That Grape Juice Interview: Ashanti

After a four year hiatus from the music scene, R&B star Ashanti made a return to the charts recently with the release of her 4th studio album ‘The Declaration’.

Speaking from her home in New York City, the 27 year old songstress opened up to That Grape Juice about her comeback, album sales, feeling like an underdog, collaborating with Beyonce and co for charity single ‘Just Stand Up’, her relationship with a certain St.Louis rapper – Nelly and a whole lot more. As ever, we don’t shy away from the questions you really want answers to. A lengthy, yet great read. Enjoy.

Ashanti Shouts-Out That Grape Juice

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Sam: Hey Ashanti, how are you?

Ashanti: I’m good, how you doing?

Sam: I’m fine, thank you. Where are you at now?

Ashanti: New York City!

Sam: At home?

Ashanti: Yep

Sam: Ok, we have a lot of ground to cover, as, once we put word out to your fans and our readers that we’d be interviewing you, there was a really big response. So with that said, I’ll fire away…

Ashanti: Ok

Sam: You’ve just released your new 4th studio album ‘The Declaration’, which I must add is absolutely fantastic – personally my favourite Ashanti album to date…

Ashanti: Thank you!

Sam…what exactly are you declaring with this project?

Ashanti: Basically I’m declaring a sense of growing up, a sense of freedom, a sense of taking control and being independent. I did the whole project on my own and I learned so much about myself, about the industry and the politics that goes along with it. So for the whole project, I feel the name is just perfect. It just matches everything.

Sam: The album experienced a few false starts – so I know there was the track ‘Switch’ that was thrown out there, as well as ‘Hey Baby’, ‘My Number Babe’ too. Why was this? Why was there so many false-starts with the record?

Ashanti: I think with me being gone for 4 years, everything changed so much from the last time. I put out my last album, ‘Concrete Rose’ back in ’04. So, I basically said, ‘let’s record a bunch of records and let’s see what happens’ (laughs). It was like “Oh I like this, lets try this, oh I like this too, lets try this instead, oh this is completely different for me, let’s see how this works’ (laughs). I had to kind of familiarise myself with everything again, see what the lane was looking like and just threw a bunch out. I think it’s so crazy because it’s like every single artist has done it. Nearly all the major releases that came out this year and last year experienced the same thing.

Sam: Very true. You worked with some of the industry’s biggest hit-makers on this record; from Darkchild, to Jermaine Dupri, to Akon to LT Hutton. Who did you enjoy working with most and why?

Ashanti: I would say every experience as different. All of them were great, though. When going into the studio, the vibe was completely different when working with JD in Atlanta, Atlantic City with Rodney (Darkchild). By far, though, me and LT Hutton clicked the most…

Sam:…yeah, he has the most tracks on the album, if I’m correct?

Ashanti: Yeah, he has a lot of tracks on the album. I actually recorded a bunch of records with him – like between 14-17 records as a whole. We just really clicked. I believe he was the second producer I worked with on the album. Straight from the beginning, he’s funny, he’s talented, and he’s very humble and down-to-earth. I still talk to LT now; he’s someone I absolutely consider a friend. He gets me; I can go into the studio and be like “make me a beat like this” (laughs) and he’ll do it and we’ll make it grow from there.

Sam: Fantastic. The album debuted respectably at #6 on the Billboard 200 upon its release selling through 86,000 copies. With the sales being less that what your past releases have enjoyed, do you feel any added pressure to match your past numbers?

Ashanti: Well obviously we all want to strive to do our very best and to top ourselves each and every time. So I think the pressure is a good pressure and a regular pressure – if that makes any sense (laughs). It’s like you’re under pressure and you feel like “Man, I want this happen, I want this to do the very best!” However, we are living in reality and the reality is that the economy sucks right now. Some people have to decide, ‘am I going to buy a CD or am I going to buy gas, because they’re about the same price right now!’ (Laughs) You know what I mean? There’s so much that comes with the territory; it’s being gone for so long, reacquainting myself with the scene musically, the economy being the way that it is, the politics in radio, switching over from labels. It’s just been so much. The best thing for me, I must say, is that this has absolutely been a critically acclaimed album. I am just so so happy that the response from the fans, from the critics has all been the same like ‘Oh my gosh, I love the album!’ With me doing the whole thing by myself, it really is a great feeling.

Sam: I can definitely vouch for that, in that, whether you’re speaking to your friends or reading reviews etc, the general response to the album has been really great. The majority seem to consider it, on a number of fronts, to be some of your strongest work to date. There is generally a really good feeling about the record. Congratulations on that.

Ashanti: Thank you.

Sam: You mentioned earlier that you’re having to reacquaint yourself with the industry and that it has changed. Do you feel like an underdog? Do you feel like you have more to prove this go round?

Ashanti: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely, I feel like the underdog! Obviously no one has exactly the same story, but I definitely feel like no one has MY story, you know what I mean? This has been an uphill battle in every way shape and form; with everything that happened with the indictment, Murder INC, to being gone for so long, with the politics in the switching of my labels, just a lot of stuff. My story is complicated to say the least (laughs). It’s good, though, because it keeps me motivated and it keeps me fighting hard and just learning. The best experience is the experience gained from life’s lessons, making mistakes, learning from them and getting better and becoming stronger.

Sam: You recorded over 52 tracks for this album, what will become of the unused tracks? Will we hear any of them?

Ashanti: Well, we definitely want to use all of the tracks. Being that I’ve been blessed to be able to try other things outside of music, it’s a broader spectrum for me now. I can now say “Oh, this track would go perfect with this movie”. So we’re definitely looking to get placements on some movie Soundtracks, television etc. Definitely utilise all of those records. Not forgetting…you get to sell them. It’s one of the best feelings as an artist and writer, when there are new artists on the come up, to be able to say “Oh this track would be perfect for such and such”.

Sam: A lot of people have their favourite tracks on the album, one of mine being ‘Struggles’.

In terms of future singles, is there anything we should be looking forward to? Obviously we had ‘The Way That I Love You’ as the first single; ‘Good Good’ as the follow-up, over here in the UK ‘Body on Me’ is CONSTANTLY on the radio…

Ashanti: Yeah I heard! It’s doing good over there. We may have to come over and see you guys soon (laughs)…

Sam: I’m sure many will be hoping for that. So, what in terms of new singles can we expect from the album?

Ashanti: You know what; it’s weird, a couple of people have mentioned ‘Struggles’ to me quite often. I did a show in LA about a week ago and it was amazing – like 10,000 people came out, it was hot, the vibe was great – and the whole left section of the audience kept screaming ‘Struggles! Struggles! Struggles!’ I was like “Oh my gosh”. I don’t know. It’s a toss-up. I love ‘Struggles’, I love ‘So Over You’, I love ‘You’re Gonna Miss’. So who knows…

Sam: A case of wait and see, I assume then?

Ashanti: Yeah. I’ll let them (the label) know that you like ‘Struggles’, though.

Sam: That’d be great. I’m not just speaking for myself when it comes to the track. As you said, the track is very popular, so hopefully it gets the single treatment…

Ashanti: Hopefully.

Sam: Moving on; having been in the industry for so long, you’re no stranger to people’s negativity. How do deal with it?

Ashanti: You have to deal with it as it comes; you just have to deal with it accordingly. At the end of the day, you know that coming into this industry there are going to be a lot of amazing things and a lot of horrible things. You just have to be a strong enough person to be able to deal with that balance. I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of people around me to support me, like my family. You have to start, obviously though, with being strong in yourself and loving yourself. Reminding yourself of the industry you’re in and that it’s going to be hard, and why it’s different from being in your regular 9-5. There are going to be horrible things (said about you) and you are, at times, going to feel really bad, but you also got to snap out of it and keep it moving (laughs).

Sam: We’ve seen the pictures and heard the rumours; for the record what is your relationship status with Nelly?

Ashanti: (Chuckles)

Sam: (Laughs!)

Ashanti: Me and Nelly, we’re really really really good friends. We do a lot of hanging out, a lot of working together. He’s a really good person. We’re really good friends.

Sam: Just good friends?

Ashanti: Yeah. Really really really good friends (laughs)…

Sam: Mhmm…really really really good friends (laughs)

Both: (Laugh!!)

Sam: I’m not going to ask too much more about Nelly, but you thanked him for teaching you so much in the album credits for ‘The Declaration’; what exactly has he taught you?

Ashanti: You know, he taught me to always try and push further. (He taught me) to think outside of the box, to not be scared to try something different. So, for example, going into the studio, working with different people and try to break from the norm, without feeling scared or (feeling) a certain way. It’s like sometimes if you go to a pool and the water is cold, what’s the best way to do it: do you stick your one toe in and gradually go in or do you jump into a cannon-ball? Either way, you’re going to have to jump in sooner or later (laughs).

Sam: That’s great. The internet is abuzz about how much you’ve stepped your game up this go round vocally, stage presence-wise. In your time away, has there been anything in particular that you’ve been doing to hone your craft?

Ashanti: Well, I definitely surrounded myself with so many different people – so Nelly and other people outside of my expected norm. You just learn a lot; going into the studio with so many different producers, going to different shows, and just becoming more confident and growing. That time off was almost like a double-edged sword; it was great because I learned so much, I had the opportunity to film 2 more movies and to do other things outside of music, and then obviously I have this uphill battle coming back, after being out of the music for so long. That said, you learn from these situations. The best thing is, whatever happens – good or bad – you take that knowledge and that way you’re a better person at the end of the day.

So as far as me becoming better, yeah you become more confident – you experience yourself a little more and that all stems from coming out of the box and thinking out of the box and trying thing different, because you never know unless you try.

Sam: True, indeed. Speaking of the internet, do you check out what the blogs are saying about Ashanti and your industry contemporaries?

Ashanti: Uhm, I’m not an Internet junkie; I log on every so often. Usually for me, if I’m not in New York or if I’m overseas or something – where the time zones are completely different and I’m just up at night for no real reason – I’ll log on. But, my little sister (Shia), she definitely keeps me posted. She, on the other hand, she knows the Internet in and out (laughs). She carries her laptop with her, her Blackberry, everything, everywhere! She definitely knows what’s going on.

Sam: You recently took part in the ‘Stand Up 2 Cancer’ campaign song ‘Just Stand Up’ alongside Mary J, Beyonce, Ciara and many other female artists as well. How did the whole project come about and your involvement with it as well?

Ashanti: Well, basically, LA Reid reached out to all of us to come together for this amazing cause. I think every person has been touched by someone – friend, family member – being lost to cancer; so everyone was just over-the-top willing to come together and do something for this really great cause.

Also, Babyface (who produced the song) was the first producer I worked with on my record. So me and him established a really great relationship. With me being with Universal, which LA is a part of (Def Jam head), it was nothing; he reached out. He was like ‘listen, I want you to be a part of this, it’s going to be great!’ That’s kinda how we all unfolded.

Sam: How did it feel performing the track live? I saw you and the ladies performing the song recently at Fashion Rocks.

Ashanti: It was amazing. I can’t even front; going into it – with all the girls names that were going to be apart of it, I was like ‘Oh man’ (laughs). Going to the rehearsal, I didn’t know if there was going to be some cattiness or whatever. You know when a bunch of females get together, you never know what could pop off (laughs). You know what, though, it was so cool. Everybody was talking, having conversations, rehearsing around one piano. All twelve/thirteen of us were crowding around this one little tiny piano with Babyface, everyone was singing and laughing. Genuinely, it was a really good thing. To be on stage for such an amazing cause – so many amazing people coming together – it was great. It felt good.

Sam: It was a great performance, I must say.

Music aside, what other projects can we look forward to from you? I hear that you’re starting a new label, Written Entertainment?

Ashanti: Yeah!!! You’ve been doing your homework (laughs).

Sam: (Laughs!)

Ashanti: Written Entertainment is something I want to get started really soon. Basically, with me being a writer, I want to form my own company to get records out there (via other artists too). There are a bunch of other projects that we’re going to do underneath that umbrella. Like, I’ve been doing a lot of stuff in Hollywood; there are two projects that I’m working on right now – keep your fingers crossed for me – that will involve me being a little more involved behind the scenes as opposed to in front of it. You definitely have to think outside of music. I mean, music is my passion and I love it and it’s the best thing for me to be able to go into a studio and create. Yet, at the same time, you don’t want to limit yourself. You can’t keep all your eggs in one basket.

Sam: You’re oft described as being one of the most down to earth artists out. After all of your success, how do you continue to remain so level headed?

Ashanti: I surround myself with family. With me, it’s like, you know, the money and being recognised (for what I do) is cool, but at the end of the day, I’m still the same person. It’s really not so different. I have the opportunity to do something that I love and they happen to give you some good money (laughs), but at the end of it all, I’m still the same person. It didn’t change who I am.

Sam: You mentioned your family, as to why you remain so level headed. Could you share a time with That Grape Juice when your family had to put you in check?

Ashanti: Let me see. Sometimes, like when we’re going shopping or something. I’m a very very very indecisive person – I’m a Libra. So it could be like the smallest thing: “Should I wear the Nike socks or the Adidas socks…This one has a little check, this one has a red check…this one fits different” It’s ridiculous. So, if I’m going shopping or something – and my mom and sister are with me – we’ll go to like 11 stores and I’ll buy 2 or 3 of the same thing, they’ll be like “You know what? You are playing yourself right now”. That’s my sister, she’s like “You’re ODing, you’re doing too much…cut it out.” Sometimes they have to reel me back in when it comes to being indecisive and doing too much.

Sam: Ok, a lot of new music has been released this year and we still have a lot to look forward to on the horizon. What are your top 5 songs at the moment?

Ashanti: Top 5 songs at the moment? Hmm. I love The Dream’s song ‘I Love Your Girl’. Did you guys get that out there?

Sam: I’ve heard it personally, but they haven’t really launched him over here as such – yet.

Ashanti: Ok. I like Lil Wayne’s ‘Mrs Officer’ (sings “wee oh wee wee oh wee”). I love that song. Oh and I love my song with Robin Thicke ‘Things You Me Me Do’ (laughs) – I be bumping that in my truck (laughs).

Sam: My friend stays playing that song!

Ashanti: Aww. Tell ‘em I said ‘Thank You’ (laughs).

I’m also really liking Jazmine Sullivan’s ‘I Need You Bad’. Lastly, number 5; well I actually got to hear Nelly’s new album ‘Brass Knuckles’ and he has a track with T.I. that I think is pretty hot (‘Hold Up’).

Sam: A lot of your UK fans wanted to know whether you’ll be officially launching the project over here and whether you’ll be coming over here anytime soon.

Ashanti: Well I definitely plan to. I haven’t been over there in so so long. I miss you guys. I definitely want to get out there and do some big shows. I hope and pray that we get to do it before the year is out. I know I’m going to Japan in October and December, so hopefully we can get over to the UK during that period. If not, then possibly top of ’09.

Sam: Ok. What are your tour plans in general?

Ashanti: Yeah, I wanted to do something kinda intimate, which I haven’t really had the chance to do before. We’re working towards me doing a House of Blues run; small intimate settings, which are really cool as they give the audience a chance to get up close and personal. I can go out and perform records from my first album, to right now. So a small House of Blues run and then hopefully turn that into something in ’09.

Sam: The hotly anticipated MOBO (Music of Black) Awards are coming up here in London on October 15th – you performed at the show a few years back.

Ashanti: I remember MOBO. When I was there last, someone broke my award in the limo – must have put their bag or something on it (laughs). They sent me another one, but I had to wait for a while for the replacement (laughs).

Sam: What does Music of Black Origin mean to you? What does MOBO Music mean to Ashanti?

Ashanti: I would say, the fact that we create the best music in the world. It’s a phenomenon, it’s amazing to be a part of that and it’s a passion. It comes from the soul, it comes from the heart. It can heal your heart, it can break your heart, but it’s all about that emotion. To have so many talented black artists doing what they love and being respected for it is definitely amazing.

Sam: Well, Miss Ashanti, it really has been an honour speaking with you.

Ashanti: Thank you so much.

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Ashanti’s fantastic new album ‘The Declaration’ is in stores & iTunes now. Do be sure to pick up a copy.
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Your thoughts on the Ashanti interview?

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  1. John October 6, 2008

    Thank you soo much! Amazing interview!!!

  2. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    Bravo!!

    Great interview.

    I love Ashanti..such a great personality.

  3. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    LOL ashanti hasnt had a decent song out since foolish/happy…the decleration was s*** sam and you know it was !
    you hate rihanna and you post more stuff about her then you ever do ashanti…
    pretending you like ashanti just to get an interview with her ? LOL… SAAAAAAD !!!

  4. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    ashanti SUCKS !

  5. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    ashanti couldnt sing a note in tune if her trotter trunk legs depended on it

  6. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    the reason ashanti is down to earth is because she has far too much money on her hands and far too much time….
    lazyness + money = ashanti = no hit singles and a flopping album !
    better luck next time flopanti !
    maybe the 1727th sorry 1726th album will be a hit !

  7. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    i saw ashanti live once, it was like listening too a sheep dog hurding in the cows !
    yes, AWFUL !

  8. Jamil Fordmiin October 6, 2008

    I guess some of y’all don’t like Ashanti!!! Great interview

  9. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    ashanti ?
    yawn……….
    if i wanted too listen to a yelping dog id be watching scrappy doo on TV

  10. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    HI HATERS!!!! I don’t know why people don’t just keep it moving if they see something about an artist they don’t like, I guess you have to be mature to do that!LOL Anyway, great interview Sam!

  11. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    great interview i love ashanti

  12. WILLIAM October 6, 2008

    ALL YOU MUTHA FUCKAZ NEED TO FALL THE HELL BACK, THIS IS THE BEST INTERVIEW BY FAR THAT THIS SITE HAS HAD, YOU GO BOY! GREAT QUESTIONS. ASHANTI IS HERE TO STAY AND ITS HATERS LIKE ALL OF YOU THAT KEEP HER MOTIVATED.. YOU TALK ALL THIS S*** ABOUT HER, YET YOU MAKE THE TIME TO COME IN HERE AND COMMENT DIDNT YOU SEE IT SAID “ASHANTI” ??? HELLO OBVIOUSLY SHE STILL CATCHES YOUR ATTENTION. F*** TARDS!

    THANKS FOR POSTING THIS!! LOVED IT!!!!!

    -SCREAM

    AND YEA I TYPED IN ALL CAPS AND I DONT GIVE A S***! HOLLA! GOASHANTI.COM HI HAYTAZ!

  13. william October 6, 2008

    GREAT INTERVIEW.. AYY HATERS OBVIOUSLY ASHANTI STILL HAS IT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS IF YOU ALL COME IN HERE AND HATE.. SHE HERE TO STAY!

    THOUGHT YOU KNEW!

  14. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    Thank you so much for posting this finally. I’m a big Ashanti fan so I’ve been waiting for awhile. You asked some great questions and this is the best interview I’ve read for her in a long time.
    Thanks

    A Ashanti Stan….and?

  15. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    her musics about as vibrant as her personality… on other words.. NOT VERY LOL !

  16. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    lmfaooo @ Will. GET THAT SHYT SON!!! :aim:

    Ashanti is the princess!! tnx for the interview Sam, you asked some good questions. I love that you mentioned Struggle.

  17. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    GREAT interview! Ashanti is on a ball this year! i cant wait 2 see her again! and im sure if all the haters eva saw her live they wouldnt be sayin wat dey sayin now! GET IT SHAN! :aim: :filesnails:

  18. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    damn all you haters habe way tooo much time on your hands, if you cant stand ashanti you should just keep it moving.

    anyways great interview, the questions were on point

  19. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    I really enjoyed reading this. Great iview sam.

    Keep them coming.

  20. Telly October 6, 2008

    Great interview Thanx for posting. Shani ALWAYS keeps it real 🙂

    HI HATERS *wave*

  21. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    Great Interview Sam! Props to you, for asking ALL the questions i put forth on a forum! Unlike some that say they’ll put forward fan questions! Soo glad you asked her about when she’s hitting up the UK again and what she has planned with pushin The Declaration out here!

    Haters YOU ONLY MAKE HER STRONGER!! so just carry on wasting your life obsessing about Ashanti! thanx!

  22. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    **********************************************

    Wow, I know there really are a bunch of hating people on here….

    Well I really wished you would have brought up the track “In These Streets.” That is my favorite track from the album…

    -Keenan G.

    Plus I can play the main piano loop from the song on the keyboard!

    **********************************************

  23. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    THANKK YOUUUUU….Gosh I love that girl

  24. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    Thank You! I Love This Chick So Much!!!

  25. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    OMG!!!THANK YOU!!you should do another interview with her in the future cuz this was a GREAT! read!

  26. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    THE DECLARATION WAS THE BEST ALBUM OF 2008!!!Nice interview hope you do many more i enjoyed reading it!

  27. Ms. Telia Shante Battle October 6, 2008

    Thanks for the interview ! Sam! Ashanti is doing big thiang ‘s this year you’re so blessed Ashanti ! keep it up!

  28. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    Whoa, I’m not a big fan of Ashanti’s either, but yo…some of these comments were evil and uncalled for…you know the girl is human right? GOD blessed her with an oppurtunity and she took it…so if you gonna be mad at anyone…be mad at GOD….
    Good interview Sam, Im in america and I love your blog site

  29. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    First of all Sam you did a great job interviewing Miss. Ashanti. Now to all the haters why do you hate on this young lady so much, What have she ever done to any of you. This young lady is very intelligent, beautiful and have alot going for herself, more than you haters on here putting her down and the fact that she did this album completely on her own is a plus and to sell 86,000 without the help of her so called label, you people need to quit hating and give her props. I am a big fan of hers and love all her music, so those of you that do not have anyhting nice to say, should shut the hell up. I think you guys are just hating because she talented and have a good looking hunk on her arm. Dont hate on people you don’t even know. The Declaration is on Fire, Oh Sam I hope she do release Struggle as her next single, that joint is hot and so is the rest of the album. GO ASHANTI. Hi Haters.

  30. AaronMichael[Songwriter] October 6, 2008

    I have to agree, I’m not really a fan of Ashanti either but some of you went overboard with the comments. It’s one thing to state your distaste for someone and a completely different thing to start casting judgement on things about them that you know nothing about.

    On the flip side, Sam, next time you have such lengthy interviews, don’t you think it would be more considerate of your readers to post some of the interview on the home page and have those that are interested in reading the rest to click to its individual page?

  31. shawneebear October 6, 2008

    I’m not the biggest fan because I think her voice is truly terrible but I guess she’ll be alright. Those first comments are awful though….verrrrrry mean lol.

  32. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    I’m not a fan of Ashanti but this was a great interview. Way to go, Sam…

  33. Anonymous October 6, 2008

    I’m from Detroit (MOTOWN) baby !! so I DAMN sho’ know good music when I hear it. Now, I’m no huge Ashanti fan, but I’m not mad at her talent. She may not be a Whitney or a Mary J, vocally, but WHO is ?? Her vocal ability is no worse then Keisha Cole, Ceria, Rihanna or any of these other young chicks out there. I think it’s just expeceted for people to hate on Ashanti’s talent, so many of you here are just following that beaten path.

    And thats too bad, because Ashanti is extremely talented on many levels, most importantly, she writes her OWN music….and that is a MAJOR accomplishment, alone.

    BTW, nice interview Sam,

  34. Anonymous October 7, 2008

    WHY SO MUCH HATE ON ASHANTI??

    I AM ALSO NOT A HUGE FAN ON ASHANTI, BUT I DO BELIEVE SHE CAN SING AND SHE SEEMS SO DOWN TO EARTH, WHICH IS NICE AND A GOOD THING.

    NOT EVERY SINGER COMES ACROSS LIKE THAT. SHE MAY NOT BE THIS BIG INTERNATIONAL STAR WHO SELLS MILLS WORLDWIDE BUT THAT DOESN’T MAKE HER WORTHLESS OR LESS GOOD THEN ALL THE OTHER FEMALE SINGERS OUT THERE.

    I WISH THE BEST FOR HER AND HOPE SHE SOON GETS HER BIG BREAK, MOST SINGERS NEED A BREAKTHROUGH TO GET NOTICE AND OUT THERE, EVEN THE LIKES OF BEYONCE AND DESTINYS CHILD DIDN’T START OF BIG, NEITHER DID RIHANNA UNTIL LAST YEAR.
    SOME TIMES IT TAKES TIME, TO REACH UR AIM AND TO GET TO THE TOP OF YOUR GAME.

    AT LEAST SHES MAKING MUSIC FOR HER FANS, WHO ENJOY HER MUSIC AND MOST OF ALL, AT LEAST SHE IS HUMBLE, DOWN TO EARTH AND UNDERSTANDING

    GOOD LUCK, ASHANTI

    THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH ROOM IN THE BIZ FOR EVERYONE AND AT LEAST ASHANTI IS NOT FLASHED IN OUR FACES CONSTANLY LIKE SOME PEOPLE!!!

  35. Anonymous October 7, 2008

    Ashanti, please with the “nobody has my story”. I’m sick of her saying that. She isn’t the only artist that had struggles in the industry and face label changes and album push backs. She act like she went through something so out of the norm.

    Ashanti is waiting for a breakthrough?! lol, she broke through when she first hit the scene. But then the world woke up and she has been falling off ever since.

  36. Michael October 7, 2008

    Some of these comments are rediculous :nope:

    Anyways, the interview was really great. Personally, I loved it. Ashanti is a very beautiful human being with an amazing voice to go with it. Everyone hates on her like it’s the thing to do these days, but throughout it all she’s still here. And guess what; she isn’t going anywhere. Keep doing your thing, Shan. You’ll always have my full support, through thick and thin. Love ya!!

    And to the haters:
    http://www.onlyashanti.com – maybe you can become an undercover stan. =]

  37. Anonymous October 7, 2008

    These comments are basically coming from one person that is why it is under anonymous….

    Great Great Interview! Ashanti is a talented sweetheart! 65 awards, 23 million albums sold, movie deals, clothing and perfume line, and now her own record label….. Tell me where you see a flop?????? You know you can tell when a person is humble and just by some of her answers, she is very humble and Tina did a great job in raising her. LOL @ that JSU for cancer part. She was right on the money but I am glad they all got along!

    BTW, Ashanti said “Everybody have a story but don’t no one has “My story” and she is right! It is her story so STFU with all the hate!

  38. Anonymous October 7, 2008

    this was a really good interview and I like the fact you asked her about the sales for her album. every step you take in life is a struggle and you over come that challenge by picking yourself right back up and trying again. Thank God she didn’t think about s******.

  39. Anonymous October 12, 2008

    I have been guiding Ashanti for a long time and it’s apparent that she is giving all of the credit to Nelly. I don’t believe her comments. I find her a bit insulting to my intelligence. Maybe because of Nelly, her sales are only 86,000 sold.

    I am glad that she only considers him as her guide. She better not burn the bridges that held her up or she will fall like humpty dumpty.

  40. Anonymous October 13, 2008

    I think Ashanti would have been more successful if she worked to her full potential.

    Why doesn’t she ever release the best stuff from here cd/album than what she believes would be a hit single.

    Her album came out and she hasn’t been on tour, no real radio promotion, and it seems like Motown doesn’t know how to market her music at all.

  41. Anonymous October 13, 2008

    Very nice interview Sam. Ashanti is great, and a great album too.

  42. Anonymous November 22, 2008

    This is Ashanti’s best album by far. She’s the female version of NeYo. Her writing will keep her paper flowing ! Love the song “Mother ” she dedicated to her mom. Keep your head up Ashanti !

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    it be wery like nice music ashanti wery good music

  46. kessa December 30, 2011

    awww ashanti is adorable. i wish her the best of success with her new album in 2012. LEGGOOOOO

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