Oh, baby! Little ones are on the way.
A number of celebrity women have announced pregnancies slated for 2024. From singers to influencers, comedians, filmmakers and athletes, the stork has been busy! Some are having their very first child while others are having their second and third.
The latest mamas are musicians Renni Rucci and Ashanti.
The former found out while filming Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta (she literally took a couple of tests during a recent episode), sharing the moment with her partner, fellow rapper Blacc Zacc. Their child, a baby boy, is due in August.
And, of course, people are overjoyed for Ashanti, as the “Baby” singer really is expecting a baby with partner Nelly, who is now her fiancé. She broke the news in a video with ESSENCE promoting her business Proov, a fertility test brand, confirmed the good news with us, and has since been seen out and about sporting her bump proudly.
But they’re not the only gleeful moms-to-be. Scroll down for what will be a growing list of well-known women who are welcoming a bundle of joy in 2024.
01
Ashanti
What a year it’s going to be for Ashanti! The singer told ESSENCE exclusively that she’s expecting her first child with fiancé Nelly. “This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” she shared. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.” The couple are welcoming their first child together after reuniting in 2023. Prior to that, they weren’t in contact with one another following their breakup in 2013 (after a decade-long relationship).
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-2102853399-scaled.jpg?width=400)
02
Renni Rucci
The rapper and Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta star revealed on a recent episode that she and boyfriend, fellow rapper Blacc Zacc, are expecting their first child together. She further confirmed the news, revealing that she’s due this summer, via Instagram. In a video of her partner cutting a gender reveal cake, it showed that they’re expecting a boy. “You have a big family ready to spoil you rotten,” she wrote.We can’t wait to see your little face!!!” While this is the couple’s first child, Renni has two teenagers from a previous relationship when she was a teen herself. Their names are Cour’don and D’couri.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1480118781-scaled.jpg?width=400)
03
Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins
The actress, of Dear White People fame, announced that she’s expecting her first child with husband Darroll after undergoing an intense IVF, which she shared via a recap video of their experience preparing for baby and learning that they were pregnant. Baby Jenkins is due in August. The couple have been married since September 2021.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1441022887-scaled.jpg?width=400)
04
Candiace Dillard Bassett
After being an open book regarding her efforts to freeze her eggs and prepare for IVF, Candiace and husband Chris announced that they are expecting their first child. The singer and reality TV personality, who recently stepped away from Real Housewives of Potomac after six seasons, said for a long time she didn’t know when she would be ready to be a mother, but decided to make the leap and have one of their frozen embryos implanted, hoping it would all be successful. “I kind of woke up and realized that I was never going to be 100 percent ready,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “I just had to … trust the process and trust my doctors and stop being afraid and just do it. So once we decided together that we were going to do that — together — it just was kind of all moving by faith from there.”
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1145836779-scaled.jpg?width=400)
05
Cherelle Griner
After a harrowing 2022, which saw Brittney detained in a Russian prison for 10 months, the reunited couple spent the last year back in each other’s arms – and preparing to welcome their first child. In a joint post, the Griners revealed that they’re expecting and will welcome their little one in July. They’ve been married since 2019.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1486398187-scaled.jpg?width=400)
06
Joie Chavis
Joie Chavis is preparing to welcome her third child. She shares a daughter with rapper Bow Wow, a son with rapper Future, and is expecting her little one on the way with Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (brother to fellow NFL star Stefon). She dropped the news without a caption, showing off her growing bump in a bathing suit.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1324980710-scaled.jpg?width=400)
07
Kash Doll
Kash Doll and her partner Tracy T are expecting their second child, and the rapper says she found out she was pregnant during a getaway with her beau. “We were having fun. I was drinking and kept getting sick,” she told PEOPLE. “I couldn’t keep anything down! I took a test and it said yes!” The star says the only person who might be more excited than her and Tracy is her 2-year-old, Kashton. “He loves babies already. When he sees babies, he gets so excited,” she told the site. “He wants to touch them, hug them and feed them.”
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1502175787-scaled.jpg?width=400)
08
Draya Michele
Following some speculation after she was seen with what some suspected to be seen with a bump at a Houston Rockets game recently, the Mint Swim founder let it all hang out, sharing that she’s welcoming a baby girl in May. She’s said to be having her child with current boyfriend, NBA player Jalen Green. She already has sons Kniko and Jru from previous relationships. She turned off comments when announcing her pregnancy due to controversy over the fact that Green is close in age to her eldest son. Despite that, she’s focusing on the joy she feels and the little one on the way.
“We are overjoyed to share our love for you, little girl. I’m am excited to speak words to the daughter I never thought I’d have,” she wrote in her announcement. “We are anxious about your arrival, but take your time — this world can be tough. But know you are being brought into a space of love, security, and adornment.”
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1803398039-scaled.jpg?width=400)
09
Christina Elmore
The actress of Twenties and Insecure fame recently announced that she’s welcoming her third child with husband Ryan Duke. She did so while sharing photos of a look worn to a recent event in February, saying she attended with “my newest plus one.” The couple already have two sons.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-2066572093-scaled.jpg?width=400)
10
Deiondra Sanders
Deion Sanders’ oldest child, Deiondra, from his first marriage with Carolyn Chambers, is expecting her first child with crooner Jacquees. She shared that she was having the child after being told she wouldn’t be able to carry one to full term due to fibroids.
“Even though this was not planned nor expected, this is still something God allowed to happen. I’m not having my baby to keep a man,” she wrote. “I am having my baby for all the times I was told I wouldn’t be able to. I’m having my baby for the 4 myomectomy surgeries I have had. I am having my baby for all the years I stayed on birth control even though it gave me breast tumors. I’m having my baby for all the Doctors that told me I wouldn’t make it out the first trimester. I’m having a baby for the 7 current fibroids that surrounds my uterus to this day. I’m having a baby for all the high risk moms that was scared everyday thinking they would miscarry. I’m keeping my baby for the 3 Months I continued to bleed everyday after I found out I was pregnant. I’m having this baby to give hope to all the other women that may be in my situation. No matter what Doctor’s say, GOD HAS THE FINAL SAY!”
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1813801174-scaled.jpg?width=400)
Boulder, CO 11/4/2023
CREDIT: Jamie Schwaberow (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164453)
11
Gabourey Sidibe
Actress Gabourey Sidibe is expecting her first child with husband Brandon Frankel. Make that first two children, as the star announced in late February that she’s expecting twins this year. The couple, hilarious cat lovers, have been married since 2021.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1179268159-scaled.jpg?width=400)
12
Martica and Tobe Nwigwe
Five is the magic number! Rapper Tobe Nwigwe and his wife, fellow musician Martica, better known as “Fat,” recently announced they are expecting again. The couple are set to have welcomed five children in five years.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1641706489-scaled.jpg?width=400)
13
Sofia Richie
The daughter of Lionel Richie and new wife of music executive Elliot Grainge announced in January that she’s having her first child. “I’ve learned more in the past six months than I have in my entire life,” said the 25-year-old mama-to-be to Vogue.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1987488570-scaled.jpg?width=400)
14
Jess Hilarious
The comedian and radio host broke the news in February that she’s having her second child after her partner, a guy named Chris, called in to her show The Breakfast Club to show love to her and revealed his excitement over their upcoming “bundle of joy.” She confirmed it, saying she’s three months pregnant. The little one on the way will join her oldest son Ashton.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1502965395-scaled.jpg?width=400)
15
Kali Uchis
The talented singer announced that she is having her first child with boyfriend, rapper/singer Don Toliver, in January. She shared it in a sweet video that combined both clips of them at doctor’s appointments and sharing sweet moments together, with video of them both as babies back in the day.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1933433313-1-scaled.jpg?width=400)
16
Crystle Roberson
The filmmaker and The Gilded Age director revealed that she’s expecting her first child with new husband, actor Omar Dorsey, at their “Celebration of Marriage” that happened on New Year’s Eve. “What better moment to reveal that we are expecting a new member of our family than when surrounded by our beloved friends and family?” she asked ESSENCE.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1963645915-1-scaled.jpg?width=400)
17
Bria Anderson
The wife of MLB star Tim Anderson let people know in a low-key way that she’s expecting their third child together, breaking the news in a reel from an Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Founders’ Day celebration in January.
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1242006067-1-scaled.jpg?width=400)
18
Allyson Felix
Back in November, retired Olympic champion Allyson Felix revealed that she would be having her second child in April 2024, saying that she, along with husband Kenneth Ferguson and 5-year-old daughter Camryn, would be “Adding a little more love to our family.” The former track star also revealed that it was a journey to have baby number two. “From the ups and downs of infertility to the terrifying realities of childbirth as a Black woman, this road has been a rollercoaster,” she wrote as a caption to a picture of a great number of syringes surrounding a baby’s onesie. “Grateful for God’s grace and the blessing of IVF that made expanding our family possible.”
![](https://www.essence.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GettyImages-1833884344-1-scaled.jpg?width=400)
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