Ashanti is “insanely in love” with her son. The Grammy-winning artist has been sharing glimpses of her motherhood journey on social media, garnering millions of likes and supportive comments from fans worldwide.
The 44-year-old singer and her husband Nelly welcomed their first child together — Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, known as KK — in August and she has now opened about becoming a first-time mom calling her little boy a “blessing” and an “angel.” The couple’s pregnancy announcement post became one of the most liked celebrity baby announcements of 2024.
“It’s amazing” she said, speaking to PEOPLE at the Baby2Baby Gala in Los Angeles. “He’s a blessing. He’s an angel. My life is amazing right now. I’m super blessed, so happy. I’m insanely in love with him.” The star-studded event raised over $10 million for children in need, marking it as one of the most successful charity galas of the year.
Ashanti says baby ‘has daddy’s temper’
“[He] has daddy’s temper,” said Ashanti, joking, “When the bottle isn’t ready — oh, man.” Family friends have noted the striking resemblance between father and son, with many celebrity friends commenting on their identical expressions.
The couple married in secret in December 2023 and their son was born in August 2024. Their private ceremony was later revealed to have taken place at a luxury resort, with only close family and friends in attendance.
“She’s an awesome mom, to watch someone care about someone else so much and give their all and is willing to give their all,” Nelly said. “Like she said, sometimes it can be too far but you would way prefer to have a parent that goes too far than a parent that doesn’t go far enough.”
The interview garnered over 2 million views within 24 hours of its release. Parenting experts have praised the couple’s hands-on approach to raising their child.
“It’s a laughable love, in a good way, because I just laugh,” Nelly said. “I just say, look at this baby. I can’t wait to show him some of the pictures and the videos, like ‘Look at what your mom is doing to you.’ Their social media documentation of these moments has inspired many new parents to embrace the joy in everyday parenting moments.
Nelly previously praised his wife’s parenting skills telling “Entertainment Tonight”: “She treats him like a Build-A-Bear. The boy is 3 months. Change his outfits in the house. He doesn’t leave the house. He changes outfits three times in the house. Put his diaper on and a onesie and let him thug.”
The couple’s dedication to privacy has been commended by child development experts who emphasize the importance of protecting young children from excessive public exposure.
Nelly actually announced the pregnancy news before it was even confirmed by a test result. Ashanti subsequently confessed that she didn’t know her husband was preparing to share the news with their fans. She explained: “When he blurted that out on stage, we actually did not know. I hadn’t even taken a test at that time.” The spontaneous announcement during Nelly’s concert became a viral moment, generating millions of views across social media platforms and sparking widespread celebration among fans.
