Fat Joe jokingly asserted that he deserves credit for Nelly and Ashanti’s renewed romance, claiming he played a role in bringing the two together during his Verzuz battle with Ja Rule in 2021. In a recent live stream on Instagram with fans, Joe shared his thoughts on the couple’s relationship, stating, “They look so happily ever after,” while reminiscing about their initial meeting.
During the stream, Joe recalled FaceTiming Nelly and Ashanti after an on-stage moment where Nelly was seen rubbing Ashanti’s belly, sparking pregnancy rumors. He humorously insisted, “I immediately tell them I need 10 percent of this kid because if it wasn’t for Verzuz, that I brought Nelly out [during] me against Ja Rule, that’s when they saw each other and energy connected again. That’s when he said I gotta have her. He was over there contemplating; he really wanted to go over there.”
Joe explained that someone from his crew encouraged Nelly to approach Ashanti at the event, kickstarting the conversation. He noted, “You know somebody gotta crack the ice — I don’t know why they fell out.”
Previously, Ja Rule, Joe’s Verzuz opponent, commented on Nelly and Ashanti’s reconciliation, describing it as unsurprising. He said, “You can tell sometimes when women – they want that old thing back. I don’t want to blow sis up. But the chemistry was there.”
Nelly and Ashanti, who originally dated from 2003 to 2013, are now expecting their first child together. Stay tuned for more updates on Fat Joe and the evolving relationship between Nelly and Ashanti.
