Readers of That Grape Juice know what avid music lovers we are – especially of hits past.
So, just as our retrospective features ‘From the Vault’ and ‘TGJ Replay’ allow us the chance to re-spin the gems and jams of yesterday of one artist, our newest feature Chart Rewind – a variation of our current Retro Rewind assay – accedes salutes to an entire era of music history.
This week we’ll nod our heads to the beat of ‘Foolish’ – the official debut single from Grammy winning singer/songwriter Ashanti. The songstress, who had already made history for seeing her first three singles simultaneously place on Billboard’s Hot 100, would follow the feat by fueling ‘Foolish’ to dethrone Jennifer Lopez‘s ‘Ain’t It Funny’ from the top spot the week of April 20, 2002. The irony? Ashanti wrote the song’s remix and performed background vocals on it.
To say the girl was on fire – in front of and behind the scenes – was an understatement.
This week in 2002 Ashanti was in the middle of a historic 10 week reign atop the Billboard Hot 100, quickly proving herself to be the time’s true ‘princess of Hip-Hop/R&B.’ Tuck in below to see who else was making a splash alongside the singer this week that year:
Hot 100 This Week in 2002
Hot 100 This Week
See this week’s full chart check by clicking here.
![Performances: Halle Bailey, Ashanti, Gladys Knight, JoJo, Smokey Robinson, & More Rock NBC's 'A Motown Christmas' [Watch]](https://thatgrapejuice.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ashanti-gladys-knight-thatgrapejuice-motown-christmas-nbc-smokey-halle-bailey-jordin-sparks-jojo-464x260.jpg "Performances: Halle Bailey, Ashanti, Gladys Knight, JoJo, Smokey Robinson, & More Rock NBC's 'A Motown Christmas' [Watch].")
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Ashanti is a great song writer I been a fan ever since always on time I have ALL her albums and will always buy her stuff love her
Slay Ashanti
Why does it say “1988” in my address bar but not “2002”? Lol hehe!
Aww, Truth Hurts was the Mandy Moor/Mya of the Asunti/Tweet/Amerii era.
The early 2000s was SUCH a great period and time for Hip Hop & R&B music. Including Ashanti and Murder Inc (Ja Rule, Lloyd, the few Irv Gotti collabo singles, etc.) it just was a great time. So glad this was the period of time when I grew up. Songs like “Foolish,” “Down 4 U,” “Mesmerize,” “I’m Real,” are just epic and classic to that point in life and such good music. Shoutout to all the fans who admit and realize they were fans of Murder Inc despite their demise (as all Hip Hop labels see), because they truly owned the 2000-2004/5 era of music.
And even the others who began then like Tweet, Amerie, Christina Milian, Chingy, Bobby Valentino, Ludacris, Jennifer Lopez, Cassidy, Fabolous, Fat Joe, Jadakiss, Lumidee, Ciara, etc. The list goes on and on.
Great comment. I believe that’s what music is missing now. The variety of artists all slaying at once instead of just a handful.
Agree 100%!! And yup murder inc was on top…
Ashanti did her thing! Her music style and songwriting is still fresh today…Ashanti would sound great singing the hook and bridge on One Dance…Tell me, I need to know, where do you wanna go?…cause if you’re down, I’ll take it slooww…make you lose control…
she still looks the same too!
I agree I wonder why artist now a day don’t want to work with her she has a very unique voice..
This was the start of the Aaliyah Wanna Be’s.
Man…what happened?
Look at the way Ashanti and Usher just occupied the top four spots on the charts. She may have had a short run (2001 – 2005) but boy, what a run it was! The way she notched top 5 hit after hit on the BB Hot 100 between 2001 and 2002 was amazing! I’ll always have a soft spot for her because when I think of this era in music, I smile because it brings back so many warm memories 🙂
Here yall are giving a title to this flop artist. I dont be understanding why people be giving titles to artists who dont live up to the hype and or those titles or havent fully earned? Ashanti being labelled the princess of hip hop and R&B at one point in time is laughable. So she did nice numbers with her debut album and it broke a record or two. cool but it doesnt make her the princess of hip hop & R&B. she hadnt even been in the game for a good amount of time during that time to even earn that title. a lot of people still asking what happened to ashanti? not taking into account that ashanti been around all along putting out albums ever since her debut album. she just havent been successful withher music since her debut album which should tell yall she just got lucky with her first album. she has been unable to produce the same success more sucess half the success with all of her other albums like she did with her debut album. that isnt an artist who should have been given at one point in time the title princess of hip hop & R&B. ashanti hasnt had a hit since 2002 but she been putting out music throughout the years. and people needa stop comparing her and ja rules collaborations with Drake & Rihanna’s or Beyonce’s & Jay Z’s because Ja Rule and Ashanti only have two dope songs together and thats always on time and mesmerize. every other song they collabed on together with just the two of them are misses. I wish people would stop trying to make ashanti relevant today. stop trying to make her happen cause her music career is dead old and dusty. yall stay only talking about her debut album and her collaborations with Ja Rule and that old tired dusty record she broke with her debut album some 14 years ago LOL. ashanti fine an instagrm thottie and most of yall letting that cloud yalls judgement. lol
You just keep say the same ish over and over again!! Clown!!
says the CLOWN!! You funny and mad but hey… look yall don’t be mad at me for being real about Ashanti’s nonexistent music career. lol. I didn’t repeat nothing over again but lets just say if I did repeat what all I said over and over again… why yall mad?! lol Ashanti and fans stay stuck reminiscing about her past 2002 musical success with her debut album and the one or two records she broke and speak and repeat about it over and over again and yall not mad about that? lol its wha like a nostalgia for yall? ha. Ashanti hasnt made success with her music since 2002 nor or hasnt broken anymore records. Ashanti and fans dont have anything else to brag on about just only about her 2002 success. aint that a b lol like I said dont be mad at me for keeping it one hunnid. Ashanti just got lucky and it is why she hasnt been able to produce anymore success with in her music career. the fact that Ashanti been looking real good is why yall make so many excuses for why shes really garbage but being fine doesnt equate being a true talent. Ashanti isnt anymore a true talent than Rihanna is. They both just some fine b thats all to them. Yall also be overhyping her and ja rules collaborations that they ever did together. How can people say they have so many dope songs and or hits hwne they only have two? I say thats dat BS ha
Ashanti’s 1st album 7 million worldwide, 2nd 3 million world wide and her 3rd 1.6 million. Ja Rule and Ashanti has had 5 billboard top 10 collaborations, Always on time, Down for U, Mesmerize, Wonderful, The Pledge. Her career took a fall when murder inc went down. But you can’t deny her and Ja rule were banging out those hits, that everyone was vibing to.No need to hate on her resume. Please upload yours, so we can compare.
Sidebar note, she was one of the stars of seven 7 Army Wives, she wrote and performed a song for the 1st lady, Michele Obama, and she’s in a movie that came out last week, called Mothers Day. Not to mention she’s one of the executive producer’s.
*Season 7 of Army wives
jamon its no denying Murda Inc. was doing their thing back then and even before Ashanti was signed to that label. Theres also no denying that Ashanti’s music career declined to the point where today its nonexistent. and I dont agree nor or do I believe Irv Gotti and Ja Rules legal problems that took place some decade ago is responsible for why ashanti’s music career has been nonexistent. Ashanti didnt even have no parts to do with went down. Ashanti and fans just use that situation as an excuse for why she isnt successful in her music career today. and a lot of fans always talking about ja rule and ashanti the DUO thats supposedly better than drake and rihanna jay z and beyonce yet they wanna name songs that arent just ja rule and ashanti.down 4 u, the pledge, wonderful arent songs that only they were on. remember we talking about ashanti and ja rule the better DUO. always on time and mesmerize are the only two dope songs they have together as a duo.
I still can’t believe how fast this girl fell from grace. Her debut was my ish… good time in music
It wasn’t really her fault. It was Murder Inc fault.
Ashanti was the SH!T!! Music was so good back then. Full circle. I wish it wasn’t only select artist and trends running the charts now.
Music sucks now
I miss this era!!! 🙁
Truth Hurts, tweet, Ashanti, Amarie!!!!
I remember bumping to all these songs in my CD player on my way to school in the city bus I miss Limewire! Lmao……
Yeah their were the days. Things were greater during just the start of the digital music era. I loved still being able to go into record stores as a kid. So thrilling!
Ashanti did her thing.
That 2002 list is not that good really. Most songs from that list are totally irrelevant now. Music took a dip from 2000 and on in general.
Ashanti did her thing back in the day and music was the good jam back in 2000-2002. However the record label is @ fault for Ashanti music