American singer Ashanti (who has been called the Princess of Hip Hop and R'n'B) recently released a new single called Falling For You. I used to listen to her music back when she first debuted in 2002. It's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago now! To celebrate 20 years of Ashanti's career, here's a look back at some of her past hits. :)
I've had to split this up into two parts, since it was turning into a really long post. So, this is Part 1. :)
Ashanti (full name Ashanti Douglas; she is named after the Ashanti Empire in Ghana) started out performing locally as a teenager and was also a child/teen extra. She got her first record deal aged 14 but it was several years before her career took off. She was eventually noticed by Irv Gotti, the boss of Murder Inc. Records (also known as The Inc. at one time), which launched the career of one of my favourite rappers, Ja Rule. She signed to Murder Inc. and sang backing vocals for other artists before being featured on Ja Rule's Always On Time and rapper Fat Joe's What's Luv? in 2001 and 2002.
In February 2002, Ashanti released her debut single Foolish which is one of her most successful singles to date. It was followed by her self-titled debut album in April. Two years later in July 2003, she released her second album Chapter II, which did well along with the lead single Rock Wit U (Aww Baby), released in May.
To date she has released 4 more albums- Ashanti's Christmas (2003), Concrete Rose (2004) which featured her hit single Only U, The Declaration (2008) and Braveheart (2014). She has also brought out 3 compilations- Collectables by Ashanti (2005), Can't Stop (2006) and The Vault (2009), and 2 EPs- 7 Series Sampler (2003) and A Wonderful Christmas with Ashanti (2013).
Murder Inc. ran into difficulties in the early-mid 00s, due to links to suspected money laundering (all charges against Irv Gotti and his brother Chris were later dropped) and lead artist Ja Rule's well-publicised feuds with fellow rappers 50 Cent and Eminem. It was renamed The Inc. in late 2003, in a bid to rebrand and sound less "controversial". Ashanti, Ja Rule and other artists left, and the success of the label ultimately declined. However, it was relaunched as part of Irv's new record label Visionary in 2013 and Ja Rule returned to release a new song.
Ashanti left Murder Inc, in May 2009. Irv Gotti has claimed that he and Ashanti dated but she recently said that they were never actually together. She has also stated that problems started between them after Irv became jealous of her relationship with rapper Nelly. She released her 5th album The Declaration under her new album Written Entertainment and her last album Braveheart through it too. She has also acted in several film and TV shows, including Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die and Army Wives.
Here are some of Ashanti's songs through the years!
Always On Time (with Ja Rule)
Ashanti provided vocals for Ja Rule's single Always On Time in 2001, which was the song that really helped her career get started. It was originally supposed to feature Brandy (who already had an established career at the time). The song was the 2nd single from Ja's studio album Pain is Love (one of my favourite albums of his!) which came out in October 2001.
Always On Time was released in November and reached No. 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 Charts, also doing well in the UK and other countries.
Ashanti also did her own song (a kind of sequel to Always On Time) called Leaving (Always On Time Pt II). It features Ja Rule and appears on her debut album. Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy3UZkk3YuQ
What's Luv? (with Fat Joe)
Ashanti was the vocalist on American rapper Fat Joe's 2002 single What's Luv? It was the 2nd single from Fat Joe's 4th studio album Jealous Ones Still Envy (J.O.S.E) which was released in December 2001. The album version also features Ja Rule. The lyrics are partly based on Tina Turner's 1984 hit single What's Love Got To Do With It.
What's Luv? was released in February 2002. It got to No. 2 in the Billboard Charts and was Top 5 in several international charts, includung in the UK.
Foolish
February 2002 also saw the release of Foolish, the lead single from Ashanti's self-titled album. The song, which samples Stay with Me by the American sibling music group DeBarge, remains one of her biggest hits to date. It got No. 1 in the charts. In fact, both Foolish and What's Luv? were in the first two positions on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart at the same time.
It's about Ashanti feeling foolish that she can't get over her lover. The music video features American actor Terrence Howard as Ashanti's cheating love interest who is also involved in criminal dealings, as well as appearances from Ja Rule, Irv Gotti and female rappers Charli Baltimore and Vita (fellow Murder Inc. artists).
Happy feat. Ja Rule
Happy was the second single from Ashanti, released in June 2002. It samples the 1982 single Outstanding by American R'n'B and funk band The Gap Band.
The album version is a solo song but the single version features a rap from Ja Rule.
Mesmerize (with Ja Rule)
Ashanti teamed up with Ja Rule once again for the single Mesmerize, from Ja's 4th studio album The Last Temptation, released in November 2002. The track contains a sample from Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross's Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart) and was released in September 2002, becoming a No. 2 hit.
The music video was inspired by the song You're The One That I Want from the 1978 film Grease.
Rock Wit U (Awww Baby)
Rock Wit U (Awww Baby) was the lead single from Ashanti's second album Chapter II, which came out in July 2003. Rock Wit U was released in May that year and was an international hit, doing well in the UK, mainland Europe and Australia.
The song had somewhat of a revival this year when British rapper Aitch sampled it for his single Baby, released in March.
Rain On Me
Rain On Me was the second single from Chapter II and is one of my favourite songs from the album. It was released in August 2003.
The music video features actor Larenz Tate as Ashanti's boyfriend, whose jealousy of her superstar status leads to abuse and cheating. There are actually two versions of the video, the Performance Version which is more like a mini film, featuring the storyline between Ashanti and her boyfriend, and the Non-Performance Version, without the extra scenes.
Here is Rain On Me (Performance Version):
And you can watch the Non-Performance Version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxP9-4xu5L8
Only U
Only U was the lead single from Ashanti's 3rd album Concrete Rose, which was released in December 2004. The intro samples the 1987 single Why You Treat Me So Bad by American R'n'B group Club Nouveau. The single came out in October, two months before the album. It did well in the US and is Ashanti's biggest hit in the UK and Ireland to date, charting at No. 2 and No. 4 respectively.
There are also two versions of this video- the original and the Dance Version (which only aired on BET according to Wikipedia). I can't find the video on Ashanti's channel (not sure why it's not on there) but found it on someone else's. This is the original one.
Don't Let Them
Don't Let Them was the second single from Concrete Rose and came out in April 2005. It samples Heaven & Hell, the 1994 solo debut single by Raekwon, a member of the hip hop group Wu Tang Clan (which itself contains a sample from the 1974 song Could I Be Falling in Love by blues and soul singer Syl Johnson). It's interesting how many songs sample older ones! I did a post featuring covers and sampled songs last year.
Don't Let Them wasn't that successful and was apparently only released in the US and UK. It is one of my fave songs from Concrete Rose though.
The video features fellow member of Murder Inc., rapper and producer Chink Santana.*
That's it for now! Look out for Part 2 soon. :)
Follow Ashanti at these links:
Official YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3NFtmTQ_bt87KOXx4QR3LA
FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ashantithisisme
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashanti/
What are your favourite Ashanti songs?
Find Part 2 here: https://starsparklex.blogspot.com/2023/02/ashanti-through-years-part-2.html
*I am aware that the first part of his stage name is used as as racial slur against Asians. I'm unsure of why he calls himself that but I don't think it is meant in a racist way. If it is or it's upsetting anyone, I will star it out. :)
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