Ashanti and Nelly wed in secret

Ashanti and Nelly are already married.

The couple tied the knot on 27 December 2023, according to documents obtained by People magazine.

The paperwork showed the marriage became official in St. Louis, which is Nelly's hometown.

The couple announced their engagement last year but haven't publicly declared they are officially husband and wife.

Earlier this week, Ashanti, 43, spoke about the moment Nelly, 49, proposed to her, saying it was a "beautiful, intimate moment".

She told how she "definitely had one of his T-shirts and his boxers" on when he popped the question, and was surprised by the proposal.

The couple are expecting their first child together later this year. In May, the singer shared a post of her baby bump, while she posed with the rapper.

"This Mother's Day was so special," she wrote. "Having our families together as we are about to embark on such an incredible journey was amazing. Wishing all of the amazing Moms and Moms to be a beautiful Mother's Day...!!!!"

The pair first dated in 2003 for 10 years before breaking up in 2013. In 2023, they got back together, then announced their engagement and pregnancy.

Earlier this year, Ashanti spoke about how excited she was for the year ahead.

"This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation," she told Essence magazine. "Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to."