Ashanti:FromYoungTalenttoLegendaryR&BSinger
Sincebreakingoutintheearly2000s,Ashantihasbecomeahouseholdnameinthemusicindustry.Hersoulfulvoice,catchylyrics,andundeniablebeautyhavecaptivatedaudiencesaroundtheworldforovertwodecades.
TheEarlyYears
AshantiwasbornAshantiShequoiyaDouglasonOctober13,1980,inGlenCove,NewYork.Shegrewupinamusicalfamily.Hermotherwasadanceinstructorandherfatherwasasingerandrecordproducer.Ashantibegansinginginthechurchchoiratayoungageandquicklyshowedatalentformusic.
Attheageof14,AshanticaughttheattentionofmusicexecutiveIrvGotti.Hesawherperformatatalentshowandwasimmediatelyimpressedbyhertalent.GottisignedAshantitohisrecordlabel,MurderInc.Records,andbeganworkingwithheronherdebutalbum.
TheRisetoFame
Ashanti'sdebutalbum,self-titledAshanti,wasreleasedin2002.Itwasaninstantsuccess,sellingover500,000copiesinitsfirstweekanddebutingatnumberoneontheBillboard200chart.Thealbumspawnedseveralhitsingles,including\"Foolish\"and\"Baby,\"whichbothreachednumberoneontheBillboardHot100chart.
Ashanti'ssuccesscontinuedwiththereleaseofhersecondalbum,ChapterII,in2003.ThealbumdebutedatnumberoneontheBillboard200chartandspawnedhitsinglessuchas\"RockWitU(AwwwBaby)\"and\"RainOnMe.\"
Ashanti'sthirdalbum,ConcreteRose,wasreleasedin2004.Thealbumspawnedhitsinglessuchas\"OnlyU\"and\"Don'tLetThem.\"Ashanti'ssuccesscontinuedthroughthemid-2000s,withhitsongssuchas\"Mesmerize\"and\"Wonderful,\"bothcollaborationswithrapperJaRule.
LegacyandImpact
Ashanti'simpactontheR&Bandhiphopgenrescannotbeoverstated.Heruniquevoice,catchylyrics,andunforgettablehookshaveinfluencedcountlessartistsandleftanindeliblemarkonthemusicindustry.
Beyondhermusic,Ashantihasalsomadehermarkinfilmandtelevision.Shemadeheractingdebutinthe2005filmCoachCarterandhassinceappearedinfilmssuchasResidentEvil:ExtinctionandJohnTuckerMustDie.ShehasalsoappearedontelevisionshowssuchasAmericanIdolandLaw&Order:SpecialVictimsUnit.
Withover27millionrecordssoldworldwide,Ashanti'slegacyasamusiciconissecure.HeruniqueblendofR&B,hiphop,andpopmusichasinspiredagenerationofartistsandleftalastingimpactonthemusicindustry.Asshecontinuestorecordandperform,Ashanti'simpactwillbefeltforyearstocome.
