Nelly shares two kids with ex Channetta Valentine and adopted his sister’s two kids after her death in 2005. He also shares one 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 with wife Ashanti

Nelly and his kids, Shawn, Chanelle, Sydney and Cornell at the 19th Annual Nickelodeon Kid’s Choice Awards on April 1, 2006 in Westwood, California. Photo:

The whole family starred in the BET reality TV show Nellyville in 2014, alongside Nelly’s then-girlfriend Shantel Jackson. The series showed their blended family dynamics, each 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥’s passions and Nelly’s struggles with balancing dad duties and his music career.

Shawn ThomasNelly’s son Shawn “Lil Shawn” Thomas Jr. on his Instagram.

Nelly celebrated his extended family for their assistance during this difficult period of grief and family transition during a September 2020 appearance on the Tamron Hall show.

Shawn starred in Nellyville with his whole family and has released music in the past, but now he seems more focused on his growing family. Shawn welcomed his daughter Mahalia with his girlfriend Kristia in July 2020.

Chanelle Haynes, 30Nelly and his daughter, Chanelle, on his Instagram.

When she was a young adult, she was shown studying business at Columbia College in Chicago during season 1 of Nellyville. After college, Chanelle pursued music, following in her father’s footsteps.

Nelly with his daughter Chanelle at his fourth annual Black & White Ball on Dec. 6, 2009 in St Louis, Missouri.

Appearing on the Tamron Hall show in September 2020, Nelly drew comparisons between himself and his daughter, especially regarding their work ethic.

Sydney ThomasNelly’s daughter, Sydney Thomas, on her Instagram.

Nelly adopted Sydney, sometimes affectionately called “Stink,” after her mother died in 2005. On the Tamron Hall show in 2020, the rapper talked about how he and his newly adopted kids encouraged each other to heal.

Nelly has also reflected on how much parenting has changed since he was a kid and how that affected his choices with his four kids. The rapper told HuffPost Live in 2014 that parenting today is “definitely different” than when he grew up.

“As much blame as we give a lot of our kids for what they’re not doing … I also try to give them as much credit for dealing with things that we didn’t have to deal with,” he said. “Bullying was one-on-one and face-to-face. Now it’s all over the internet.”

Sydney appeared on Nellyville in 2014 and now has one son, Cross.

Cornell Iral “Tre” Haynes III, 25Nelly and his son Cornell at the Pauley Pavilion in Westwood, California.

When BET introduced the Haynes family on its website ahead of the Nellyville premiere in 2014, Cornell was described as a “sports fanatic.” According to St. Louis Magazine, he began playing organized football at 6 years old. He then played varsity football at Christian Brothers College High School and shared several snaps of himself on the field on Instagram.

In January 2015, Nelly opened up about being a single father and how he felt about being a modern parent during an appearance on The Real. “We’re the only generation of parents that we share the most with our kids,” he shared. “We share the same clothes, we play video games, we like the same things.”

The “Baby” singer also spoke with Entertainment Tonight about the special meaning behind Kareem’s middle name.

In November 2024, Nelly told ET that his wife treats Kareem like a “Build-A-Bear.”