Ashanti Shares Sentimental Inspiration Behind Her Newborn Son’s Name and Says He Looks Like Her ‘Twin’

Ashanti and Nelly. ALEXANDER TAMARGO/GETTY

Ashanti and husband Nelly welcomed their son Kareem Kenkaide on July 18, 2024

Ashanti is opening up about her baby boy!

In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, published Wednesday, Aug. 21, the “Baby” singer, 43, shared more details about her newborn son, whom she welcomed last month with her husband Nelly.

Speaking about her son’s name — Kareem Kenkaide Haynes — Ashanti revealed that the inspiration came from Nelly, 49.

“His dad named him with a lot of pride,” the proud mom told the outlet. “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.’ ”

“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 would be really dope.’ This was all his idea.”

Ashanti announcing she’d become a mom on her Instagram Stories. ASHANTI/INSTAGRAM

The “Happy” artist also shared the meaning behind the name Kareem, which includes generous, kind, noble, bountiful and dignified.

Ashanti then went on to reveal that her son arrived “a little early” and that Nelly had to “fly in last minute which was awesome.” “He made it well before time, which was incredible,” she added to ET, also calling the birth “such an amazing and incredible feeling and experience.”

Ashanti and Nelly. ALEXANDER TAMARGO/GETTY

“Just having all of us in the delivery room and seeing his face for the first time, I cried,” she said. “It was just so emotional and so spiritual. Kind of having a vision of this moment for so long. I always wanted children, I always wanted to get married.”

She added with a laugh, “I didn’t know that I was going to spin the block and be with my ex from a long time ago.”

 

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“But, just all of these emotions happening at one time, just knowing that this is your person, this is your purpose, this is what it’s supposed to be,” Ashanti continued. “And the three of us together, when we were all able to hold each other it was such an electrifying feeling. It just validated all of that. It was very emotional and spiritual to say the least.”

The new mother also revealed that while her baby boy resembled more of his father in the beginning, he’s now looking a lot more like her. “He’s my twin,” she said before adding that her son does still look like his dad and “sleeps exactly” like him too.

“Ashanti and Nelly welcomed their baby boy, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, on July 18, 2024. The proud and happy parents are so in love with KK!” a rep for the couple told PEOPLE on Aug. 21.

Ashanti also shared the exciting news on Instagram alongside a photo and clip of herself posing in her Frida Mom disposable underwear.

“Funny how life’s plans aren’t…always on time.. lol. I’ve been waiting to be a mom for a long time now but nothing could prepare me for EVERYTHING motherhood brings!” she wrote in the caption. “This is what postpartum looks like I’m loving these super cozy @fridamom shorts! I’m so proud of my body for giving me my baby, baby, baby, baby, baby. 😆.”

Speaking in the video as she showed off her body in a blue robe, she added, “Four weeks postpartum. You have no idea what this body can do.”