Meet Nelly's Kids, Including His Late Sister's Children
Grammy Award-winning musician Cornell Haynes Jr., professionally known as Nelly, may soon be a father once again. In December 2023, multiple outlets reported that he and his girlfriend, singer Ashanti, were welcoming their first child together. The couple dated on and off from 2003 to 2015, but reunited in 2021 at a Verzuz performance and have seemingly been together since. If the baby news is true, it will be the first child for Ashanti and a fifth for Nelly.
Nelly has four grown children: Chanelle, Cornell III, Sydney, and Shawn. The St. Louis-born rapper, who is the mastermind behind hits such as "Dilemma" and "Air Forces Ones," showcased their family dynamic in a BET series titled "Nellyville," which aired for two seasons from 2014 to 2015. After moving away from reality television, each of his children made a name for themselves outside of their famous dad, which he should be immensely proud of.
Nelly has two biological children of his own, Chanelle and Cornell Haynes III
Nelly is the proud dad to eldest daughter Chanelle Haynes, whom he shares with his ex-girlfriend, Channetta Valentine, who gave birth to Chanelle in 1994 after they began dating in September 1990. Valentine maintains a low profile, while Chanelle shows interest in the music business. In June 2017, Chanelle held a live performance during the We Are LAXclusive's "Ladies Night" showcase. She previously hosted a series of events known as Love Lyrics, which gives independent artists a platform to perform their music. In a YouTube video highlighting the fourth annual Love Lyrics, which took place in December 2019, she once again grabbed the mic. Still, even with her creative endeavors, Chanelle sought a business degree from Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois. Chanelle had her first child, a son named Ace, in November 2023. While she may have taken a step back from music, Chanelle seems to be enjoying motherhood.
Nelly also shares a son, Cornell Haynes III, known as Tre, with Valentine. He entered the world in March 1999 and showed promising signs that he would pursue a sports career. He played football throughout high school, with several images from his time on the field still displayed on his Instagram account. However, like his dad and sister, Tre has a love for music and now works as a record producer. It appears Tre also developed a passion for traveling, sharing photos from destinations such as Greece and Italy.
Nelly adopted his sister's two children, Sydney and Shawn
While Nelly has two kids of his own, he became a dad to his niece and nephew when his sister, Jackie Donahue, died from leukemia in 2005. Sydney and Shawn were raised by their famous uncle alongside Chanelle and Cornell III and appeared on "Nellyville," with Sydney being vocal about wanting a modeling career. After the show concluded, it's unclear if she ever hit the runway. However, what is known is that she delivered a son named Cross in 2020 with partner Christian Whimbley. Sadly, Christian has since passed away. Though Sydney frequently shares stunning photos of herself and Cross on Instagram, what she is up to career-wise is unknown.
Shawn is a man of many talents these days. Now, as an adult, he goes by the moniker Lil Shxwn, under which he releases music and video game streaming content on his YouTube channel of the same name. He is also a skateboarder, as seen on his Instagram profile. In addition to his creative venture, Shawn is a father to a daughter, Mahalia Shine, with his partner Kristia.
Even with their own lives to maintain, Nelly's four children still appear to keep a close relationship. Each of them came together for Nelly's Black and White Ball in December 2023. Neither has commented publicly on their dad's rumored baby on the way, but the possibility of a new brother or sister will likely be met with an abundance of love.