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Who Are Nelly’s Kids? Learn About All His Children, from Shawn to Kareem Haynes
Discover more about rapper Nelly's five kids: Shawn, Chanelle, Sydney, Cornell, and his youngest, Kareem.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mention of death.
Along with having a fulfilling career in the industry, Nelly also has a very rich family life filled with children. The rapper, who previously dated Channetta Valentine has two children with her, Chanelle and Cornell.
Apart from that the rapper also raised his late sister Jackie Donahue’s children, who he adopted after she sadly passed away battling leukemia in 2005. Her children’s names are Shawn and Sydney Thomas.
The vocalist is surely having a busy year raising his youngest child, who he had with his spouse, singer Ashanti this year. They named him Kareem Kenkaide Haynes. If you want more insight into the lives of his 5 children; look no further because here’s all that you need to know about Nelly's kids.
Shawn Thomas
Shawn, also referred to as ‘lil Shawn’ was just eight when his mother, Jackie passed away in 2005, which was when Nelly stepped in and adopted him, per People magazine.
When the rapper appeared on Tamron Hall Show in 2020, he acknowledged his extended family for their help during the hard times of grief and family transitions. He said, “I wouldn’t be anything without the help of her (Jackie's) mother and family members and my brother,” adding, “Even though I possibly beared the financial part of it and a lot of discipline part when it had to come down to it, but I definitely had to have help.”
Shawn was a part of the 2014 reality show titled, Nellyville, which consisted of the rapper family along with his then-girlfriend Shantel Jackson, showcasing the family’s dynamic and the musician’s life as a parent and his career in the industry.
Shawn also reportedly released his own music and he is currently looking after his own family. Along with his girlfriend, Kristia, they birthed a daughter, Mahalia in 2020.
Chanelle Haynes
The Air Force Ones rapper and his former partner, Valentine welcomed a daughter in 1994, who they named Chanelle. She is reportedly called Nana as it's her nickname.
The 30-year-old has sometimes been seen with her father attending events. During season 1 of Nellyville, it was shown that she was studying business at Columbia College in Chicago. After college, just like Nelly, she also ventured into music.
She released a new song in 2020. Apart from that she also writes for her dad’s record label, Derrty Entertainment. When her father appeared on Tamron Hall Show, he talked about her, saying, “She’s like her daddy, she’s all over the place,” adding, “She’s a big girl now. She works on her music and she has a radio show up and coming real soon as well that she’s getting ready to do.” As per People magazine, she has a son named Ace and usually shares about him on Instagram.
Sydney Thomas
After the rapper’s sister passed away, he adopted Sydney, who he also calls ‘Stink’. When he appeared on Tamron Hall Show, Nelly conversed about how he and his kids urged one another to heal.
He said that they pick up the pieces, mold one another and they assist in shaping each other. But those children helped in raising him as much as he has helped in raising them, he said. The rapper said that he would not have been who was without them and their true “spirit of having that love around.”
Sydney reportedly has a son, who she named Cross. She also appeared on the 2014 reality show, Nellyville.
Cornell Iral ‘Tre’ Haynes III
Cornell, who was born in 1999, is the second child of Nelly and ex-Valentine. Just like his older sister, Chanelle, he also appeared at many events with his dad.
It appeared that sports was something he had an interest in since childhood. As per St. Louis Magazine, Cornell began playing organized football at just 6 years old. He then also played varsity football at Christian Brothers College High School as well.
The Hot In Herre vocalist made an appearance on The Real in 2015 and revealed that he and Cornell can “literally be buddied” and added that they wear similar shoes, “sometimes his clothes go a little far with him and my nephew (Shawn). They’re always in my closet and I dip down in their room and snatch a hat.”
The rapper expressed, “We talk about the same things, we like the same music — a majority of it, sometimes they go a little far.”
He shared about understanding that one has to let young people be young and let them make their own mistakes but it is essential to understand that one has to “guide” them.
Kareem Kenkaide Haynes
The rapper and and his spouse, Ashanti welcomed their first son this year in July. Their representative told People magazine, “The proud and happy parents are so in love with KK!"
While conversing with Entertainment Tonight, Ashanti spoke about her son’s middle name– Kenkaide. She said that he was named after her dad, who only had girls, so Nelly idea to go for it.
She called him her “Twin” and expressed that her little son had wrapped her entire soul around his finger.
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