The year was 2002 and Ashanti had added another global chart-topper to her name when Fat Joe collaboration ‘What’s Luv?’ took over the music landscape.
However, the rapper – who, in recent years, has become renowned for his candid storytelling – revealed to her on Instagram Live that the song was on the cusp of sounding very different. Primarily because plans were in place for not to feature.
Full story below…
With a stunned Ashanti watching on, Joe informed her that Ja Rule and Irv Gotti (her Murder INC comrades at the time) brought the track to him with her voice on it.
Yet, it was presented to him as a possible Jennifer Lopez collab, with a view of pushing what he recounted as a “Latino vibe.”
He went on to suggest that it was at his insistence that she was kept on the track because she sounded so good.
Watch the moment:
Yesterday, Fat Joe told Ashanti that Irv and Ja wanted to take her off “What’s Luv” and replace her with JLo instead to make it “for the Latinos.”
Ashanti never knew! pic.twitter.com/uTyNrmGOL6
— Ivie Ani (@ivieani) May 16, 2020
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Those who recall that time will remember how much of a machine the Murder INC entity was. Not just as a stable of artists, but by merit of how much they were writing for acts outside of their immediate camp. Case in point, Ashanti’s much-discussed involvement in J.Lo’s ‘I’m Real.’
Granted Joe’s comments are eyebrow-raising to say the least (as evidenced by Ashanti’s reaction throughout the clip), it’s only fair to highlight that convos such as the one he says he had with Ja and Irv are more common than not in the music industry. Harsh? Yes. Unfair? Arguably. The reality? Absolutely.
That aside, would you have been here for J.Lo on ‘What’s Luv?’
![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].")
Back when everybody was helping try make Jennifer Lopez into JLo. Tommy Mottola stealing Mariah’s samples to hand ’em to JLo, Ashanti singing and JLo taking public opinion credit, Puffy hooking up with her to hook her up with producers of the moment, then Ben Affleck appearing in her videos to boost her basic sing-along-ers. 🔬👀
Tommy Mottola stealing Mariah’s samples = just 1 sample
Ashanti singing and JLo taking public opinion credit= just the background of 2 song even it’s not only Ashanti’s voices they are mixed, but the problem is your are so ignorant and replay everything you read . Any jlover or Ashanti fan who can recognize them voices can tell you.
Puffy hooking up with her to hook her up with producers of the moment = even that was a bad thing ?
then Ben Affleck appearing in her videos to boost her basic sing-along-ers. = I’m mean… you said “videos” on plural . Lol. You are so piece of hate, tell me how many videos Ben Affleck appear on Jennifer’s videography besides Jenny from the block, please we need to know ALL the videos are Ben on her videos.
J-hoo doesnt sing actually .. back vocal sings ( if u had my love & i’m Real) she only says “yea yea” …
Also j-ho stole “do you know where u going to”
Big big mistake to put ashanti and not jlo. With jennifer the song sure would be a global hit , like many of yours favs r&b /hip hop singers that are only knew in usa
The song is a global hit… all women know this song. People just hate that a black woman didn’t have her talent stolen this time.
Jlo should took that hit too to bad but she don’t need it
big big and big mistake to put ashanti instead jennifer.
like many of yours favourites singers that are only knew in usa
with jlo im sure the song could have been a global hit .
Are you an idiot it was a worldwide hit lmao.
Guy, j-ho wasnt singing already . She uses background singers
Same thing they tried to do with Nicki Minaj tried to replace Her with a Latina named CardiB, but that ain’t work well she’s still recovering from that KNOT at Fashion Week
Cardi and her 3 #1 hits, and her GRAMMY are unbothered. Also, let’s not forget Cardi’s first #1 single was SOLO. We know some people can’t relate 😩😘🙂🙂
Why is it hard for y’all to believe that Nicki was sabotaged 🤣 plenty of industry folk say that labels had been trying to take her down and Atlantic figured Cardi could so they pushed her
A knot that was given to her by security, not Nicki’s scary a$$. I’d be fine with whoever can take ole girl out. And make sure to take her deranged fans with her.
And cardi b album still sitting at number 80 on billboard 200 hater 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 After 2 years 😂😂😂😂😂
They hate to see it 🤣 Cardi isn’t going anywhere!
The correct decision was made. Ashanti was the best choice, love her voice!! She was getting those hits back in 2002.
Joe is messy for that
No one could have done that song like ashanti did it.
It was a smash in the UK and number 1 in the states… what more did yall want?
#2 In the states.
The title doesn’t make sense though.
Everybody knows JLo didn’t sing her own hooks so Ashanti probably would’ve been on the track anyway.
Not a big Ashanti fan, but I prefer her sound over JLO’s any day. Ashanti could’ve been bigger. Someone held her back.
JLO owe her success to people like P Diddy and Irv. Gotti. She did hustle to keep the flow, though.
How much you wanna bet that Ashanti vocals would’ve been left on that track as well? 🤣 They really tried to keep this girl as a demo singer and Jlo’s ghost vocalist. Glad she had her moment in 2002
Can we discuss the fact Ashanti is 39 !!!! Thats the black don’t crack figurehead right there !!!!