Entertainment Music Nelly and Ashanti Are Going to Be Parents! Relive Their Early 2000s Romance with These Throwback Photos Before getting engaged and announcing their pregnancy in 2024, the musicians dated in the early aughts; see the iconic vintage pics By Kate Hogan Kate Hogan Kate Hogan is Director of Digital Specials and Features at PEOPLE, as well as the editor of Stories to Make You Smile. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2008. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 19, 2024 01:53PM EDT Close Nelly and Ashanti in 2003. Photo: KMazur/WireImage Nelly and Ashanti are a match made in 2000s heaven. The musicians announced their pregnancy and engagement in April 2024, but their love story actually started long ago, when they dated from 2003 to 2013 before reuniting in 2023. "I think it surprised both of us,” Nelly said of their rekindled romance on a 2023 appearance on Boss Moves with Rasheeda. “It wasn't anything that was planned." What surprised us is how many incredible photos of their early romance are on the Internet! In celebration of their exciting baby and engagement news, look back on their 2003 love story with these 20 throwback photos. 01 of 20 2003 Nelly and Ashanti in 2003. KMazur/WireImage Superstars Nelly and Ashanti first met at a 2003 Grammys press conference (above). The rapper even asked for the singer's autograph — but not her number. "For the record, it took him a long time to get my number," she said on an episode of VH1's Behind the Music. 02 of 20 2005 Nelly and Ashanti in 2005. Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage Nelly helped surprise his love at her 25th birthday party at N.Y.C.'s Glo in October of 2005. 03 of 20 2006 Nelly and Ashanti in 2006. Johnny Nunez/WireImage The pair put their heads together in 2006 at a party celebrating Diddy's Unforgivable fragrance at N.Y.C.'s Stereo. 04 of 20 2006 Nelly and Ashanti in 2006. Gregg DeGuire/WireImage Ashanti was pretty in peach alongside a white-clad Nelly for the summer 2006 premiere of John Tucker Must Die in Los Angeles. 05 of 20 2006 Nelly and Ashanti in 2006. Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Courtside at a Charlotte Bobcats vs. Cleveland Cavaliers game in North Carolina in 2006, the two had lots to laugh about. 06 of 20 2006 Nelly and Ashanti in 2006. Johnny Nunez/WireImage The musicians brought their star power to the 2006 TAO anniversary party in N.Y.C. 07 of 20 2006 Nelly and Ashanti in 2006. Frank Di Piazza/Getty The pair traveled to Nelly's beloved St. Louis for the 2006 Black and White Ball that July. 08 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. Chad Buchanan/Getty Nelly and Ashanti made great dates for the 1st Annual Pre-BET Awards at L.A.'s Boulevard 3 in June 2007. 09 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. Ethan Miller/Getty The singers kept it cool for the Las Vegas premiere of Resident Evil: Extinction on Sept. 20, 2007. 10 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. Kevin Mazur/WireImage The singer sparkled alongside her boyfriend at the September 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas. 11 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. ANDREAS BRANCH/Patrick McMullan via Getty The couple was on the list for the 2007 Rolling Stone 40th anniversary bash at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas. 12 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. Matthew Simmons/WireImage The stars only had eyes for each other in 2007 at Jermaine Dupri's BET afterparty at The Highlands in Los Angeles. 13 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. Denise Truscello/WireImage The couple looked young and in love at the Resident Evil: Extinction premiere afterparty at Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas in 2007. 14 of 20 2007 Nelly and Ashanti in 2007. Johnny Nunez/WireImage Nelly and Ashanti shared a cute moment at her birthday party at Atlanta's Cafe Dupri in October 2007. 15 of 20 2008 Nelly and Ashanti in 2008. Kevin Mazur/WireImage The stars sat side-by-side during the 2008 Clive Davis Pre-GRAMMY party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. 16 of 20 2008 Nelly and Ashanti in 2008. Eric Charbonneau/Wireimage Ashanti was the belle of the ball alongside her suit-clad love at the UMG Grammy Celebration in Los Angeles in 2008. 17 of 20 2008 Nelly and Ashanti in 2008. Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty The couple teamed up to perform their sexy collab "Body on Me" on an episode of The Tonight Show in L.A. in September 2008. 18 of 20 2008 Nelly and Ashanti in 2008. Frazer Harrison/Getty Nelly and Ashanti brought his-and-hers style to the 2008 BET Awards in Los Angeles. 19 of 20 2010 Nelly and Ashanti in 2010. Matthew Simmons/WireImage The stars kicked back in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve in 2010, celebrating at Haze Nightclub on Dec. 31 of that year. 20 of 20 2012 Nelly and Ashanti in 2012. Rick Diamond/Getty Before their 2013 breakup, the lovebirds raised their glasses during a surprise party he hosted for her at STK in Atlanta in October of 2012. Cheers, you two!