With an album named Braveheart, I wish she would have shown more bravery by trying something new. Instead, it’s just the same ol’ Ashanti – same hot beats, same questionable vocals and hollow lyrics. At least Rawse is still sticking to his new year’s resolutions.Ĭonsidering all the struggles Ashanti faced in releasing Braveheart, this was her chance to bring something new to patiently-awaiting fans. At least he used “pickles in his salad” instead of Wing Stop for his obligatory food metaphor this time. It’s like someone turned on the DVD commentary.Īnd I won’t even get into the handful of “TURN UP” tracks like the sickeningly repetitive “Court” or “I Got It,” with Rick Ross rapping off topic about choppers and chickenheads, as usual. “(Scars) is a double-entendre, I guess.” Thanks, playa, we already figured that out. The midtempo track urges strength through struggles and succeeds – until Ashanti pops up at the end to give a rambling explanation of the lyrics. Most frustratingly, on “Scars,” by far the best track here, Ashanti gets in her own way yet again. The themes used on “3 Words” (I love you boo!) and “She’s Can’t” (“she ain’t got nuthin’ on me!”) don’t bring anything new to the table either. “Love Games” with Jeremih is endearing at times but lyrics like “I kiss you there/you kiss me back” sound straight out of seventh-grade fifth period. Much of the songwriting rings hollow as well. An industry veteran should know her range better than that. Seconds later, she yelling all over the track, hitting needless high notes – her vocals knock around like a drunken night of bumper cars. She knows she’s the underdog and is ready to prove her haters wrong and the track sounds like a woman ready to ride into war. That’s painfully apparent in the first track, “Intro/Braveheart”: “A lot of people counted me out/that feeds my hunger to continue my journey” she says on the atmospheric intro. Now we know Ashanti will never be confused with Whitney Houston’s but her last album, 2008’s The Declaration, showed signs of growth, in both vocal ability and songwriting. It’s the songwriting and lyrics, however, that prove to be Ashanti’s undoing. I just about broke my neck nodding my head to “Runaway,” which borrows from LL Cool J’s “I Shot Ya.” Bass guitars rumble through “Nowhere” while the single “Never Should Have” drives forward with marching percussion. That’s the case for Braveheart, which boasts some really solid beats. What should have been a triumphant return to the game winds up more like a visit from your hyperactive long-lost cousin – you’re happy to see her until she falls back into old, annoying habits.īut first, let’s talks about what works on the album.Īll of Ashanti’s biggest hits all have one thing in common – great production, often laced with familiar samples. However, the album has finally arrived, with hopes that it could be the best of times for the Princess of Hip Hop and R&B. Dre’s Detox, never to see the light of day. Many fans just assumed it was thrown in the cryogenic chamber with Dr. The worst? Her fifth album, Braveheart, has been floating around since at least 2011, with the release date pushed back further than LeBron’s hairline. It has been the best of times and the worst of times for Ashanti Douglas. Braveheart (to be released March 4, 2014) Ashanti has an estimated net worth of $40 million dollars. She ranked #17, with Foolish selling more than 7.4 million copies in the U.S. She also ended the decade at number 38 on the Top Artist of the Decade list. Jah93 - Love & Itection (Melodica Version) The second release from the Ashanti Selah label featuring another track from the forthcoming album with Dan I Locks on a unique 12" style formatted release. Ashanti ended the decade (2000–09) as the third top new R&B artist behind Alicia Keys and Beyoncé. Solid Foundation 12' EP by Dan I Locks, Jah93, Ashanti Selah, released 12 September 2017 1.
As of 2012, Ashanti has sold over 30 million records worldwide. In 2003, the self-titled debut album won Ashanti her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B album.
Ashanti broke records again by having three top ten songs, "Foolish," "What's Luv?" and "Always on Time", on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the same week, being the first woman to accomplish this feat and being second only to the Beatles. In the same week, she became the first female performer to simultaneously hold the top two places on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "Foolish", and "What's Luv?" (with Fat Joe). The album set a Soundscan record as the biggest opening week sales for a new female artist, outselling debuts by Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill. Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous debut album, which featured the hit song "Foolish", and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release throughout the U.S. Ashanti (born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas October 13, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.