Nelly Breaks Up With Ashanti, Starts Dating Actress Tae Heckard [Photos]

Just a couple of weeks after breaking up with his longtime girlfriend, Ashanti, Nelly has moved on with Tae Heckard.

The 38-year-old rapper and the 32-year-old singer had been dating for almost a decade, but never really confirmed the relationship despite constantly being photographed together. However, Nelly supposedly broke up with Ashanti earlier this month after finding out that she had allegedly had an affair with producer Chink Santana in 2005.

Now GossipWeLove reports that Nelly has started dating Heckard, who plays Jazz on the BET comedy-drama series The Game. Heckard also appeared in ATL as Tonya, the ex-girlfriend of Rashad (played by rapper T.I.) She has also appeared in several rap videos, including Busta Rhymes’ “I Know What You Want” and Kanye West’s “Gold Digger.”

The two appear to have gotten very serious very quickly, as the actress posted a photo of her and Nelly’s daughter, Nana, on Instagram with the comment, “Me and my baby!!!! @nellelove.”

Nana also posted a picture of her and her father with the comment, “Moments I cherish Chillan wit my #1 guy s/o to @lashontae tryna snap on the sneak.”

Heckard — whose real first name is La’Shontae — was born in Seoul, South Korea. Her military father was stationed there when he met her mother, and the family later moved to Texas. Heckard herself was in the military for nine years — four of which were active duty. She made her music video debut in Brandy’s 2002 video for “Full Moon.”

Are you surprised that Nelly has started dating so soon after ending a long-term relationship?