US singer Ashanti ("Happy", "Foolish") and rapper Nelly are expecting offspring. The 43-year-old musician posted a short video on Wednesday (local time) with the note "Baby baby baby baby….". In the clip, the singer is getting ready to perform when her mother, Tina Douglas, asks how much longer she needs. Ashanti quickly replies that she needs about nine months. Nelly (49) also linked the funny announcement. Ashanti told Essence magazine that she was really looking forward to motherhood. In the interview she referred to Nelly as her fiancé. US media have been speculating about a possible pregnancy for several months.

This is the first child for Ashanti. Nelly is the father of two adult children and he also adopted two children from his sister, who died of leukemia in 2005. Ashanti and Nelly had been together for a long time since 2003, but then separated again. They found each other again last year.

With her debut album "Ashanti" (2002) the R