The Private Life Of A Star Kid: 7 Surprising Facts About Cornell Haynes III In 2025

The world first met Cornell Iral Haynes III—better known as "Tre"—as a charismatic teenager on the hit BET reality show *Nellyville*. As the son of iconic rapper Nelly (Cornell Iral Haynes Jr.), Tre grew up under a spotlight that few young adults experience, navigating high school football, college aspirations, and a famous family dynamic. Today, in late 2025, Tre has stepped back from the public eye, choosing a more private path while his family continues to make headlines, most recently with his father's new child with R&B star Ashanti. This deep dive uncovers the latest available information on Tre, his career pursuits, and the life he has built outside of reality television. The journey of Cornell Haynes III is a fascinating study in celebrity offspring choosing privacy over fame, a stark contrast to his highly public childhood. His story is one of transition, from an aspiring athlete and reality TV personality to a young man focused on his own professional and personal development.

Cornell Haynes III: Complete Biography and Profile

Cornell Iral Haynes III, affectionately known by his family and fans as Tre or Trizzle, is an American personality, former reality television star, and aspiring musician/athlete.

• Full Name: Cornell Iral Haynes III
• Nicknames: Tre, Trizzle
• Date of Birth: March 2, 1999
• Age (as of late 2025): 26 years old
• Place of Birth: St. Louis, Missouri, USA
• Zodiac Sign: Pisces
• Nationality: American
• Ethnicity: Afro-American
• Father: Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (Nelly), a multi-platinum selling rapper and entrepreneur
• Mother: Shantay Jackson (Nelly's former partner)
• Sister: Chanelle "Nana" Haynes (born 1994)
• Adopted Siblings: Sydney Michelle and Lil Shawn (children of Nelly's late sister, Jacqueline Donahue)
• Half-Sibling: Kareem Kenkaide Haynes (born July 2024 to Nelly and Ashanti)
• Education: Attended a Missouri-based school for high school football; believed to have pursued a college education
• Known For: Appearing on the BET reality series *Nellyville* (2014-2015)
• Career Aspirations: Football, Music (Aspiring Rapper)

The Transition from *Nellyville* to Private Life

Cornell Haynes III first gained national recognition as a main cast member on the BET reality series *Nellyville*, which aired from 2014 to 2015. The show provided an intimate look into the blended family life of his father, Nelly, showcasing the rapper's attempts to balance his global music career with his duties as a father to his four children: Tre, his sister Chanelle Haynes (Nana), and their cousins Sydney Michelle and Lil Shawn. During his time on the show, Tre's primary focus was his burgeoning career as a football player. He was a prominent athlete in his Missouri-based school, with dreams of playing at the collegiate and professional levels. This passion for sports was heavily featured, with his father, Nelly, often attending his games and trying to guide his athletic path. However, subsequent reports suggest a potential injury may have led Tre to reconsider his professional football career, a common yet challenging pivot point for many college-level athletes. This shift appears to have coincided with a deliberate move away from the constant scrutiny of the public eye. Unlike his younger sister, Chanelle "Nana" Haynes, who has a strong social media presence and has pursued a music career, Tre has maintained a significantly lower profile since the reality show ended.

Exploring Tre Haynes' Career Aspirations: Music and Sports

The two main entities defining Cornell Haynes III's public career aspirations have always been football and music. The reality show *Nellyville* highlighted his dedication to the gridiron, where he played as a promising young athlete. His father, Cornell Iral Haynes Jr., is one of the most successful artists to emerge from the St. Louis hip-hop scene, a founding member of the St. Lunatics and the voice behind multi-platinum albums like *Country Grammar* and *Nellyville* (the album). It is a natural progression for Nelly's son to also harbor musical ambitions. Tre has been described as an aspiring rapper who is attempting to pave his way into the music industry, following in the footsteps of his famous father. However, as of the most recent updates in 2024 and 2025, there is no widely-publicized, professional music release or confirmed sports contract for him. This lack of recent, specific professional news is, in itself, the most current update on Tre. It suggests a conscious decision to pursue his interests and develop his career outside of the celebrity media cycle. He appears to be prioritizing his personal life and professional development away from the invasive cameras that documented his teenage years.

The Haynes Family in 2024/2025: A New Chapter

The Haynes family remains a central point of interest, and the latest news provides a fresh context for Cornell Haynes III's current life. In July 2024, Tre's father, Nelly, and his long-time partner, R&B singer Ashanti, welcomed a baby boy named Kareem Kenkaide Haynes. This event marked a significant new chapter for the rapper and introduced a new half-sibling to Tre and his siblings. The news of this new addition put the entire Haynes family back in the spotlight, highlighting the blended family dynamics that Tre grew up with, which also included his cousins Sydney Michelle and Lil Shawn. Tre’s mother, Shantay Jackson, and his sister, Chanelle "Nana" Haynes, also remain key figures. Chanelle, who is a few years older than Tre, has been focusing on her own music career and social media presence, often sharing glimpses of her life with her followers. The family's enduring bond, despite the various public relationships and career paths of its members, was a core theme of *Nellyville* and continues to be a defining characteristic of the Haynes clan.

5 Key Takeaways on Cornell Haynes III Today

For fans and followers curious about the young man who grew up on their television screens, here are five key facts about Cornell Haynes III in 2025:

1. He is Focused on Privacy: Tre has largely stepped away from social media and public appearances, indicating a desire to build his life outside of the celebrity spotlight. He is reportedly "focused on his own life."
2. The College Athlete Pivot: While he was a talented high school football player with a college path, reports of an injury suggest he may have shifted his professional focus away from sports, potentially towards music.
3. He Turned 26 in 2025: Born in March 1999, Tre is now in his mid-twenties, placing him firmly in the phase of establishing his independent career and adult life.
4. The Ashanti Connection: The birth of his half-brother, Kareem Kenkaide Haynes, to Nelly and Ashanti in 2024 is the freshest family news, connecting Tre to one of the biggest celebrity stories of the year.
5. His Nicknames are Iconic: He is universally known by his catchy nicknames from the reality show, Tre and Trizzle, which are still used by fans and media today.

In summary, Cornell Haynes III, the former *Nellyville* star, has successfully carved out a private existence in his mid-twenties. While the public remains curious about his music and sports endeavors, his current story is a testament to prioritizing personal growth and professional development away from the pressures of inherited fame. He remains a beloved figure from the reality TV era, now simply known as a young man from St. Louis, Missouri, pursuing his passions on his own terms.