Ashanti (singer)
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas (born October 13, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She was first discovered as a teenager and signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2002.[4] That same year, she was featured on Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" and Ja Rule's "Always on Time", both of which were two of the biggest hit songs of 2002. She became the first female artist to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously with "Foolish" and "What's Luv?" at numbers one and two, respectively.
Ashanti
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas
October 13, 1980
Glen Cove, New York, U.S.
- Singer
- songwriter
- actress
2001–present
- Written
- eOne
- AJM
- Murder Inc.
- Def Jam
- Island Def Jam
Nelly (2003–2014, 2023–present)
In 2002, Ashanti released her eponymous debut album, which sold over 505,000 copies throughout the U.S. in its first week of release. The album received eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Contemporary R&B Album. The album has since been certified triple platinum in the United States and sold six million copies worldwide by the end of 2003.[5] Its lead single, "Foolish" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and made her the second artist (after The Beatles) to have their first three chart entries peak within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously. Ashanti wrote and provided background vocals for Jennifer Lopez's "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)", which also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[6]
In 2003, Ashanti released her second album Chapter II, which became her second album to peak the Billboard 200—with first-week sales of 326,000 copies in the U.S.—and ultimately received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 1.5 million copies.[7] Its lead singles, "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)" and "Rain on Me" were commercial successes, peaking at numbers two and seven respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Chapter II was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, while "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)" and "Rain on Me" were each nominated in the categories of Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. In November 2003, Ashanti released her third album Ashanti's Christmas, a Christmas album which was met with largely unfavorable reception.
In 2004, Ashanti released her fourth studio album Concrete Rose, the title of which took on Tupac Shakur's pseudonym "The Rose That Grew from Concrete". The album debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200—with first-week sales of 254,000 copies—and became her third platinum-certified album. Its first single, "Only U" reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the UK Singles Chart (becoming her most successful song in that country). Its second single, "Don't Let Them", garnered minimal chart success after Def Jam refused to fund a music video due to Irv Gotti's money laundering trial and encompassing legal troubles.[8] Her fifth album, The Declaration (2008) was met with moderate reception and marked her final major label release; her sixth album, Braveheart (2014) was released independently.
Aside from music, Ashanti has also acted in various productions. In 2005, she made her feature film debut in Coach Carter alongside Samuel L. Jackson. She also starred as Dorothy Gale in the made-for-television film The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, which attracted nearly eight million viewers when it premiered.[9] She has since appeared in the films John Tucker Must Die (2006) and Resident Evil: Extinction (2007).[10] Throughout her career, Ashanti has sold nearly 15 million records worldwide.[11]
Early life[edit]
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas[12] was born on October 13, 1980,[13] in Glen Cove, New York.[14] Her mother, Tina Douglas, is African American and a former dance teacher, her father, Ken-Kaide Thomas Douglas, is also African American and a former singer. She is the oldest of her parents' children, with a younger sister named Kenashia "Shia" Douglas.[15] Ashanti's mother named her after the Ashanti Empire in Ghana; in this nation, women had power and influence, and Tina wanted Ashanti to follow that model.[16] Her grandfather, James, was a civil rights activist who was associated with Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s.[17]
Ashanti's mother discovered her full singing potential when she overheard Ashanti singing Mary J. Blige's "Reminisce" at age 12 (after the song was released on Ashanti's birthday).[18] While attending high school,[19] she began to write songs. As a teenager, she performed in a local talent show and at several small festivals.[20] She got her first taste of acting as a child extra in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992) and in Ted Demme's Who's the Man?.[21] She also had a couple of minor appearances in music videos, such as KRS-One's "MC's Act Like They Don't Know" as well as 8-Off's "Ghetto Girl".[22]
Ashanti struggled to find success as a singer after being courted by several record labels, including Bad Boy and Jive. Despite this, she continued to perform in and around New York and began hanging out at the Murder Inc. recording studio, hoping for a big break.[4]
Career[edit]
2001–2003: Ashanti, Chapter II and Ashanti's Christmas[edit]
Ashanti was first noticed by Irv Gotti because of her vocal skills.[23] He asked her to pen hooks for his rap artists and to perform with them in duets. Ashanti provided the melodic response to their call. Ashanti was first featured as a background vocalist on rapper Big Pun's song "How We Roll". In the same year, Ashanti was featured on fellow labelmate Cadillac Tah's singles "Pov City Anthem" and "Just Like a Thug". She also appeared on the 2001 The Fast and the Furious soundtrack as a featured artist on Vita's 2001 hip hop remake of Madonna's "Justify My Love" and on the solo track "When a Man Does Wrong". She was then featured on Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" and Ja Rule's "Always on Time". "What's Luv?" and "Always on Time" were released simultaneously and became two of the biggest hit songs of 2002. Ashanti became the first woman to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously when "Always on Time" and "What's Luv?" were at numbers one and two, respectively.
Following the success of her collaborations with Ja Rule and Fat Joe, Ashanti released her debut single, "Foolish", which contains a sample of the 1983 song "Stay with Me" by DeBarge (also used by The Notorious B.I.G. in his 1995 single "One More Chance", and by Big L in "MVP"). This is her biggest success to date, spending ten weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. She became the second artist (after The Beatles) to have their first three chart entries in the top ten of the Hot 100 simultaneously. Ashanti's self-titled debut album, Ashanti, was released on Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. record label in April 2002. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 albums chart. The album has been certified triple platinum in the United States and sold six million copies worldwide.[5] Ashanti wrote the album's twelve tracks, most of which were written on the spot in the studio. Ashanti's follow-up singles, "Happy" and "Baby", were not as successful as her debut single but peaked inside the top ten and top twenty in the U.S., respectively. Ashanti's debut album earned her many awards, including eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Contemporary R&B Album. Ashanti was the first artist to win Best Contemporary R&B Album before the category was last awarded in 2011.[24] She was nominated as Best New Artist and "Foolish" was nominated in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category. She also received a Comet Award and two Soul Train Music Awards that same year.
Ashanti became the subject of controversy when it was announced that she would receive the Soul Train Aretha Franklin Award for "Entertainer of the Year". A high school student took offense and started an online petition against her, explaining to The Seattle Times that she was too new to deserve the award. Nearly 30,000 people agreed with him, signing the petition.[25] Many said that established artists such as Mary J. Blige and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott or critically acclaimed singers like Alicia Keys and India Arie were more deserving of an award that carries the name of a musical legend. Despite the petition, the Soul Train committee and Don Cornelius stuck by their decision. Ashanti was applauded by her musical peers as she entered the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to accept her award and she was supported onstage by Patti LaBelle, who stated "she's a baby and we have to support our babies."[26][27]
Just before the release of her second album, Ashanti headlined VH1 Divas Duets alongside Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan, Beyoncé, and Lisa Marie Presley. During the concert, she performed duets with the Isley Brothers and Stevie Wonder and participated in the all-star finale performance of Wonder's "Higher Ground."[28]
In July 2003, Ashanti released her second album, Chapter II, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 326,000 copies in the U.S. The album went platinum, selling over 1.5 a million copies in the U.S.[7] Chapter II's first single, "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)", became a hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Its video, which showed Ashanti in a bikini frolicking on a beach and riding an elephant, was nominated for two 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. A remix of the song contains interpolations of Michael Jackson's "Rock with You". The second single, "Rain on Me", reached the number seven spot on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot 100 R&B Songs chart. Chapter II was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)" and "Rain on Me" were nominated in the categories of Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, respectively. In the "Rain on Me," mini-movie music video—directed by Hype Williams and co-starring Larenz Tate—Ashanti portrays a troubled young woman in an abusive relationship. She received a Lifetime Channel Achievement Award for her message speaking out against domestic violence.[29] That same year, she began dating rapper Nelly.[30]
In November 2003, Ashanti released a Christmas album titled Ashanti's Christmas. It contained 10 Christmas songs and was a modest commercial success and sold just around 100,000 units in the U.S. The album peaked at No. 160 in the Billboard charts.[31]
Artistry[edit]
Ashanti has a lyric soprano voice type.[73] Critics have referred to her voice as "pretty" and her soprano as "sultry" and "sweet but slight".[73][74] Jason Birchmeier of AllMusic noted her reputation for using her "swooning voice" in duets with Big Pun, Fat Joe, and Ja Rule.[75] As a young girl, Ashanti was influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Tupac Shakur, but she cites Mary J. Blige as the main reason she wanted to pursue a singing career. Further musical influences include Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, and Blue Magic.[76][77][78]
Personal life[edit]
On January 7, 2003, Ashanti met rapper Nelly at a press conference for the 2003 Grammy Awards,[30] and the two later began dating. They split after a decade together,[84] rekindling their relationship in 2023.[85] In December 2023, it was reported the couple were expecting their first child together.[86] In April 2024, Ashanti confirmed her pregnancy and the couple's engagement in Essence magazine.[87]
Other sources
