Why Nelly and Ashanti Opened Up Their Private Lives for New Peacock Series

Nelly and Ashanti are letting the cameras capture the moments you don’t usually get to see. In the new Peacock reality series Nelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together, the couple delve deep on their two-decade-long love story – from those early tumultuous years to their marriage and parenthood, all while balancing their successful R&B and hip-hop careers, and fast-paced lifestyle.  

With all eight episodes now streaming exclusively on Peacock, the pair open up about why they decided to share their private lives with fans, who pitched the idea of doing a reality show first, and why they see this as a reinvention of themselves. 

Nelly Pitched the Idea to Ashanti 

It was Nelly who initially brought the idea of doing a reality series to Ashanti. He believed that offering a rare glimpse into their everyday lives behind closed doors would be a unique experience for fans – and a gift for those who have supported them since the early 2000s. 

“I pushed the idea. I brought it to her. I thought it would be great letting our fans get a different view of us,” the Grammy-winning singer said. “They've been supporting us now for 20-plus years. They've allowed us to live this wonderful life of ours, and I just thought them getting a different side of seeing basically who we are, outside of what it is that we do, [would be interesting].” 

“A lot of people [have] been supporting us, not just artist-wise, but also being together,” Nelly added. “It made sense, especially in today's social age.” 

Ashanti, who admits she’s “a little bit more private,” fully threw her trust in her husband when he came to her with the proposal.  

“I think it’s a cool vehicle because it gives people a chance to see the inside things that they don’t normally see all the time,” the Grammy winner said. “Especially for me, this is my first rodeo! He’s done this before.” Nelly has previously competed on Dancing With the Stars and starred in the mockumentary reality series Real Husbands of Hollywood.  

Photo: Peacock

Being ‘Vulnerable’ in Front of the Cameras 

As pros in Hollywood, Nelly and Ashanti are very comfortable being their authentic selves on and off the stage. And they’re also okay showing the more challenging parts of their marriage, co-parenting their son “KK,” and navigating their respective careers, as the Peacock series explores. 

"Being as vulnerable as you are, because you are allowing cameras into your own soul,” Nelly said. 

For Ashanti, there was a bit more of a learning curve adapting to the hustle and bustle of going about her everyday responsibilities as a working mother while filming the series. But the experience was worth it.  

“We have real careers, you know? We have [so many] things going on so it's kind of like we're trying to fit them into what we have already going on," Ashanti said, especially “being a new mom and pumping and changing poopy diapers and doctor appointments." 

A Gift for the Fans 

It’s a testament to the longevity of Nelly and Ashanti that their careers have continued to thrive more than 20 years after they first broke out onto the music scene. That thought isn’t lost on Nelly, who considers Nelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together an unofficial gift to their longtime fans, while also serving as a preview of what’s still to come in their careers. This week, Nelly dropped his new country-inspired serenade, “Spin the Block,” a tribute to his second-chance romance with Ashanti. 

Considering how far they’ve both come professionally and personally, Nelly said "this show was made for" the supporters who have been by their side since Day 1. 

As to the key to their storied success? There’s no secret sauce, but simply “to reinvent yourself,” Nelly said. 

Stream Nelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together on Peacock.