In a sweet video of the moment shared to Instagram, the singer, 43 is shown walking into a room with Nelly, 49, right behind her, as guests gathered in the room yelled, “Surprise!” and cheered her arrival.
Dressed in a stunning white and yellow belly-baring ensemble, the mom-to-be covered her face with her hands, smiling and laughing as she hugged her loved ones.
A caption on the footage revealed that the party was held at a Dolce & Gabbana baby boutique in New York City, and that Nelly was the mastermind behind the surprise.
Fat Joe and his wife Lorena Cartagena were among the guests who attended in celebration of the couple and their soon-to-arrive new family member.
On Sunday, June 30, the 53-year-old rapper posted a photo on Instagram of himself posing with the expectant parents and his wife at the event, in front of a bright white and yellow balloon display.
For the occasion, Nelly opted for a sleek all-black look, while Fat Joe — whose real name is Joseph Cartagena — wore a patterned shirt with dark pants and Lorena rocked a pink mini dress with a seashell-inspired print.
“Today we had a Baby Shower, I love you my sister I’m sooooooo happy for yall guys GOD IS GREAT @ashanti @nelly @lolamilan1,” Fat Joe captioned his Instagram post.
The baby on the way will be the first for Ashanti, while the “Hot in Herre” artist is already a dad to four adult kids, including his late sister’s two children whom he adopted after her death.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Tonight,Ashanti reflected on how she felt when she learned she was going to be a mom for the first time.
“I was so shocked and happy and emotional,” the “Rain on Me” singer recalled of the moment she found out she was pregnant. “I always dreamed about it. I wanted it so, so bad and I just feel like the timing was perfect.”
Ashanti also said she is “excited about seeing this little human version of myself and the person that I love so much be here.”
“I’m really looking forward to having an extension of both of us, be with us, and watching that spirit grow. It’s an amazing thing,” she added.