Did Ashanti and Nelly Break Up?

In this May 19, 2009, file photo, singer Ashanti Douglas, left, poses with her mother Tina Douglas at a press preview for the "The Wiz" at the New York City Center in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)

Rumors of a break up continue to swirl after R&B singer Ashanti was recently spotted dining on Long Island without her longtime boyfriend, rapper Nelly.

Sources say Ashanti, a Glen Cove native best known for her break-out hit “Foolish,” was seen with her mother, Tina Douglas, celebrating a belated Mother’s Day dinner on Monday in Jericho—with Nelly noticeably absent.

Ashanti and her mother got the royal treatment nonetheless at the trendy upscale Chinese restaurant Philippe Chow on Jericho Turnpike, one of several locations—named for the famed chef and owner—where celebrity sightings are the norm.

It is not the first time rumors have been circulating that Nelly, a native of Texas, and Ashanti called it quits. But that chatter gained new steam this week when an online celebrity gossip website reported that the couple was no more, although verification proved tricky.

The rumors could not be confirmed Friday after attempts to reach representatives for Ashanti and Nelly were unsuccessful, meaning it could all be “Just a Dream,” or a nightmare depending upon how you look at it.

If the rumors turn out to be true, the stunning singer, actress and model will surely have no shortage of new beau’s to choose from. Not that Nelly would have any problem rebounding.

The one hope for some clues is Ashanti’s fifth studio effort, slated for release sometime this year. Surely a recent heartbreak will find its way onto the record, if there is any truth to the rumors.

Although, technically, Nelly and Ashanti never publicly confirmed that they were in fact a couple, so a confirmation that they are destined for splitsville would be even less likely.

All fans can do is hope that if it does turn out to be true that it turns into some good R&B song fodder.

What do you think: false rumor or is it really over between superstar couple Ashanti and Nelly?