Nelly is opening up about how he and wife Ashanti are spending the holidays with their 17-month-old son, KK.
“[Ashanti and I] haven’t been married that long, so our tradition is just being together,” he shared in an exclusive interview with Hello! ahead of his appearance at iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball 2025 in New York City on December 12.
Nelly said that he and Ashanti both understand the demands of working in entertainment, which has shaped how they approach family time during the holidays.
“Obviously she’s in the business as well, as I’m in the business, so sometimes we could be pulled in different directions,” he said. “So I think that’s the first tradition that we’re establishing, is making sure that we’re there for the holidays.”
In a separate interview with Extra, Nelly shared a playful update about life at home with KK.
“He’s walking. He thinks he’s such a big boy… He just loves pushing everything. He takes the luggage, and he just wants to push it with the wheels,” he said.
Beyond family life, Nelly also spoke about his longtime commitment to giving back through the Black and White Ball, a charitable event he hosts in his hometown of St. Louis to support students and community members.
“The Black and White Ball is something that I’ve been doing with my city for well over 20+ years,” he shared. “It’s where we come together, we raise money, we give scholarships to needy students and people in my city.”
This year’s event held special meaning, as Nelly announced scholarships for students attending the only HBCU in St. Louis. “And this year we’re giving away two scholarships to the only HBCU in Saint Louis. Shout out to Harris Stowe State College, and [to be] continued.”
Nelly and Ashanti first met at the 2003 Grammy Awards. After years of friendship, collaboration, time apart, and a reunion, the pair quietly married in December 2023.
