Ashanti tells how Nelly came up with her son’s meaningful name.
“His name is Kareem Kenkaide Haynes,” the “Baby” singer said in an interview with ET. “His father named him that with a lot of pride.”
“We discussed his name for a long time and he was very persistent,” she added. “He was like, ‘That’s what I want, that’s what I love.'”
(LR) Nelly and Ashanti attend the 25th Annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC on March 24, 2024.
Paul Morigi/Getty Images, FILE
The singer said she found it “so sweet” that Nelly came up with the name because she said not only does Kareem mean generous, kind, noble, dignified and giving, but Kenkaide is also a reference to her father, who has the same name.
“My dad only has girls, so Nelly was like, ‘I think that would be really great,'” Ashanti said. “It was all his idea.”
Ashanti announced on Wednesday that she gave birth to her son four weeks ago. A rep for the singer confirmed the news and told “Good Morning America” that Kareem’s birthday is July 18.
“He actually came a little early,” Ashanti said. “Dad had to fly in at the last minute, which was great.”
Regarding the birth, Ashanti said it was an “emotional and spiritual” feeling to welcome Kareem into the world together with Nelly.
“All of these feelings at once, just knowing that this is your person, this is your purpose, this is what it’s meant to be, and the three of us together – we were all able to support each other,” said Ashanti, who also recounted a moment when Nelly sang to her son in the hospital to calm him down from crying.
“It was incredible to see how confident, gentle and reassuring he was with his son,” she said. “It was just an incredible feeling.”
Ashanti speaks onstage at “Ashanti Turns Women’s History Month into Women’s Future Month” during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festival at the Austin Convention Center on March 15, 2022 in Austin, Texas.
Rick Kern/FilmMagic via Getty Images, FILE
Ashanti and Nelly began dating in 2003 and were together for 10 years before splitting up. The couple released the song “Body On Me” with Akon in 2008, from Ashanti’s album “The Declaration”.
Eight years after their separation, in 2021, Ashanti and Nelly reunited and rekindled their relationship.
In April 2024, Ashanti announced her engagement to Nelly and her pregnancy exclusively to ESSENCE.
Ashanti says her life has changed as a young mother, but for good reasons.
“It’s just an incredible feeling,” she said. “When I look into his eyes or pick him up and kiss him, I am overcome with an overwhelming feeling of love, admiration and devotion. This little boy has my whole soul wrapped around his finger.”
