really important to know yourself and understand what you want and get it. I’m in a different place right now.”
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