Nelly and Ashanti are embracing the holiday season with the joy of being new parents.

While attending iHeartRadio’s Z100 Jingle Ball in New York City, Nelly shared their festive plans with his wife and their 17-month-old son, Kareem. When asked if they planned to indulge their son this Christmas, Nelly responded with an enthusiastic affirmation.

“Absolutely, yes,” he confirmed in an exclusive chat with Us Weekly. “And it’s well-deserved. He brings so much joy and happiness. He’s such a delightful baby.”

The couple welcomed their son, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, in July 2024, shortly after rekindling their relationship and getting married following a decade-long hiatus. Nelly expressed how Kareem has quickly become the focal point of their lives.

“Even on a tough day, he’ll make you smile,” Nelly remarked. “He’s just like me, always trying to stay upbeat, but he has his mother’s looks. So he’s got the best of both worlds.”

Fans recently got a closer look at their life as new parents in their Peacock series Nelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together, which premiered in June of this year. According to Nelly, more episodes are already in the works.

“We’re definitely working on season 2,” the 51-year-old said. “We want to thank everybody that supported us out the gate.”

He added that the show reflects real life rather than scripted moments.

“I don’t like to call them story lines, it’s just our life. And that’s the beautiful thing about it is that we love to bring the positive to it, man, we think there’s so much negative going on in the world. We just wanted our show to be a moment of positivity [and] joy,” Nelly told the outlet. “People can see we advocate for family, sticking with your family. Hang [with] it and everything will be OK.”

Nelly and Ashanti first became a couple in the early 2000s. They publicly reunited in 2021, tying the knot in December of 2023. They welcomed Kareem seven months later.

Looking back on his career, Nelly said becoming a parent again has shifted his perspective. “You’re just more mature. You’re way more thankful,” he shared.

As for advice he would give his younger self?

“Save all your money.”

Photo Credit: Ashanti Instagram; BCKOnline