Ashanti has shared some details about her new baby boy and it’s honestly heartwarming. The singer and her husband Nelly welcomed Kareem Kenkaide Haynes back in July.
Their bundle of joy was kept quiet for a while, but a few days ago, Ashanti opened up in an interview on Entertainment Tonight. She explained the inspiration behind her son’s unique name, saying that it was really all down to Nelly. Ashanti told the outlet, “His dad named him with a lot of pride.”
She went on to say that the couple had been going back and forth on a name for a long time, but Nelly was adamant he knew what it had to be. Ashanti said that Nelly told her, “This is what I want, I love this.”
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There was a special significance to the name they chose, for Ashanti as well, especially with Nelly being so keen on it. This is because, as Ashanti told ET, Kenkaide is actually her dad’s name.
Ashanti explained, “Obviously, my dad has only girls, so Nelly was just like, ‘I think that would be really dope.” She said that it was all her husband’s idea to name their child after her father.
The singer also went on to reveal the meaning behind her son’s first name. She said Kareem means generous, kind, noble, bountiful, and dignified. The proud new parents have some big expectations for their baby boy!
It was the expectations of the couple’s fans that were thrown into chaos when the news finally broke that Ashanti had already had her baby. While fans were fully expecting Kareem to be born this summer, they had no idea that Ashanti and Nelly had welcomed him into the world weeks before making the news public.
Ashanti Thanked Her Postpartum Body
Ashanti did this in a post on Instagram that shocked her followers. The post included a picture of her in Frida Mom underwear.
In the caption, she wrote that this was what postpartum looked like. She thanked her body for giving her her baby. Fans quickly realized the post was actually her baby announcement, and it soon racked up over 700,000 likes.
In fact, Kareem arrived so early that even Nelly was caught by surprise. In her interview, Ashanti said that Kareem was born earlier than they had expected, meaning Nelly had to rush back to be by her side in time.
She said that he had to get a last-minute flight back so he didn’t miss his son’s birth. According to Ashanti, he made it in plenty of time. She said, “He made it well before time, which was incredible.”
Ashanti went on to talk about how emotional the scene of Kareem’s birth was. She said that having her husband in the room as they looked at Kareem’s face for the first time made her cry.
Ashanti described the moment as emotional and spiritual. This was partly because, for Ashanti, it felt like she had been envisioning this moment for so long.
She said in her ET interview that she has always wanted to get married and have kids, which fans have known for years. But she never knew that she was going to “spin the block” and get back with Nelly after so many years apart.
Ashanti also opened up about all of the emotions she felt at the same time when she and Nelly held their baby.
She said that she realized that this was her purpose. It was what her life was supposed to be, and she described it as an electrifying feeling.
Nelly Was Arrested Just Weeks After His Son Was Born
After waiting so long to finally get the life she wanted, fans could only be happy for her, or could they? In recent weeks, some concerned fans have shared their fear that Ashanti’s happiness with Nelly might not last.
There have long been rumors that Nelly isn’t exactly husband or family material. Many suspect that the only reason he got back with Ashanti was for the sake of his reputation. However, there have been stories about him returning to his partying ways since reuniting with Ashanti.
In fact, he has even managed to get in trouble in the weeks following the birth of their son. Last month, fans were shocked to discover that Nelly had been arrested in the early hours of the morning after an all-nighter in a St. Louis casino. The main thing that made people angry was the fact that the rapper got into trouble while his wife Ashanti was back home looking after their child.
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Fans were keen to find out how Nelly’s wife had reacted to the shocking news. It was pretty cryptic.
The singer shared a post the very same day that Nelly was arrested which got fans talking. She was celebrating a special night with her mom, for which she shared a series of pictures on Instagram.
In the caption, she wrote, “Recap Mom’s bday! This was such a special night. Happy Birthday again mom, I love you more than anything.”
The weird thing about the post was that it came several weeks after her mom’s birthday, so fans were curious about the timing. Was Ashanti trying to create some distance between her family and the news of Nelly’s arrest?
Nelly Lawyer Feels His Was Wronged
According to The Shade Room, the rapper was taken into custody just before 5 am on August 7. He was reportedly charged with possession of illegal substances after being pulled over by police. He was also alleged to be facing trouble for having no insurance.
In a statement, the police said that they had arrested him for Failure to Appear on an old traffic charge. He has since been released, and a representative for the 49-year-old has made a statement in his defense.
His attorney, Scott Rosenblum, denied the charge against his client. He said that the rapper had not actually been charged with anything to do with substance possession, but instead for having no proof of insurance. He added that Nelly had been targeted by “an overzealous, out-of-line officer.”
Despite his lawyer’s statement, many are still convinced that illegal substances were involved in Nelly’s recent brush with the law. The Sun reported that the rapper appeared to be glassy-eyed in his police mug shot, during which he was also slightly smiling, suggesting he was in some way intoxicated.
Nelly Has a History of Legal Trouble
This is far from the first time Nelly has faced legal trouble. Every time the rapper has landed himself in trouble, he has had to face public backlash.
His first arrest came when he was taken in on felony charges following a police search of his tour bus. What’s interesting about his first arrest was what it seemed to say about that time in Nelly’s life.
He was first arrested in April 2015, a couple of years after he and Ashanti first split up after a decade together. This was the start of a string of public humiliations for the rapper. It was believed by many that he had gone off the rails after parting with Ashati.
When they got back together, most hoped that she would help him create a better life for both himself and his new family. But now, it’s hard to know if this will be possible.
For the sake of Ashanti and their son, fans will continue to hope Nelly gets back on track.
