Nelly's children: names, ages, and facts about the star's kids
Nelly, whose real name is Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr., is an American rapper, actor, and entrepreneur. He is a successful entertainer whose career dates back to 1993, but he shot to fame in the early 2000s after releasing Hot In Here and Dilemma. Despite his impressive career, most fans have been curious about Nelly's children after his girlfriend, Ashanti, hinted about being pregnant.
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Nelly rose to fame as a hip-hop superstar after the success of his solo release, Country Grammar, in 2000. The album won three Grammy awards and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200. He has been in the music industry for over two decades and is known for tracks like Hot in Herre and Body On Me.
All about Nelly
Nelly was born in Austin, Texas, on November 2, 1974, to a Tunisian father and American mother. He is of African-American descent and holds American nationality. When Nelly was seven years old, his parents divorced, and he moved with his mother to University City, a suburb of St. Louis County.
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Who are Nelly's children?
The rapper has four children: two biological children with his ex-wife Chanetta Valentine, and he adopted two children from his sister, who succumbed to leukaemia in 2005. Nelly is also expecting his fifth with his girlfriend, singer Ashanti. Here is a list of Nelly's kids and their age:
1. Chanelle Haynes
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- Full name: Chanelle Haynes
- Gender: Female
- Date of birth: February 27, 1994
- Age: 30 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: United States
- Profession: Musician
Nelly and Valentine welcomed their daughter, Chanelle Haynes (age 30 in 2024), in New Orleans on February 27, 1994. She often accompanies the father at his events. She is also a musician and has a child named Ace.
2. Shawn Thomas
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- Full name: Shawn Thomas Jr.
- Nickname: Lil Shawn
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: February 28, 1998
- Age: 26 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: Missouri, United States
- Profession: Rapper
Nelly adopted Shawn, often called Lil' Shawn, in 2005, aged eight years. He is also into the entertainment industry and has released music. He and his girlfriend, Kristia, have a daughter named Mahalia, born in July 2020.
3. Cornell Iral Haynes III
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Cornell Iral Haynes III
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: March 2, 1999
- Age: 25 years (in 2024)
- Place of birth: United States
- Profession: Producer
Nelly and Chanetta Valentine welcomed their second child, Cornell Iral III, on March 2, 1999. He is a football enthusiast and played college football at Christian Brothers College. He works as a producer.
4. Sydney Thomas
Source: UGC
- Full name: Sydney Thomas
- Nickname: Stink
- Gender: Female
- Son: Cross
Sydney is Shawn's sister, although little is known about her. She has a baby named Cross Kapone Wimbley, born in 2020.
Is Ashanti pregnant?
In April 2024, Ashanti confirmed her pregnancy and the couple's engagement in Essence magazine. Ashanti and Nelly began dating in 2003 and broke up in 2013. They unexpectedly reunited onstage in 2021 during Ja Rule and Fat Joe's Verzuz battle.
What does Nelly's daughter do?
Chanelle Haynes studied business at Columbia College in Chicago. However, she followed her father's footsteps in the music industry and released her first single, Nellelove, in July 2020.
Does Nelly have any grandchildren?
He has three grandchildren. A grandson from his biological daughter, Chanelle, another from his adopted daughter, Sydney, and a granddaughter from his adopted son, Lil' Shawn.
How many children does Nelly have?
The rapper has two biological children and is the legal guardian of his deceased sister's two children. He is also expecting his fifth child with his girlfriend, singer Ashanti.
During a September 2020 appearance on the Tamron Hall show, Nelly celebrated his extended family for their assistance during his sister's griefing period, saying,
I wouldn’t be anything without the help of her [Jackie's] mother and family members and my brother, even though I possibly beared the financial part of it and a lot of discipline part when it had to come down to it, but I definitely had to have help.
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Who is Nelly's first wife?
Nelly has dated a few women but has never married. As of 2024, he is engaged to Ashanti, and the couple is expecting their first child together.
Nelly's career
Nelly attended high school in University City, where he formed St. Lunatics with his friends and released the single Gimmie What Ya Got in 1996. In 1999, he went solo and signed with Universal Music Group, releasing his debut single, County Grammar, in February 2000.
Source: Getty Images
Philanthropy
The hip-hop rapper runs a charitable organization called 4Sho4Kids Foundation and contributed to the Tackle Hunger campaign. In March 2003, he embarked on a campaign to educate African Americans and other minorities about the need for bone marrow transplants.
What is Nelly's net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, the rapper's net worth is $70 million. He derived his vast net worth from his successful career in the entertainment industry. He is also an entrepreneur running several businesses in the fashion industry.
The above is all you would love to know about Nelly's children, career, and personal life. Despite his engaging career in the entertainment industry, Nelly always creates time for his children.
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Source: Briefly News
