Ashanti recently confirmed her engagement to Nelly, and now she’s revealed the touching story of Nelly’s proposal.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday (June 18), the singer reflected on the moment her partner proposed to her.
“It was such a beautiful, intimate moment,” she said. “We weren’t fully dressed.”
Considering the two were lying on the bed watching TV in T-shirts and boxers, she was legitimately “shocked” by his choice of setting.
The R&B icon added: “I cried. I gave him the biggest hug and kiss ever. I FaceTimed everyone I knew…I was so happy, shocked, surprised and happy, just Like everything else.
The couple got back together last year and are now expecting their first child, they revealed amid news of their engagement.
“You know, the growth on both sides of the ball has been phenomenal,” she said of their chemistry today compared to when they dated in the early 2000s. “We’re both the same people we were, arguing sometimes and then walking out on it, Close the door and don’t speak for a few days.”
During their separation, Ashanti began seeing Joyner Lucas, and the two collaborated on the latter’s “Fall Slowly” music video.
Lucas opened up about their relationship during an interview on The Jason Lee Podcast that premiered in April.
“She was an amazing person,” he said of his former partner. “I was a private. I don’t talk about it, but what I will say is, she was an amazing person, [I’m] Super happy for her. She is about to have a baby. I know how much she wanted to be a mother.
The “I’m Not Racist” host even revealed that the two discussed raising children of their own while they were together, although he wasn’t in the right place to move forward with the plan at the time. Still, he maintained that he felt strongly for her throughout all of this.
“I want to say I love her, of course…she’s an easy person to fall in love with. She’s a dork, a super dork, man. And I’m not just saying that,” he added. “I knew what she wanted, what she needed – I didn’t think I could achieve it at the time. “Shanti has been in this sport for 25 years; I was new to the game. I knew what she wanted, what she needed.
“I feel like there’s no place in my life that I’m committed to, that’s all. But, you know, I’m glad she got it [her] Way. I’m glad she finally got through it with Nelly and now she has a baby. I’m so proud of her…she’s going to be an amazing mom. I’ll keep telling her that.
Regarding the nature of their connection and age difference, he shared: “I do feel like I prefer older women, I just think it’s because older women understand certain things that younger women don’t.
“It’s not even just about sex, though; it’s about sex.” It’s like an intellectual level. I just think older women are on a different level mentally. I don’t mean all older women, but I never considered the age gap between me and Ashanti. I never really cared about that.
