For years Nelly and Ashanti were viewed as one of hip-hop's hottest couples. It now looks like the two are about to make their relationship official.

One of Ashanti's close friends told all about how Nelly popped the question. According to the friend, Nelly worked closely with Ashanti's family to make sure that everything went off without a hitch. The pal explained, "Nelly went to Ashanti's mom's house on Christmas Eve like he does every year. After everyone exchanged gifts, Nelly got down on one knee in front of everyone and proposed to Ashanti. It was very emotional."

And Nelly reportedly wasn't cheap with the ring either. The friend explained, "Ashanti's ring was immense, I didn't know that they even had diamonds that large."

Ashanti and Nelly have dated for nearly three years. Details about the wedding have yet to be announced.