Nelly Crowns Ashanti’s “Baby” His Favorite in Playful Tribute

While promoting their new Peacock reality series, Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together, the couple made a stop at Cocoa Butter, where a casual game turned into an unexpected moment of nostalgia and admiration. Asked to choose his favorite song from Ashanti’s catalog, Nelly bypassed the expected hits in favor of “Baby,” her 2002 deep cut. The choice surprised many—and delighted Ashanti.

During the segment, the St. Louis rapper kept the tone light, jokingly confirming, “Larenz Tate was in that video, right?” in reference to the visuals for “Rain on Me.” But even as the game unfolded in good fun, Nelly’s picks began to reveal something more personal. In a series of bracket-style face-offs, “Baby” consistently emerged victorious over tracks like “Happy,” “Rock Wit U,” and “Rain on Me.” When pressed on his preference, Nelly remarked, “‘Rain on Me’ represented a different stage in our relationship. We’ll just set ‘Rain on Me’ aside and stick with ‘Baby.’”

Nelly Stands by ‘Baby’—Choosing Love Over Hits

The matchup eventually pitted “Baby” against Ashanti’s high-profile collaborations with Ja Rule, including “Always on Time” and “Mesmerize.” Still, Nelly stood firm. “All of these are fantastic tracks, but ‘Baby’ is my ride-or-die, so I’m going to stick with ‘Baby,’” he said.

His pick took on deeper meaning in light of their recent journey as parents. “Being a Scorpio man, I stay true to what I love, and that’s ‘Baby,’” Nelly added with a smile. Originally released on Ashanti’s self-titled debut, “Baby” was produced by Irv Gotti and Chink Santana, sampling Scarface’s “Mary Jane.” The track peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains beloved, partly due to a standout music video that featured actress Nia Long.

Now airing on Peacock, We Belong Together offers a more intimate look at the couple’s life, blending their shared history in music with a renewed chapter of love, parenting, and partnership. The series premiered on June 26.