Nelly says his new reality TV show with Ashanti, “We Belong Together,” will give fans an “introduction” to their lives.
The eight-episode series, which premiered on Peacock on June 26, offers an inside look into the couple’s lives as spouses, new parents to their son, Kareem “KK,” and as one of the most influential celebrity couples in the music business.
“It’s an introduction to how our lives are at this moment,” Nelly tells TODAY.com in a joint interview with the “Always On Time” singer.
After having reunited with each other in 2021, the celebrity couple has been making headlines for their love story that spans over a decade. Nelly and Ashanti first met in 2003 and dated for a few years before she seemingly confirmed their split on a 2015 episode of “The Meredith Viera Show.”
After going their separate ways, the duo ended up crossing paths at an industry event in 2021 where Nelly asked a mutual friend for Ashanti’s number. Once she picked up the call, Ashanti realized she realized that she still had feelings for him, as she told ET, and the rest is history.
The couple got married in 2023 and then welcomed their son, KK, in the year after.
While thinking back about their love story, Ashanti says she never thought she would end up with Nelly after their breakup.
“I don’t think either of us saw it happening,” she tells TODAY.com, as the “Hot In Herre” rapper nods beside her. “I’m a firm believer in what’s meant to be will be.”
Recalling one of the first nights she spent with Nelly after reuniting, Ashanti says it felt like they hadn’t skipped a beat.
“When one of the first nights went down, it was kind of like, things fell back without even trying. I was just like, wow. It’s so bizarre to me that it’s been this long, but it feels like there was no time that went by. So I feel like a lot of things, just organically came back when we were together,” she says.
“Same thing,” Nelly adds. “Things were just like to be continued, like you hit the button and it starts back up again. You get a chance to pick it back up so it was good.”
In “We Belong Together,” Nelly and Ashanti show what it’s like to take care of KK.
Nelly is also a dad to his two adult kids, Chanelle and Cornell, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend Channetta Valentine. He also raised and adopted his late sister, Jackie’s, kids as well.
Meanwhile, Ashanti is a first time mom and the series shows the steps she takes to protect him. Notably, the couple is not showing his face publicly on social media or in the show.
“For me, it kind of was just a natural, organic instinct to become like mama bear and like super protective,” she says. That extends to his diet, which she makes sure is “organic and clean.”
She describes herself as the type of mom to freak out if her baby’s pacifier falls on the ground. “It’s a whole lot,” she shares.
Nelly jokes that he doesn’t worry as much as his wife.
“I’m always like, ‘He’ll be aight,'” he says as Ashanti laughs.
The couple are now in a new season in their lives and they’re welcoming every new progression with open arms. Earlier this week, on June 23, Nelly released a new song titled “Spin the Block” and Ashanti is fresh off her “Bring It Tour” with Sean Paul and Fat Joe. With so much going on in their lives, Ashanti admits that she’s surprised that she and Nelly even found the time to film “We Belong Together.”
“It definitely requires a lot of time but we made it work,” she says.
Nelly, who has previously done reality TV before with “Nellyville” says he was the one who pitched the series.
“I thought it would be a great idea,” he says. “I just wanted people to see what I see on a daily basis, which is how funny and how charismatic she is, amongst other things. So it was an easy decision.”
Peacock is owned by NBCUniversal, TODAY’s parent company.
About The Author
