Ashanti rocks custom purse with boyfriend Nelly’s face at the 2023 VMAs

Ashanti‘s got her love for her man Nelly on full display. 

In an appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday, September 12, the “Always on Time” singer accessorized her sparkly sequin gown with a custom purse displaying an image of her and the rapper. 

The cute outfit addition confirmed the pair’s rekindled romance. 

“So… in this pic, we exchanged numbers at the VMA’s in 2003… 20 years ago lol,” Ashanti captioned a snapshot of the purse posted to her Instagram Story, later shared by The Shade Room. 

The 42-year-old singer told People on the VMAs carpet that she and Nelly are “in a great space, everything is positive, we’re having a lot of fun.”

The viral fashion choice comes just a day after the “Hot in Herre” rapper also confirmed they were again a couple.

“Yeah, yeah, we cool again,” Nelly said when Rasheeda Frost, rapper and host of Boss Moves with Rasheeda, asked about their status.

Nelly said the rediscovered partnership came as a surprise to them both.

“It wasn’t anything that was, like, planned,” he said. “I think we both were pretty much doing what we do. But sometimes being separate, you understand one another more.”

Nelly and Ashanti reportedly met and started dating in 2003. They collaborated on songs “Switch” and “Body On Me” featuring Akon. In 2010, Nelly famously spoke out about not wanting to tie the knot with Ashanti, saying in an interview with Rap-Up, “I’m married to my work.” Public news of their split circulated in 2013; earlier this year, rumors spread that the two were again spending time together. 

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