Ashanti has revealed the meaning behind the name of her newborn son with Nelly, Kareem Kenkaide Hayes.
Talking to ET‘s Deidre Behar on a phone call on August 21, the “Foolish” singer explained that the decision was all Nelly’s – and he took a lot of pride in it.
“His dad named him with a lot of pride,” she said. “We were going back and forth for a long time on his name and he was very adamant. He was like, ‘This is what I want! I love this!’ And I thought it was just so amazing and so thoughtful and so sweet because Kenkaide is my dad’s name and obviously my dad has only girls.
“So Nelly was just like, ‘I think that will be really, really dope.’ And this was all his idea. [And] Kareem means generous, kind, noble, dignified, bountiful and just having dignity. So I was like, ‘That’s so cute!’”
Baby Kareem arrived on July 18, but the news wasn’t reported until weeks later, on August 21.
That same day, Ashanti also shared some photos on Instagram revealing that she’d given birth.
“Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time.. lol,” she wrote, namedropping her 2001 hit song with Ja Rule.
“I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings!
“I’m so proud of my body for giving me my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby.”
Ashanti and Nelly not only managed to keep their baby a secret until they were ready to share the news, they also did the same thing with their marriage.
In June of this year, TMZ got their hands on a marriage record for the expecting couple that revealed they tied the knot prior to the new year, on December 27, 2023.
While the document doesn’t state what city the lovers said ‘I do’ in, it was made official in St. Louis County, so it’s likely they wed in the rapper’s hometown.
Ashanti only just confirmed their engagement in April, and reflected on the moment her partner popped the question during a conversation with Entertainment Tonight.
“It was just such a beautiful, intimate moment,” she said. “We were not dressy.”
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Considering the pair were lying in bed and watching TV in T-shirts and boxers, she was rightfully “shocked” he picked that setting.
The R&B icon added: “I cried. I gave him the biggest hug and kiss ever. I FaceTimed everyone I know … I was overjoyed and shocked and surprised and happy kind of like all in one.”
The couple got back together last year.
