Original subtitles

Previously onNelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together...

Still ain't ready.

She said, "Babe, what can I do?"

I said, "Sweetheart, just be on time."

She's not ready.

Why is it so quiet in here?

Compromise is the key to any type of union.

Hey, no, this shit was happening long before that.

ATL, what's happenin'?

I definitely still love performing.

I mean, to me, that's one of the best parts

about being an artist.

I'ma go as long as I got it.

At the very end.

[Ashanti] Being a new mom,

I've passed on a bunch of shows

not wanting to leave him.

I made the original spelling of "momanger,"

and it's "mom," "anger."

I'm a mom first, but the management side

has to get her through this business.

I thought I can have it all.

The career, husband, baby.

But this shit is not easy.

Get the nanny! Hey, man, I'm rich, man. Listen.

*

Here I come.

-It's me! -Hello, darling.

Hi! Where's KK?

Asleep. [chuckling]

See, I asked about you this time.

Yeah, right. That was a mini.

-I got some food. -Ooh, yes. Thank you, Jesus.

-[Ashanti] Yeah. -Take these shades off.

All right, I know you going straight for the pasta.

[Tina] Yes. Right away!

[Ashanti] I got, uh, almost 70 offers.

[Tina] That's what I'm talking about.

This is gonna be a big year for Ashanti.

There are so many concert and tour and different types of

opportunities for performances.

You know, the fans are missing her.

That's what happens when you have hits.

What I do like is everything is routed to be on the bus.

Dallas, Houston, Austin,

Oklahoma, Birmingham,

-Atlanta, Savannah. -Wow.

Washington, Providence, Brooklyn, Atlantic City,

Washington again, Niagara Falls, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis.

-This is a lot. -Slow down!

-We already in May? -[Ashanti] Yeah.

Coming up, I have a tour, and we've mapped out a way

for me to balance having my son with me on the tour bus

as opposed to taking flights back and forth, and, you know,

I'm not gonna have a show in Vegas on Monday and on Tuesday

a show in New York, 'cause that doesn't make sense.

-They're all kind of, you know-- -In the same vicinity.

Within at least an eight-hour, you know, maybe less drive.

We're gonna sit down with the team members,

we're gonna look at the radius clause, because a lot of times

when those dates come up and they're very close together,

the promoters get funny.

I'm still a little bit nervous about how I'm gonna travel

and how things are gonna be different now, obviously,

traveling with a nanny and an assistant, manager,

and, you know, everyone else, the entire travel party.

But I already said, if I don't like it, I know how to get home.

Realistically, like, am I gonna, like, do everything?

Because doing a show pregnant, it was cool.

But, you know, after my first two songs,

-I'm like, "I need rest." -Yeah.

This is going to be a different type of tired.

Pumping--one round of pumping

is equivalent to running seven miles.

-Seven miles? -Yeah. You know what I mean?

-That's crazy. -It's crazy.

So when you're doing that three, four, five times a day--

But here's the thing.

I'm not the first mom, you know, to be doing that.

To be on the road. You will adjust.

I think I went back to work after four months,

and I breastfed for eight.

And it was difficult.

I was working three jobs at the time.

-Well, thank you. -Absolutely.

If I wanted to just be a stay-at-home mom, I could.

But, um, you know, it's just in my heart to pursue my career

and get back to what I love.

So it's just about the balance.

We're gonna go over everything

to make it as easy as possible.

Once I get back to the first two, three shows,

that will tell me if, you know,

if I'm really ready to just be doing all of this.

[Tina] Let me tell you something about Ashanti.

She's very indecisive.

But it's not really her fault, because she's a Libra.

I don't know, it's weird.

It's like I kind of wanna get back to it,

but I kind of don't.

[Tina] But she has to make up her mind,

because once she's contractually obligated... You going.

'Cause we don't want to have another situation

like the Motown situation where it's like,

"I'm not doing that. I'm not--" You know what I mean?

I'm just a little torn.

Some of the things in the itinerary are--

they're complete, but there's--

See, every time I say that I'm hesitant,

-you move on to the next-- -Yes, I am.

I'm still undecided on if I'm really going or not.

We got an offer for Ethiopia and then South Africa, Cape Town.

I mean, I don't think I'm flying all the way out there.

We'll get the details.

They're gonna say what they want,

we're gonna say what we want.

We're gonna hopefully come to the middle.

No, no, no, no.

I don't even think there's a conversation.

Ethiopia's mad far.

But that's where the bag is.

[Ashanti] It's not happening.

[Tina] At the end of the day, we're gonna make it work.

We just have to be prepared for--

that you know that's that bag that's gonna go.

That might be a wake-up for you.

I don't dictate, I communicate, and as long as she understands

the repercussions that could happen, she makes a decision.

You have to still coincide this with Big Head's schedule.

Between the two of you and the baby, it's a lot.

Seriously, map it out, 'cause the organization of

how you generate your business

causes the success or the failure.

And then, uh, the elephant in the room is baby number two.

-What happens? -Oh, my God.

[chuckling]

We got to have that conversation.

[Tina] You have to have a real conversation.

'Cause next year...

I don't know. 2025, popping another one out?

Is that what you're thinking, or you're not sure?

-[Ashanti] I don't know. -[Tina] Yeah.

*

Smell good. Hey, champ, how you doing?

Hey, how are you? Good.

What up, champ? Come on over.

Thank you.

[waiter] Cocktail menu?

[Ashanti] Well, not for me.

-Mocktail? -Yeah, yeah, dog.

-Mocktail for me. -Don't worry about it.

Oh, my God.

I'm starving.

-Hi, how are you? -Hello, my name is Saul.

I'll be your server. Drinks?

Yes. Nino's Beach Spritz.

I'll have a passion mocktail.

-Good choice, miss. -Yes.

-Very good. -Thank you.

This is good. At least we get a little something going on.

I know, 'cause this is about to be...

A crazy year. When do you go? You go in...

-April. -It's over the summer?

Mm-hmm. Well, not summer.

-Right, right. -More spring-ish.

I'm nervous a little bit.

KK's first tour.

Well, you got help. You got T-Ma, and you got Bri.

Mm-hmm. And it's not only that, it's just--

It's 'cause you gone a lot.

You're gone a lot.

This year, we're kicking off the Where The Party At Tour.

We'll be taking the whole tour around the world.

So, yeah, man, this is gonna be a long year.

And then when I found out how long it was, I was like, "What?"

He's about to go on tour for 200,000 million days,

and I hate it.

I don't like it at all.

That's a long time.

No, it is. It is.

It's back and forth periodically.

Three weeks here, two weeks back.

Two months.

I'm split about his tour.

My first response is I'm super happy for him

for putting it together.

Um, the wife and mommy side of me is like, "Fuck!"

Let me call Live Nation, 'cause I don't like this at all.

Nah, the wife side of me

and mommy side of me is a little sad.

You know, Daddy's gonna be gone for a long time.

[Nelly] I think it'll be fine.

It's just, with a baby, it's a lot.

Well, listen, it's all you. I ain't gonna even lie.

You know, I ain't got nothing for him.

Absolutely not. I know.

Until he can say "I'm hungry,"

until he can say "I need to use the bathroom,"

it's gonna be a lot in your lap.

But as soon as he started walking,

I told her, I said, "Enjoy."

'Cause as soon as he get to walking and talking,

he with the crew.

I'm trying to understand how is it that you sleep through

when he starts crying?

Do y'all really be up at night?

I heard about it.

You know what? It's absolutely ridiculous that you'll still be

dead sleep and he'll be mad loud.

But I don't even hear y'all, man. That's--

That's ridiculous.

You know? It's a gift, I guess.

-Why is that a gift? -I'm blessed with that tune-out.

No, no. That means get up.

It's your turn to change him.

I'ma take you back to this conversation we had

before you kicked me under the table.

I said, "Baby, I'll give you the world.

I just ain't changing no diaper."

Oh, my God.

What you--what you doing? Who you calling?

-Where is my baby? -[Bri] Wait.

I'm right here.

Hi, baby! Oh, Mommy loves you.

Why you don't ever sound that excited when I call?

-Hi. Well... -[baby crying]

I don't even know why I'm here.

Me and Nelly broke up a few times way back in the day.

Just--We weren't on the same page.

There were a lot of things that kind of came into play.

Traveling, living in different cities.

And I don't think either one of us

were really listening to each other.

Bye, baby! Mwah.

This time around, that's not gonna happen.

*

-Here we go. -Hey!

Hey, girl. Look at you, pretty in pink.

Pretty in pink. You know I see the Milky outside.

You know that. You know I saw that.

-I said, "Okay." -[Ashanti] The Milky is here.

[Simone] Okay, the Milky is here.

-You look cute. -Thank you. I just came from--

I just had a facial. You got to go see my girl.

I was just gonna say, is she in Long Island?

She's right on Long Island. You probably would love Anna.

-Hello, how are you? -Hi!

-Saul! -Hi.

-Ready to order? -Yes, can I have kale salad?

Mmm, can I start with a margherita pizza?

-Perfect. -Thank you.

I'm gonna take a little piece of your pizza.

Yeah, definitely.

So how's things going, like, with Nelly traveling

and you here, and--You know?

It's hard with him, and, like, we start in St. Louis,

and then I'll be in New York for a little bit,

and then he's in L.A., and I'm like,

"I ain't going all the way out to Vegas."

Yeah, but you know what? Look, it's gonna be fine.

Yeah, it's gon' work itself out.

And you guys are both used to it,

'cause you're both entertaining.

How long y'all been married?

-29 years. -Wow.

You know, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

-Mm-hmm. -That's how I always felt

when he used to tour all the time.

If Todd wasn't touring,

then he was doing movies and all of that stuff, so.

And you know, I was home with the kids

and would travel when I could.

But when he was coming home

and I knew he was coming home, it was exciting.

You know what I'm saying? So...

Yeah.

You know, this music industry is full of stressful moments,

and I'm definitely not thrilled about how long

he's gonna be gone and on tour.

You know, you want your person to be there.

But I'm super grateful to have friends like Simone

that understand what it takes to be married in this business,

especially to a rapper.

I know, like, once I get on the road,

your mind is kind of like-- You got so much going on,

and with me having the baby and the schedule and everything else

happening, I know it's gonna be like...

-It's gonna be crazy. -It's gonna be a lot.

But it ain't gonna be that bad,

'cause you got your cousin Bri holding it down, so.

[laughing] Brizy holds it down.

You know Bri is holding it down.

And you know my girl Tina.

You know your mom is not playing no games with nobody.

T-Ma is not playing no games.

-No. -Oh, my gosh.

So, the good thing is that you have a good support system

around you, and that's what's important.

No, very. And I'm so grateful.

And I was saying the other day, I'm like,

I couldn't even imagine-- I don't know how women

or women still do it today without all of that help.

-I'm like, "Girl." -It's a lot of work.

-Absolutely. -I'm just like--Yes.

Oh, man. See, I should've got some of that.

You can have some of this too.

Well, honey, you have a lot to be excited for,

-a lot to be thankful for. -Mm-hmm.

Healthy baby. That little KK is just as cute as he wanna be.

-Aw, thank you! -He is so cute.

And you guys look so happy together.

Oh, my gosh. But yeah, it's like,

everything happened so, so fast.

And now it's like--

We are just now going to, like, size his ring.

Well, look at that ring, honey.

-Bam! -Honey, that ring is fabulous.

-Thank you, thank you. -That ring is fabulous.

I think it's important for a married man

to wear a wedding ring.

But everything happened very fast with us.

Like, as soon as we got married,

I left, like, the next day for a tour in Australia.

So, um, there really wasn't any time for me

to go get a wedding band.

So I wanted to make it kind of, like, perfect,

and obviously have it be custom with my girl Lorraine.

How are you?

Okay, perfect.

It's been about a year.

You know, he's been very patient.

But yeah, so we're supposed to go and get everything sized,

and, um--But it's dope, though.

I'ma show you a picture. Look.

[Simone] Yeah. Oh, that's nice. That's beautiful.

It says, "I love you."

-Is that a heart? -Mm-hmm.

Because, like-- Look at the inside of mine.

-It says, I love you. -Oh, that's so sweet.

Isn't that cute?

That's beautiful.

And he doesn't mind wearing it, saying, I love you,

with the I love you and diamonds?

Nope. Nope. He gonna wear it.

-That pizza's good. -Isn't it good? I'm coming.

But I feel like I'm playing myself a little bit, just how I eat.

Because I'm kind of in the middle, like,

I want to go back to the gym and get snatched,

but then I don't want to spend all of that time getting snatched

if we're going to have another kid soon, which I kind of want to, you know?

Well, then just go ahead and do it. Just rock one out.

-The longer you wait, the older you get, right? -Yes, exactly.

So, if that's how you guys are feeling, you might as well just do it and just get it over with.

And look, it ain't like we ain't practicing.

[laughing]

* Yeah *

* Girl, your stare, those eyes, I *

* Love it when you look at me, baby *

* Your lips, your smile, I *

* Love it when you kiss me, baby *

I'm going to do you a favor.

I'm going to beat you so bad now

-that you're going to want to go practice. -He's just talking.

-He's just talking. -That you're going to want to go practice.

-That's my brother. He love talking. -So by the time we go on tour,

-you're going to be ready. -He love to hear himself talk.

Oh, God. Here they go.

Yeah, I feel bad for you on the tour,

because you're going to be hitting this all day long.

Yo, I'm going to try to spin.

Go ahead, champ.

* Love it when I'm with you, baby *

Oh, it just missed that.

-Just a bit outside. -Gee.

The whole thing? Ah! Eesh. What?

It's double date time. It's...

Oh, we was hanging out. That's all it is. It was no double date.

It was a double date.

Ah. Don't say that. Me and Ja still rap.

Oh, God.

I know something wrong. Oh, oh, oh.

-There it goes. -Uh oh!

I like that. I like that energy. I like that.

-Ah! -I like that energy. Give me one, two.

The funny thing is the first time I saw Ja on TV, I was like 16.

I was like, "Who is that?"

You know, he was new. And I was like, "Oh, he's dope."

You know, I was kind of a fan.

And then to end up making history with him and my record label, Murder Inc.

And now Nelly and Ja are going on tour together for a long time, like a year.

Want that money? 2025, put your head down and run.

It's way too long.

Consult? What do you mean? Did I consult with?

Hold on, hold on, hold on. Hold on. Consult with how we get the money?

And I don't--This is not-- I respect my wife.

My wife, my voice is no louder than hers in any of this.

But this is some old school shit here.

I work.

Yo, let me ask you, where y'all at now? Y'all in, where y'all staying?

-Everywhere. -Everywhere.

-Here. -Everywhere.

-Here, St. Louis. -St. Louis.

Where y'all wanna land at? Where y'all gonna stay?

I love being in the middle of the map. You know me, I'm more conventional.

I'm about the taxes and the money.

I hear you. I hear you.

You can't get a direct flight anywhere from St. Louis.

I thought you loved the bus.

[laughing]

No, in the beginning, I did not like the bus at all. I hated it.

We traded places though.

I love the bus, I just don't love anything over 15 hours, I ain't with no more.

I like the bus because I'm back there with the baby.

What?

There's no smoking.

-Sh--What? -No smoking.

The bus ain't the bus no more. It ain't the bus no more.

Y'all are stupid. They so dramatic.

-You gotta get the bus back. -[indistinct]

Nobody understands me.

No, I feel you. I feel your pain, I feel your pain.

-But your lungs are thanking me. -Thank you, Ja.

-And KK. -Jesus.

Yo, that's hilarious.

But you know what?

I'mma say what I say about y'all relationship is so dope.

When I see it, it reminds of us, of our relationship.

-The fun. The... -Laughter.

You know what I'm saying? The laugh and the friendship.

That shit is very important.

Like y'all have fun together. That shit is very important.

I see that with y'all. That's important.

Ja has always been like a big brother, protector.

You know, it's always been that vibe.

Now, we're both married. Ja has been married throughout the duration.

So it's, you know, it's cool just to see a positive situation.

You know, they've been through it for a long time.

What y'all think? Y'all going for it?

Another one?

-Two? -Yeah.

-Listen. I have no problem. -Yes.

As long as we got as many nannies as possible to accommodate.

[Aisha] You got grandmas.

T.Y.'s off the chain. But my mama?

Nah, she ain't chasing no toddlers.

We'll probably be grandparents in the next two years or so.

Yeah, that's right.

-I got a grandson. -Yeah, y'all old.

I ain't with that crew. Y'all old.

It's good that we are still active artists and we're able to find time for each other.

So, I'm in a way better mood now, for the most part.

I just can't handle any more surprises.

-Fuck! -[Nelly] Huh?

-Oh, my God. -[Nelly] Yo! What happened?

It got bigger.

I can barely see it.

You know you can see it.

It looks bad.

I mean, it's--

What? You can see my face? Did I do something?

Yeah, I can see your face.

So, I thought I was like spraying deodorant this way.

And the nozzle was this way.

So, I sprayed myself directly in my eye.

And oh, my gosh.

Boom! I had like a fist on my eye.

Let me kiss it, make it better. Is that contagious? You know what?

How about--

You're not gonna kiss me?

Yeah, turn this way.

No. No, you definitely gotta go to the doctor, though.

Oh, no, that's bad.

No, because you keep putting your hand-- Why do you keep touching it?

I can't even touch a pimple on my face without you like, "Yo, leave your hands."

-And here you are with the-- -[Ashanti] Oh, my God.

It ain't like you gotta go to the Golden Globes

or the Grammys or no shit.

[Ashanti] Oh, fuck!

[Nelly] Ma!

-[Ashanti] Hm? -Ma, come here for two seconds.

So, um, I think it's a possibility

that they want me to perform at the inauguration.

What? For real? You're playing.

I'm deadass. There's nothing confirmed yet.

I mean, I gotta, you know,

give them my answer or whatever the case may be.

But they--

Yeah, they just hit the team, um...

Yeah, it's looking like this is real.

We've been asked to perform at one of the inauguration balls.

We won!

[reporter] Tonight, Donald Trump returning to Washington as president-elect.

I am honored, but with Shan, um,

I don't think that it's gonna be high on her list of things to do.

Listen, I will tell you what.

-If this was a campaign trail, if he was campaigning-- -Yeah.

Any candidate was campaigning,

I believe, you know, you should vote for who you feel

best helps whatever it is that you're standing for.

But for me, the politics is over.

We're talking about performing for the president.

-And that's an honor for me. -Yeah.

Ain't no other president asked Nelly to do a damn thing.

So, I feel like this is an opportunity for me. You never know.

Maybe he can help a lot of the non-profit work that we do already.

[chuckling] Next.

You know how it is for a lot of side of my family anyway.

I was born on a military base. My father served. My grandfather served.

Uncles, aunts served. Cousins served.

If they could give their lives for a president that they might not have voted for,

the least I can do is perform.

Uh-huh. It's just a lot. A lot of people are going to say negative things.

[Nelly] A lot of what is he doing?

A lot of comments. A lot of backlash.

Yeah, you know, that don't bother me. That don't bother me. That don't bother me.

What bothers me is if it's coming from people who say

they're about choice and not allowing me to make my choice.

You know what I'm saying? Like, that's the thing that bothers me.

I was always taught to have respect for the office.

Some people may feel that the only reason he's asking you

is because of race or whatever.

But then I would say to those people, well, are you for DEI or not?

-You all right? -It's a big thing.

-You know what I mean? -It's a big--Right.

I mean, it's just because of the times that we're living in

and everybody's just so opinionated.

And that's why I think it is--

That's what's leaning me more towards doing it.

Because of the times that we're in and because of, I agree,

I think I'm getting a chance to go represent for what I believe in

and taking my beliefs and where I came from front and center.

I mean, I haven't decided yet, but I'm not deciding not to.

[Nelly] To me, this ain't about politics. I'm not helping this man get voted in.

This is literally--

And that's what I'm talking about with motherfuckers.

Motherfuckers is only good when shit go their way.

All this shit I done did for you motherfuckers, so then we good.

I mean, yeah, this is perfect.

I know for a fact that this will be,

to say controversial, to say the least, will be an understatement.

-[doorbell ringing] -[Tina] It's mommy!

-Ma, that's you? -[Tina] It's T-Ma.

It's T-Ma.

-How are you? -Fine.

-Where's KK? -Asleep.

Oh, come on.

-Do you have any water? -Yeah.

Oh, boy.

Like what?

So, they asked Big Head

to perform for the inauguration.

What?

[Ashanti] Mm-hmm.

What'd he say?

[Ashanti] He's thinking about it.

I think he's kind of leaning towards doing it.

This is more about the opportunity of performing at the White House

as opposed to performing for, like, a particular candidate.

With everything, there are pros and cons. You know what I mean?

But I don't know. I mean, it's a lot.

It's a lot.

-That's a lot. -[Ashanti] Yeah.

[Tina] This is very emotional for me.

My dad was heavy into civil rights.

He marched on Washington with Martin Luther King, and he also marched to Selma.

When he came back to Glen Cove, he started to integrate the systems, the school system,

the fire department, the police department.

So, he was deeply, deeply involved in civil rights, and I'm very proud of him.

Do you understand why it's a lot?

Like, what are your thoughts and views on it? Like, just real quick.

I mean, ultimately, it's his decision.

100%. It's his decision.

But as a married couple, it's going to affect both of you.

I mean, this is a new role. You know, being a wife is different than being a girlfriend.

-You know what I mean? -Absolutely. Absolutely.

-This is a forever thing. -[Ashanti] It's a forever thing.

So, no matter what happens, you're still going to come together.

In terms of marriage,

I think that she does try her best.

You know, they're a team.

So, every team member, you're only as strong as your weakest link.

I personally don't really do a lot of talking about

my beliefs in politics and all of that stuff, so.

But again, you know, at the end of the day, it's his decision.

But it's my job to make sure, as your mom and your manager,

it's my job to make sure you can voice your opinion on what you feel and what you know,

as opposed to, "Oh, let me think about this, let me think about that."

So, hold on for just a second. Hey, what up, Mom?

-Hey. -How you doing?

-I'm good. How you doing? -I'm chilling. Y'all are here.

You ain't talking about divorcing me

and no shit like that.

-Because I'm doing it. -[Ashanti] You're doing it?

[Nelly] I talk to you two seconds. Yeah, I'm doing it. No big deal.

It's a big deal.

It's a big deal.

-Yeah, well, we'll see what happens. -[Tina] We'll see.

[Ashanti] Next, on the season finale ofNelly and Ashanti: We Belong Together.

I'm having a slumber party.

Grateful to have friends who keep everything into perspective.

The craziest part, we still trying to figure out where we're going to live.

-You like St. Louis? -I mean, St. Louis is cool. I like the fee--

[laughing]

Her voice went high.

When you see a man with a ring, sometimes they're more attractive.

Tell me more. What do they say about it?

There is no way he's going on tour all around the world without the ring on his finger.

I have to just because it's the elephant in the room and this just happened.

Irv passing.

[Ashanti] Irv's passing, it hit everybody differently.

Irv and I definitely were not on the best of terms.

Irv was telling everyone not to record with me. You know what he said to me?

-What? -He said, "You want to be with Nelly?

Go sign to Derrty Ent. We don't want you."

How did you feel about the inauguration?

I didn't expect you to come under fire, so to speak.

Right. But you didn't think it was going to be that much?

You want to shoot at me, fine. I'm way thick skinned.

But when you go and have comments about my wife

or my children or any of my family...

that hurts.