A couple of months ago, Lloyd shared his feelings about Ashanti’s pregnancy in the sweetest way.
In fact, he might’ve brought the singer to tears.
Lloyd and Ashanti’s Performance
Lloyd and Ashanti linked up to put on a performance that no one would forget.
According to The Shade Room, this was to be Ashanti’s final show before going on maternity leave.
And Lloyd made sure to make the gig as memorable as he could for his close friend.
Ashanti took to the stage at the Tacos & Tequila Festival in Kansas City at the start of June.
Lloyd’s Surprise Appearance At Ashanti’s Last Show
Footage of a touching moment eventually made its way to social media.
It showed Ashanti preparing to sing her hit song Southside, which she recorded with Lloyd.
As she was about to begin, her DJ got her attention, telling her that he had “something special” for her.
Ashanti was visibly confused and asked what was going on.
At that moment, Lloyd joined her on stage.
Ashanti’s surprise and shock were on display for all to see as she jumped up and down.
As the song played, Lloyd let the adoring crowd know that they were witnessing Ashanti’s last concert for a while.
He went on to address his friend directly, explaining to her that he didn’t want to miss her last show, as he was going to miss spending time on tour with Ashanti.
Lloyd added that Ashanti changed his life and told her that he loved her and was praying for a safe delivery of her child.
Lloyd’s Touching Tribute to Ashanti and Nelly
The touching act would’ve meant even more to Ashanti since Lloyd had already given her a similar tribute just weeks earlier.
In May, the friends performed together at the Met in Philadelphia.
Lloyd once again joined Ashanti for Southside and proceeded to get on his knees and sing to Ashanti’s belly.
As he sang, Lloyd rubbed Ashanti’s belly as fans cheered them on.
After the gig ended, Lloyd showed more love to Ashanti and her husband Nelly with a sweet post on social media.
Lloyd dedicated the post to the couple’s unborn baby, saying that the child was surrounded by love and good energy.
He went on to write that he would one day tell the baby “of the times [he] got to sing to [them] while still in [their] mother’s belly.”
He continued by again stating that Ashanti “changed [his] life,” and added that Nelly “was there for [him] when [he] needed a little love and guidance.”
He ended his heartfelt post by saying that he couldn’t wait to meet Ashanti and Nelly’s baby and “make [them] laugh,” before signing off by calling himself “uncle Ladi.”
The post obviously attracted a lot of attention and positive comments.
Ashanti’s Response to Lloyd’s Tribute
But the most wholesome of all came from Ashanti herself, who expressed how affected she was by her friend’s show of support.
She wrote in the comments under Lloyd’s post that she was “literally crying”, adding that Lloyd knew how unusual this was for her.
She thanked her friend for his kind words before telling him that she loved and appreciated him.
Other fans also took the chance to praise Lloyd for showing nothing but love and positivity in the wake of Ashanti’s baby news.
When Ashanti’s Pregnancy Rumors Started
Whispers about Ashanti being pregnant first spread back in December of last year.
Us Weekly first reported that an anonymous source had shared the news that Nelly and Ashanti were expecting.
The report emerged after Nelly appeared to let the cat out of the bag with an accidental gesture.
The couple performed together at Nelly’s annual Black and White Ball in St Louis.
At one point during the event, Ashanti was seen resting a hand on her belly on stage.
Did Nelly Accidentally Let the Cat Out the Bag?
Almost automatically, her husband started rubbing her belly, too.
Ashanti immediately moved his hand away, and the two looked at each other and started laughing.
Clearly, Ashanti knew what people would think after seeing Nelly touch her stomach like that.
She was quickly proven right, with the eagle-eyed crowd erupting with cheers.
But the shocking truth was that the couple really didn’t know they were pregnant at that time.
Ashanti said in an interview that they had not even taken a pregnancy test.
She also added that she had only been trying to fix a pendant on her dress when she was seen appearing to be holding her midriff.
Ashanti then said that when Nelly put his hand on her, she knew he was “making it look like something” else was going on.
Ashanti’s Pregnancy Rumors Confirmed
The gossip then died down for a few months, only for the happy couple to confirm what everyone already suspected in an interview with Essence magazine.
Ashanti shared her total joy at finding out she was having a baby.
She confessed that motherhood was something that she has always looked forward to, and that sharing that experience with those that mean the most to her, including her fans, was an amazing experience.
And Ashanti has been only too happy to share her experience as much as possible ever since.
The singer teamed up with Essence to share a reel on Instagram.
How Ashanti Revealed Her Pregnancy
The reel appeared to show Ashanti preparing for a show before she revealed her pregnancy in a clever way.
In the reel, an actor calls on Ashanti to ask her how long she’s going to be.
Ashanti then appears on screen and says with a cheeky smile, “Probably around 9 months.”
The post caused a social media storm, but among the comments, one stood out more than most.
Lloyd had jumped on to once again share his good wishes.
He commented under the reel that he was excited to see Ashanti shift her purpose toward being a super mom.
In the weeks since, Ashanti has been on a mission to share her happiness with the world.
Ashanti’s Maternity Shoot
She shared a first look at her maternity shoot with fans last month.
The shoot saw Ashanti proudly celebrating her baby bump in a glamorous gold bikini on a sunny beach.
She was also interviewed by Entertainment Tonight about her reaction to discovering that she was going to be a mom.
She said that when she found out, she was shocked, happy, and emotional.
She also explained the thinking behind her photoshoot, which she said was an authentic depiction of who she really is.
Ashanti said that being on the beach, enjoying nature and sunshine, was what made her happy.
But through her dazzling outfit, the shoot was also a chance to display her glamorous pop princess side at the same time.
This shows that Ashanti is confident that motherhood is just another part of who she is, and not a replacement for the Ashanti that came before.
In making her new identity as a mother fit with her older superstar self, Ashanti is well on her way to being the super mom Lloyd knew she would be.
Ashanti’s Surprise Baby Shower
And it must be a huge help to Ashanti to have a network of such supportive friends and family around at this crucial time in her life.
This was on display again recently when she enjoyed a surprise baby shower with her nearest and dearest that Nelly had arranged for her.
Ashanti was delighted to find her friends and family waiting for her at a New York boutique store, including fellow artists Fat Joe and Breland.
It wasn’t reported whether Lloyd had also attended.
