Meet Nelly’s 4 Kids: Chanelle, Sydney, Cornell, and Shawn, Plus a Baby on the Way

After a decade apart, Nelly and Ashanti started dating again in 2023 (and secretly married that same year) and then announced that they were expecting their first child together. While the news is exciting for the couple's fans, it also led many to wonder whether Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Haynes II, has any children other children.

Nelly has been a fixture of pop culture for more than 20 years, but that doesn't mean every aspect of his personal life is widely known. And, as it turns out, Nelly's newest child won't be his first. Let's meet his four other kids.

Nelly already has four children. He has two children, a son named Cornell Hayes III and a daughter named Chanelle, from previous relationships. Nelly also adopted two children from his sister, Jackie, who died from complications related to leukemia in 2005. Nelly has made efforts to keep his kids out of the public eye, but he does occasionally post pictures of them on his Instagram page.

Ashanti's child with Nelly will be her first. The two previously dated from 2003 to 2013 after they met at the Grammy Awards. They rekindled their romance earlier in 2023, and rumors had been swirling that Ashanti may be pregnant. Those rumors only intensified after the two appeared together at the Black and White Ball in St. Louis, and Nelly put his hand on her stomach.

Nelly confirmed the two were once again in a relationship in September 2023, and even admitted that neither of them thought they would be getting back together.

“Time does wonders for a lot of different things," he told Entertainment Tonight. "And time is one those things that allows you time to reflect on what’s what, and you get a chance to see things in a different light and see your faults. So I think we both did that and it’s cool that we just friends.”

At the time, the two had rekindled a friendship, but things seem to have become much more romantic in the time since.

Now, Nelly is posting much more explicitly romantic things about their relationship, including a birthday message that was accompanied by a slideshow of images of the two of them together.

“One time for the birthday girl…. Such a beautiful, an incredible person inside and out and one of the hardest working women. I know.. @ashanti Enjoy your day Ma you look awesome!!!! Happy Birthday Love ya!!!!” Nelly wrote in the post. He has continuously shown support for his wife and the love he has for her.

While the two managed to keep many details of their relationship under wraps since rekindling their romance, USA Today revealed in 2024 that they had secretly tied the knot in December 2023. The outlet confirmed the marriage after reviewing public records from St. Louis, Mo.

We wish Nelly, Ashanti, and their expanding family all the best!