Ashanti (singer)

Early life

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas came into the world on October 13, 1980, in Glen Cove, New York. Her mother, Tina, is an African American former dance teacher, and her father, Ken-Kaide Thomas Douglas, is also African American and used to sing. She is the eldest child, with a younger sister named Kenashia “Shia” Douglas. Tina chose her daughter’s name after the Ashanti Empire in Ghana, a place where women held power and influence, hoping Ashanti would follow that example.

Her grandfather, James, was a civil rights activist who worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s. When Ashanti was 12, her mother heard her singing Mary J. Blige’s “Reminisce” and realized she had real vocal talent. During high school, Ashanti started writing songs and performed at local talent shows and small festivals. She got an early taste of acting as a child extra in Spike Lee’s Malcolm X and Ted Demme’s Who’s the Man?, and appeared in music videos for KRS-One and 8-Off.

Despite interest from labels like Bad Boy and Jive, she couldn’t land a deal. She kept performing around New York and spent time at the Murder Inc. studio, waiting for her big break.

Career

Irv Gotti noticed Ashanti for her vocal skills and asked her to write hooks for his rap artists and perform duets. She first appeared as a background vocalist on Big Pun's "How We Roll" and later on Cadillac Tah's singles. In 2001, she was featured on the soundtrack for The Fast and the Furious, including a remake of Madonna's "Justify My Love" with Vita and the solo track "When a Man Does Wrong." She then appeared on Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" and Ja Rule's "Always on Time," both released simultaneously in 2002 and becoming major hits.

Ashanti became the first woman to hold the top two positions on the Billboard Hot 100 when "Always on Time" and "What's Luv?" were at numbers one and two. Her debut single "Foolish," which samples DeBarge's "Stay with Me," spent ten weeks atop the Hot 100. She became the second artist after The Beatles to have their first three chart entries in the top ten simultaneously. Her self-titled debut album, released in April 2002 on Murder Inc., debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, was certified triple platinum in the U.S., and sold six million copies worldwide.

She wrote all twelve tracks, most on the spot in the studio. Follow-up singles "Happy" and "Baby" peaked in the top ten and top twenty in the U.S., respectively. The album earned eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2003. She was also nominated for Best New Artist and "Foolish" for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and received a Comet Award and two Soul Train Music Awards that year.

Artistry

Ashanti has a lyric soprano voice type, described by critics as "pretty," "sultry," and "sweet but slight." AllMusic's Jason Birchmeier noted her reputation for using her "swooning voice" in duets with Big Pun, Fat Joe, and Ja Rule. As a child, she was influenced by Ella Fitzgerald, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Tupac Shakur, but cites Mary J. Blige as the main reason she pursued singing. Other musical influences include Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, and Blue Magic.

Philanthropy

In 2003, Ashanti partnered with LidRock and the Family Violence Prevention Fund to raise awareness about domestic violence during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, distributing a "Rain on Me" mini-movie via LidRock's platform. Proceeds from the $5 mini-disc went to stopping domestic violence.

She recorded a public service announcement that appeared on over 4,000 film screens. She also raises money for sickle cell research and supports the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In 2005, she recorded a PSA and raised funds for the Southeast Asia tsunami disaster and later for Hurricane Katrina victims.