It was a jungle-themed celebration full of heart, healing, and a little gold glitter.
Reality star and entrepreneurNicole “Miss Nikki Baby” Mudarrisand professional athlete-turned-rapper LiAngelo “Gelo” Ball reunited on Saturday to throw a birthday bash for their son, LaVelo Anthony Ball, who turned two on July 19. Despite a rocky past, the former couple came together for a sweet, safari-inspired celebration that quickly went viral and sparked conversations about co-parenting done right.
In a touching video, LiAngelo holds LaVelo as guests sing “Happy Birthday,” while Nikki stands nearby with their infant daughter, LaNiyah, who was born last December. Nikki left a candid comment underneath the clip: “Happy to celebrate our son’s birthday and put the bulls**t to the side.”
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Despite a rocky relationship history — including past public disputes and claims from MissNikkiBaby in early 2025 accusing Ball of absent parenting — the event reflects a significant step in their co-parenting journey.
Held on LaVelo’s birthday, the party was everything a toddler could dream of. Decorated in shades of lime green, gold, and chocolate brown, the backyard bash featured oversized balloon arches, a three-tier cake adorned with fondant giraffes and lions, and jungle-animal inflatables that doubled as photo ops for little guests.
A petting zoo complete with tortoises, parrots, and a baby goat was the star attraction, next to LaVelo. Sweet treats included basketball-shaped cookies with “LB” (LaVelo Ball) icing, plus cake pops dipped in edible gold glitter.
In a nod to dad’s budding rap career, the party’s playlist included a snippet of LiAngelo’s viral single “Tweaker,” which recently helped land him a multi-million dollar deal with Def Jam.
The reunion comes in the wake of recent headlines involving LiAngelo Ball’s divorce from Rashida Nicole earlier this month, adding another layer of public curiosity to the couple’s reunion. That backdrop and past tension between the two gave weight to the birthday celebration as a moment of emotional reconciliation, however brief.
