Nelly's Longtime Girlfriend Shantel Jackson Claims the Couple Has Broken Up: 'Just Friends'

Nelly and his longtime girlfriend Shantel Jackson have split, according to Jackson herself.

The 37-year-old actress broke the news Saturday in the comments section of her latest Instagram post. After one user asked her if the couple was still together, Jackson confirmed the two had separated.

"No we're not ….. Just friends," she wrote.

A representative for Nelly did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

Nelly, 46, and Jackson have been dating since 2014. In February, the rapper told PEOPLE what he felt helped maintain the spark in their relationship: "Friends first. Being friends helps any relationship."

Nelly said Jackson was supportive of him while he competed on Dancing with the Stars in late 2020. In October, he confirmed that he believed Jackson was "the one," which he revealed during an episode of the ABC reality show.

When asked by Entertainment Tonight about the possibility of an engagement, Nelly said the couple was "working towards it," later adding, "When we know, I'll tell you."

"We have so much in common," Nelly told ET. "She grew up in the inner city, she knows what it's like to go through certain things in life when you grow up in the inner city."

He continued: "She's very driven, very passionate about the things she does and she doesn't accept anything but wanting to be better. And that's what I love. That's exactly what I love."

Jackson showed incredible loyalty to Nelly after the "Ride Wit Me" singer was arrested on suspicion of second-degree rape on Oct. 7, 2017, after a woman claimed he violated her after inviting her onto his tour bus early that morning.

The case was eventually dropped by both parties after Nelly countersued. "I am very thankful to the U.K. police for thoroughly investigating the false allegations against me and I am satisfied with the results of this case and the previous one in the U.S., both driven by the same attorney, both being dropped," Nelly said at the time, in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

Shortly after the accusations went public, Jackson posted about how much "fun" she had with the "Dilemma" artist on social media.

"I don't wanna be a baby momma, I want, you know, the horse and carriage, the wedding, the ring before I have a baby," the Platinum Life star noted in the clip. "First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage."