Ashanti
Ashanti modeling at The Heart Truth Fashion Show in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas
Born	(1980-10-13) October 13, 1980 (age 31) Glen Cove, New York United States
Genres	R&B, hip hop, hip hop soul
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, model
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1994–present
Labels	Jive (1994–1997) Epic (1998–2000) The Inc. (2001–2009) Written Entertainment (2010–present) E-One Music (2012-present)
Website	Official website

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas (born October 13, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, model and actress. She rose to fame in the early 2000s. 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. in April 2002. 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.^[1] 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). 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.^[2] In 2003, the self-titled debut album won Ashanti her first Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B album. As of 2008, she has sold more then 15 million records worldwide.^[3] Ashanti ended the decade (2000–09) as the third top new R&B artist behind Alicia Keys and Beyoncé.^[4] She also ended the decade at number 38 on the Top Artist of the Decade list.^[5] She ranked #17, with Foolish selling more than 7.4 million copies in the U.S.^{[citation needed]}.

Ashanti sang background vocals for Jennifer Lopez on "I'm Real (Murder Remix)" and wrote and sang background on the song "Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix)" sung by Jennifer Lopez, both reaching number one on Billboard Hot 100, which was also in the top 10 charts at the same time as "Foolish", "Always on Time" (with Ja Rule), and "What's Luv" (with Fat Joe).^[6] Later that year, she was acclaimed as the "Princess Of Hip-Hop & R&B"^[7][8][9] by her label and capped off her successful debut by winning eight Billboard awards and two American Music Awards. Within seven years of Ashanti's career, she has scored 16 top 40 hits on the Hot 100. Ashanti has endorsed numerous products including Gap, Herbal Essences and Mudd Jeans.

Ashanti cites Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Tupac Shakur, Mary J. Blige, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Yolanda Adams, Luther Vandross, The Beatles, The Clark Sisters, Smokey Robinson, Donna Summer, and Blue Magic as her musical influences.^[10][11] Praised as a gifted songwriter by her peers and critics alike, Ashanti has written/co-written the bulk of all her music. She is currently working on her own publishing company entitled Written Entertainment. She released her fourth studio album entitled The Declaration on June 3, 2008 and is currently in the studio working on her fifth.^[12] She also performed the charity tune "Just Stand Up" alongside 15 other female singers for the "Stand Up to Cancer" live television special which helped raise $100 million dollars for cancer research.^[13]

Life and Career[link]

1980-00: Early life and Career Beginnings[link]

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas^[14] was born on October 13, 1980,^[15] in Glen Cove, New York.^[16] Her mother, Tina Douglas, is a former dance teacher, and her father, Ken-Kaide Thomas Douglas, is a former singer. She has a younger sister named Kenashia. Her mother named her after the Ashanti Empire in Ghana; in this nation, women had power and influence, and Ashanti's mother wanted her daughter to follow that model.^[17] Her grandfather, James, was a civil rights activist who associated with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s.^[18] Growing up, Ashanti took dance lessons and joined the church choir. Ashanti went to Bernice Johnson Cultural Arts Center, where she studied different dance styles, including tap, jazz, ballet, African, modern, and hip hop. She danced with the Senior Pro Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Avery Fisher Hall, and the Black Spectrum Theater. She also performed at the 1994 Caribbean Awards and dancing with Judith Jamison of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. With actress and choreographer Debbie Allen at the helm, Ashanti also performed in the Disney television film Polly alongside stars Keshia Knight Pulliam, Jomecia Moore and Phylicia Rashad.Ashanti has Dominican decedent in her family. When she was 3 years old, Ashanti sang in a gospel choir called having some fun and the handsome pigeons, but her mother discovered her full singing potential when she overheard Ashanti singing Mary J. Blige's "Reminisce" at age 12.^[19] By the time Ashanti hit puberty, her mother was sending out demo tapes of her singing and dancing. The family could not afford to go to a studio and record a formal demo, so when labels called, Ashanti would have to sing 'i'm a little teapot' in front of the record company executives. While attending high school, she began to write songs. As a teenager, she performed in a local talent show and at the Soul Cafe, China Club, Madison Square Garden, Caroline's Comedy Club and Greek Fest 2000.^[20] In her first major singing performance, Ashanti performed Yolanda Adams's "More Than a Melody". She also appeared in a number of big-name music videos, in addition to other dance work.

Ashanti got her first taste of acting as a child extra in the Spike Lee directed movies Malcolm X and Who's the Man?. She also started as a dancer in the Disney TV film Polly.^[21] After success with her music career, Ashanti had a cameo appearance in the film Bride and Prejudice, in which she sang "My Lips are Waiting" and "Touch My Body". Ashanti's appearance in the film was meant as homage to a tradition in Bollywood films where a celebrity would make a cameo appearance to sing a song that has no direct involvement in the plot. The rest of the characters do not interact with the celebrity but are seen in the crowd enjoying the show. When Ashanti was 14, she was discovered by P.Diddy's Bad Boy Records. Initially, she went to Bad Boy Records and sang one of Mary J. Blige's songs in front of P.Diddy and Biggie Smalls. After being impressed by her singing ability, Diddy had her sign to a development deal. In the end, due to a bad contract, Ashanti did not sign with Diddy. This ultimately led to a record deal with Jive Records in 1994. This relationship soured when Jive tried to make Ashanti into a pop singer.^[22] Ashanti subsequently involved herself in schoolwork, cheerleading, and running on her school's track team. She was an honor student in English and belonged to the English club where she began writing poetry. She was also in the Drama club and performed in a few plays. She put college pursuits aside when Epic Records approached her with a contract in 1998. However, the label's management changes quickly made Ashanti a low priority. She continued to perform at local New York clubs and began hanging out at the Murder Inc. recording studio, hoping for another big break.^[23]

[edit] 2001-02: Murder Inc and Debut album: Ashanti

Ashanti was first noticed by Irv Gotti because of her vocal skills.^[24] Ashanti initially asked him to produce a few demo songs for her to record so she could say she had some strong tracks by the big time producer but Gotti had a different idea. He asked her to pen hooks for his rap artists and to perform with them in duets. Ashanti provided the melodic response to their call. Ashanti was first featured as a background vocalist on rapper Big Pun's song "How We Roll". In the same year, Ashanti was featured on fellow labelmate Cadillac Tah's singles "Pov City Anthem" and "Just Like a Thug". She also appeared on the 2001 The Fast and the Furious soundtrack as a featured artist on Vita's 2001 hip hop remake of Madonna's "Justify My Love" and on the solo track "When a Man Does Wrong". She appeared as a background vocalist on "I'm Real (Murder Remix)", a collaboration by labelmate Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez (she also appeared in the music video for "Aint It Funny (Murder Remix)", the second duet between Lopez and Rule, for which she wrote and also sang background vocals on), and was featured on Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" and Ja Rule's "Always on Time". "What's Luv?" and "Always on Time" were released simultaneously and became two of the biggest hit songs of 2002. Ashanti became the first female to occupy the top two positions on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously when "Always on Time" and "What's Luv?" were at numbers one and two, respectively.

Following the success of her collaborations with Ja Rule and Fat Joe, Ashanti released her debut single, "Foolish", which contains a sample of the 1983 song "Stay with Me" by DeBarge (also utilized by The Notorious B.I.G. in his 1995 single "One More Chance", and by Big L in "MVP"). This is her biggest song to date, spending ten weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100. She became the second artist (after The Beatles) to have their first three chart entries in the top ten of the Hot 100 simultaneously. Ashanti's self-titled debut album, Ashanti, was released on Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. record label in April 2002. It debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 albums chart. The album has been certified triple platinum in the United States and sold over six million copies worldwide.^[25] Ashanti wrote the album's twelve tracks, most of which were written on the spot in the studio. 2002 saw the birth of the careers of many new R&B artists and 'rivals' against Ashanti including Amerie, Tweet, and Nivea. Ashanti's dominance of the R&B world was certified as she had a song in the top ten of the R&B/hip-hop charts every week from January to November 2002. Ashanti's follow-up singles, "Happy" and "Baby", were not as successful as her debut single but peaked inside the top ten and top twenty in the U.S., respectively. During mid 2002, Ashanti appeared on Ja Rule's "Down 4 U" with labelmates, female rappers Vita and Charli Baltimore. The song appeared on a Murder Inc. compilation titled Irv Gotti Presents The Inc. Ashanti's debut album earned her many awards, including eight Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, and a Grammy Award in 2003 for Best Contemporary R&B Album. She was nominated as Best New Artist and "Foolish" was nominated in the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance category. FHM credited her as the "Sexiest Woman in Music" in 2002. She also received a Comet Award and two Soul Train Music Awards that same year.

Ashanti became the subject of controversy when it was announced that she would receive the Soul Train Aretha Franklin Award for "Entertainer of the Year", a high school student took offense and started an on-line petition against her, explaining to The Seattle Times that she was too new to deserve the award. Nearly 30,000 people agreed with him, signing the petition.^[26] Many said that established artists such as Mary J. Blige and Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott or critically acclaimed singers like Alicia Keys and India.Arie were more deserving of an award that carries the name of a musical legend. Despite the petition, the Soul Train committee and Don Cornelius stuck by their decision and Ashanti. Ashanti was applauded by her musical peers as she entered the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to accept her award and she was supported onstage by legendary singer Patti LaBelle, who stated "she's a baby and we have to support our babies."^[27][28] In September 2002, Ashanti and her sister Kenashia appeared on the first DisneyMania CD, which was released under Walt Disney Records and features contemporary Disney songs. Ashanti and her sister sang "Colors of the Wind" from the Disney film Pocahontas. By early 2003, Ashanti had performed at every major award show there was: Soul Train Awards, Grammy's, BET Awards, MTV Awards and the American Music Awards. In 2003, Ja Rule and Ashanti collaborated on another hit song, "Mesmerize", the music video for which was a parody of a scene from the film Grease. In February 2003, the self titled debut album had her win her first Grammy award for Best Contemporary R&B album. On May 2, 2002 Ashanti received the key to the city of Glen Cove, New York (her hometown), and the day was named Ashanti Day; Ashanti also received a key to the city of Atlantic City, New Jersey (she was crowned princess of hip hop and R&B).^[29][30]

[edit] 2003: Chapter II and Ashanti's Christmas

In July 2003, Ashanti released her second album, Chapter II, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 326,000 copies in the U.S.. The album went Platinum, selling over 1.5 million copies in U.S.^[31] The album's success was somewhat eclipsed, however, by all the negative drama surrounding the Murder Inc. camp at the time (i.e., the FBI investigation and the G-Unit feuding). Chapter II's first single, "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)", became a hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. Its video, which showed Ashanti in a bikini frolicking on a beach and riding an elephant named Bubbles, was nominated for two 2003 MTV Video Music Awards. A remix of the song contains interpolations of Michael Jackson's "Rock with You". The second single, "Rain on Me", reached the number-seven spot on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot 100 R&B Songs chart. Chapter II was nominated for a 2004 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, and "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)" and "Rain on Me" were nominated in the categories of Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, respectively. At the end of 2003 in November, Ashanti performed at The American Music Awards and was nominated in two categories. In the "Rain on Me" mini-movie music video—directed by Hype Williams and co-starring Larenz Tate—Ashanti portrays a troubled young woman in an abusive relationship. Her song and lyrics combined with William's visuals to impart the power and horror of the cycle of domestic violence. Ashanti partnered with LidRock to distribute this mini-movie using LidRock's unique platform. This promotion, in conjunction with heavy rotation on MTV, BET and other music video programs, brought the film and her cause to the attention of millions of fans. It also helped to raise money for the cause, with proceeds from the $5 mini-disc going toward helping to stop domestic violence. She received a Lifetime Channel Achievement Award for her message speaking out against domestic violence.^[32] Ashanti was scheduled to join Mariah Carey on the U.S. leg of her Charmbracelet World Tour, but due to scheduling issues, she, instead, became the opening act for R.Kelly's five-date tour in mid 2003 instead. In May 2003, Ashanti appeared on VH1 Divas and performed her single "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)". She also participated in duets with Stevie Wonder (who later gave her the nickname Little Libra) on "Do I Do", and the Isley Brothers on "That Lady". That same year, she began dating rapper Nelly.

In November 2003, Ashanti's Christmas album, Ashanti's Christmas was released. The album containing 10 Christmas songs, six classic covers and four she wrote herself. To coincide with the release Ashanti premiered a "Christmas Medley" video for the album. While on BET's 106 & Park, Ashanti said the concept of the Christmas Album came from a guest spot she did on Steve Harvey's radio show. While playing a game with Stevie Wonder, he began playing Christmas medleys on the piano and Ashanti began singing them, giving her label head the idea to push for a Christmas Album. Ashanti went into the studio to record the album during the summer of 2003. Ashanti's Christmas was released that October and sold just around 100,000 units in the U.S.

[edit] 2004-07: Concrete Rose, Collectibles by Ashanti and Acting

Ashanti in 2005, performing at the United Service Organizations tour.

Before Concrete Rose was released, Ashanti did some major promotion for her single Only U, when she premiered it at the 2004 Vibe Music Awards. In 2004, Ashanti was invited back to perform at VH1's Divas 2004. She appeared on stage with Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Jessica Simpson, and others. She performed Diana Ross' single "I'm Coming Out", and she performed a soul-influenced rendition of Chaka Khan's funk driven "Ain't Nobody". Later that year Ashanti collaborated with male R&B newcomer and labelmate Lloyd on the song "Southside", which was released as his debut single and was a moderate hit. "Wonderful"—with Ja Rule and R. Kelly—peaked at number five in the U.S. and at number one in the UK, and "Jimmy Choo" with rapper Shyne reached number fifty-five on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart. Alongside artist such as Wyclef Jean, Mary J. Blige, Eve, Brandy, Fabolous, Jadakiss, Missy Elliott, and many others, Ashanti participated in a cover of "Wake Up Everybody" in support of ACT, the left-leaning political action committee.

In December 2004, Ashanti released her third studio album, Concrete Rose, the title of which took on Tupac Shakur's pseudonym "The Rose That Grew from Concrete". The album debuted at number seven in the U.S with first week sales of 254,000 copies, and eventually became her third platinum certified album. The first single, the gold-certified "Only U", reached number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and became her biggest hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at number two. A second single, the ballad "Don't Let Them", garnered little chart success after Def Jam refused to fund a music video due to Irv Gotti's legal troubles during his money laundering trial. Ashanti used her own money to deliver the second video to her fans, with Gotti acting as director. The single was released only in the U.S., where it failed to chart, and the UK, where it reached the lower end of the top forty. In 2005, Ashanti graced the stage at the MTV Japan Music Awards, where she performed her hit single, Only U. She also won a Style award during the show. She performed alongside huge acts like Mariah Carey and Korean star Rain. After the release of Concrete Rose, Ashanti released the DVD Ashanti: The Making of a Star, which was available only for a limited time. The deluxe DVD includes exclusive photo and video shoot footage, music from the albums Ashanti, Chapter II and Concrete Rose, special concert footage, unreleased childhood school performances and behind-the-scenes interviews with family, friends, and fans. The DVD was also repackaged along with the film Coach Carter. Later in 2005, Ashanti was invited to Oprah Winfrey's Legends Ball, which honored some of the most influential and legendary African American women of the twentieth century in the fields of art, entertainment, and civil rights. In December 2005, Ashanti released a remix album of Concrete Rose titled Collectables by Ashanti. It features six remixes of previously released tracks and four newly recorded songs, including the single "Still on It", which features rappers Paul Wall and Method Man. The album was an opportunity for her to fulfill her contract with Def Jam (and have the option of working with another label), and did not fare well on the charts.

In January 2005, she made her feature film acting debut in the film Coach Carter alongside Samuel L. Jackson, which debuted at number one opening weekend. She played a pregnant teenager named Kyra who has to decide whether or not to abort her unborn child. The movie opened at number-one at the U.S. box office, eventually grossing $67 million in the U.S. Later in 2005, Ashanti beat out Hilary Duff and Jessica Simpson to star as Dorothy Gale in the made-for-television film The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, which pulled in nearly 8 million viewers.^[33] In 2006, she starred in the teen comedy John Tucker Must Die, which opened and peaked at number three at the U.S. box office (competing with Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Miami Vice) and grossed $68,818,076 worldwide.^[34] Ashanti played Heather, the head cheerleader who participates in a vengeful scheme against John Tucker, her unfaithful boyfriend and the school's biggest heartthrob. Ashanti can also be found on Buffy the Vampire Slayer season 7 episode 14: "First Date" and on Sabrina the Teenage Witch season 7 episode 3: "Call Me Crazy". In 2007, Ashanti appeared in the sci-fi horror action Resident Evil: Extinction as a nurse named Betty. The film entered at number one at the box office grossing $53,678,580 in its opening week. To date the movie has grossed $83,648,679 at the US box office and around $197,713,442 worldwide. This is Ashanti's second number one movie, the other being Coach Carter. Ashanti is set to showcase her style in a book, titled Ashanti Style, which will be published in late 2007.^{[dated info]} The book, which is being touted as Ashanti's "life and style guide" will offer fans a behind-the-scenes look into her style, both in her personal and professional life. Ashanti Style will be published by Jump at the Sun, an imprint of Disney's Hyperion Books for Children. Another venture Ashanti has enlisted in is her own handbags and pocketbook, revealed in 2007. In July 2008 Ashanti was named an ambassador of tourism for Nassau County, Long Island.^[35]

[edit] 2008-09: The Declaration, Departure from The Inc. and The Wiz

Ashanti in 2008.

Her fourth studio album, The Declaration, was released on June 3, 2008.^[36] and sold 86,000 units it's first week of release, which were the lowest first week sales for any of Ashanti's studio albums. In mid 2007, MTV News reported that the first single from The Declaration was "Switch",^[37] which was produced by Shy Carter and released digitally in the United States on July 24, 2007. It was later reported that "Switch" may not be included on the album's track listing, and that the first single would be "Hey Baby (After the Club)" it was released to radio and digital outlets on October 16. The song, which does not appear on the U.S. editions of the album, peaked at number eighty-seven on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "The Way That I Love You", was released to radio and digital outlets in January 2008, was referred to as the "first single" in press material and media reports.^{[38][39][40][41]} It reached number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Ashanti's first song to reach the top forty since "Only U" in 2004. "Body On Me" was recorded not only for Ashanti's The Declaration, but also for Nelly's fifth studio album Brass Knuckles. The track is produced by Akon and Giorgio Tuinfort. It went to number one on Billboard's Hot Videoclip Tracks chart in its first week, becoming the first number one single from Nelly's album."Good Good" was released to urban radio stations on July 16, 2008.^[42] The song contains elements of Elton John's 1974 single "Bennie and the Jets", and has the same melody arrangement as Michael Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine".

In May 2009, Irv Gotti announced that he was officially releasing Ashanti from The Inc. Records,^[43] stating that "The relationship has run its course. The chemistry of what's needed — we're in two totally different places. You're talking to somebody that took her and shaped and molded her and put her out there for the world, and it blew up. We [hold the record] for the [fastest] selling debut by a female R&B artist — 503 [thousand]. We did it! My views and philosophies and her views and philosophies are not meeting up." Gotti also admitted that he and Ashanti have not spoken to each other in a long time. A rep for Ashanti did not respond. On September 24, 2009, Ashanti announced her fifth studio album would be released from her new label, Written Entertainment.

Ashanti headlined the cast of The Wiz in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars staging from June 12 to July 5, 2009.^[44] Ashanti's role as Dorothy has since received mixed reviews from critics as most praised her vocals but was less pleased with her acting ability. BET and Entertainment Weekly both praised the singer's performance^[45] as The New York Post and New York Times gave lukewarm reviews. Though the first night was sold out, some of the other shows were unable to follow its success.^[46] On October 27, 2008, Ashanti took part in The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken, a one night only concert to celebrate the Fifth anniversary of Wicked, featuring songs written by Stephen Schwartz, that were cut from the show.

[edit] 2011-present: Braveheart, I Love Cinema and Coach Carter II

Ashanti confirmed via twitter that she is currently in the studio working on her fifth album, that is being released off her own record label Written Entertainment. Ashanti is rumored to be working with a slew of producers and artist, thus far this is all that has been verified... LT Hutton, Dr. Dre, Game, Theron Feemster aka Neff-U, Cool & Dre, Warryn Campbell, Carvin & Ivan, Common, Darkchild and Tank who co-wrote and co-produced with her the song Paradise. The release date was initially April 17, 2012, however, the release date got pushed back to June 19, 2012. It was later pushed back yet again, the new release date is August 28, 2012.^[47]. In July 2011 a promo picture was released, rap-up revealed she has been in the studio with big names including Dr. Dre, Game, and Lil Wayne, and Ashanti has said that a single is coming "very soon". Single titles include “Paradise” and “She Can’t.”^[48] R. Kelly joins the singer on a track titled ‘That’s What We Do’, whilst Keyshia Cole appears on ‘Woman To Woman’.^[49]

Ashanti released her first song in three years, "Never Too Far Away" will serve as the title track to Morgan Creek's film Dream House starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz with Naomi Watts. Ashanti also confirmed via her Twitter account that the song will be on her upcoming fifth Album but is not her first single. Ashanti revealed the title of the 1st single from her 5th studio album via NBC Today Show, the single is called 'No Good', the single title was later changed to "The Woman You Love".^[50] The lead single from her fifth studio album, The Woman You Love featuring American rapper Busta Rhymes was released online on December 15th 2011.^[51] Ashanti said on her official Twitter account that the song would be released onto iTunes on 16 December with a new promo picture.^[52] Ashanti via UStream released snippets of some of her songs from her upcoming 5th studio album which included 'The Woman You Love', 'Never Too Far Away', 'She Can't', 'Paradise', 'Blow' and 'Get Lost Together'.

Ashanti is in talks to be in the sequel to Coach Carter and is executive producing and starring in a movie called I Love Cinema. “The character that I play is very different for me,” she shared. “It’s a little bit more risqué, more sexy than I’ve ever been. It’s weird because she almost has a split personality. She’s a teacher, but she has one of those sides.”^[53]

Artistry[link]

Voice[link]

Ashanti's voice type is a Lyric Soprano. At her highest note she can reach a G6 and at her lowest she can reach an E3. Her vocal range is a 3.3 octaves (E3-G6).^[54]

Influences[link]

She cites Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Prince, Tupac Shakur, Marvin Gaye, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Blue Magic, Smokey Robinson, Luther Vandross, The Clark Sisters, Mary J. Blige, and Donna Summer amongst her musical influences.

Philanthropy[link]

Ashanti modeling at a charity fashion show to benefit The Heart Truth, February 2008

In 2003, Ashanti partnered LidRock and the San Francisco-based Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) to raise awareness about the issue of domestic violence during National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and to distribute the "Rain On Me" mini-movie using LidRock’s unique platform. Proceeds from the $5 mini-disc went towards helping to stop domestic violence. Ashanti also recorded a public service announcement that appeared in more than 4,000 film screens and reached millions of people.^[55] Ashanti also gives back by raising money for sickle cell research and she is active in helping the Make-A-Wish Foundation stating, "I’ll go and do just about anything for them."^[56] In 2005, Ashanti helped by recording public service announcement and raising money for the Southeast Asia tsunami disaster.^[57] Later that year she helped raise money for the Hurricane Katrina victims and storm evacuees.^[58] In 2008, Ashanti, along with others celebrities, taped a PSA to help stop violence and discrimination towards the LGBT community in response to the death of Lawrence King, an eighth-grader at E.O. Green Junior High School who was shot because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. That same year, she launched a special on-line campaign called "I Declare Me..." with Wal-Mart. The campaign's core is a very personal focus on the self-definition and empowerment of women across the United States, with its home base at Ashanti's official website. The campaign creates a safe and inclusive on-line space to for women to share testimonies on the site. Participants are able to openly declare their own breakthroughs, revelations, struggles and victories in every life area they choose: career, birth, death, relationships, and personal situations. "I Declare Me..." also invites women to a virtual discussion with Ashanti on such issues as voter registration, teen obesity, and other concerns facing women today.^[59]

In September 2009, Ashanti, along with other artists Mariah Carey, Beyoncé Knowles, Mary J. Blige, Rihanna, Fergie, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Natasha Bedingfield, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, Leona Lewis, LeAnn Rimes and Carrie Underwood, teamed up for the song "Just Stand Up!". The charity tune for cancer was conceived by Antonio "L.A." Reid, who produced it with longtime creative colleague Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds. All 15 singers (along with Nicole Scherzinger) shared the stage to perform the song live on Sept. 5 2008 during the "Stand Up to Cancer" television special, which aired simultaneously on ABC, NBC and CBS, and helped raise $100 million dollars for cancer research.^[13] As a result of SU2C fund raising endeavors, the SU2C scientific advisory committee, overseen by the American Association for Cancer Research was able to award 73.6 million dollars towards novel, groundbreaking cancer research in 2009.^[60]

In November 2009, Ashanti joined the crew of ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The singer assisted in the rebuilding of the Powell Family home in Buffalo, New York. The efforts from the show expanded significantly to include not just the family home but the entire neighborhood surrounding it. The episode aired January 24, 2010.

Discography[link]

• Ashanti (2002)
• Chapter II (2003)
• Concrete Rose (2004)
• The Declaration (2008)
• Braveheart (2012)

Filmography[link]

Films

• The Muppets' Wizard of Oz (2005)
• Coach Carter (2005)
• John Tucker Must Die (2006)
• Resident Evil Extinction (2007)

Television

• Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (2002)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Series) (2003)
• WrestleMania XIX (Opening: America the Beautiful) (2003)
• The Proud Family (voice) (2003)
• Pepsi Smash (Commercial) (2003)
• Punk'd (2004)
• Oxygen: Custom Concert (2004)
• Las Vegas (TV series) (2005)
• 2007 World Series (Opening: 'God Bless America') (2007)
• NFL Thanksgiving Classic CBS (Opening: 'National Anthem') (2007)
• BET Awards Nomination Special "I Wanna Thank My Mama" (host) (2008)
• Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2010)

Theater

• The Wiz (2009)

Awards[link]

	Book: Ashanti
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Laufenberg, Norbert B. (2005). Entertainment Celebrities. Trafford Publishing. ISBN 1-4120-5335-8. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ashanti (singer)

• Official website
• Ashanti at the Internet Movie Database
• Ashanti at the Internet Broadway Database

Patti LaBelle
LaBelle in Zang Toi at The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection Fashion Show, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Patricia Louise Holte
Also known as	Patricia Edwards
Born	(1944-05-24) May 24, 1944 (age 68)
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, pop, soft rock, gospel
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actress
Years active	1958–present
Labels	Epic, Philadelphia Int'l, MCA, Def Soul Classics, Umbrella, Bungalo
Associated acts	Labelle, Michael McDonald, Mary J. Blige
Website	pattilabelle.com

Patricia Louise Holte-Edwards (born May 24, 1944), better known under the stage name, Patti LaBelle, is a Grammy Award winning American singer, author and actress who has spent over 50 years in the music industry. LaBelle spent 16 years as lead singer of Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, who changed their name to Labelle in the early 1970s and released the iconic disco song, "Lady Marmalade".

LaBelle started her solo career shortly after the group disbanded in 1977 and crossed over to pop music with "On My Own", "If Only You Knew", "If You Asked Me To", "Stir It Up" and "New Attitude". She has also recorded R&B ballads such as "You Are My Friend" and "Love, Need and Want You".^[1]

LaBelle possesses the vocal range of a soprano.^[2]

Biography[link]

Early years[link]

Patricia Louise Holte was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 24, 1944 . Her father, Henry Holte (alternatively, Holt),^[3] was a railroad worker and lounge singer. Her mother, Bertha Holte, was a domestic and housewife. Holte was one of four daughters (Vivian, Barbara, Patricia and Jacqueline). Holte recalls having a happy childhood but said being sexually molested at the age of seven led her to be shy and withdrawn. Holte's parents had an unhappy marriage. When Holte was twelve, her parents split up and Bertha Holte raised her daughters as a single mother. Holte's mother later adopted Claudette Grant, who would become one of Holte's closest friends.

Despite her shyness, Holte was known for her gifted voice even as a child. After first joining her church choir at ten, she sung her first solo at the Beulah Baptist Church at the age of twelve. Growing up, Holte listened not only to gospel, but jazz and rhythm and blues. By her teens, "Patsy", as friends and family called her, also began listening to doo-wop and was encouraged to form a girl group in the late fifties. In 1958, she formed The Ordettes with three other friends. The following year, when two members of the group dropped out, singers Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash, from a former rival group, joined them. Eventually with Cindy Birdsong included in the lineup by 1961 and with respected music impresario Bernard Montague managing them, the group gained a reputation around Philadelphia and soon caught the eye of a record scout, who introduced them to Newtown Records president Harold Robinson.

After hearing Holte's voice during an audition, Robinson, who nearly ditched the group due to their looks - he allegedly thought Holte was "too plain and dark" to lead a singing group, agreed to sign the group, renaming them The Blue Belles (the name would simply be "The Bluebelles" by the mid-1960s), after a Newtown subsidiary label.

Early career[link]

Not long after signing, the group was credited for the hit single, "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman", though the song was recorded by another girl group, the Chicago-based The Starlets. This led to a. lawsuit by a manager of the group and its record label boss, later resulting in the group winning $5,000 in damages. "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman" eventually reached the Billboard top 20. Despite this credited success, the group could not follow up with any other hit. The Blue Belles supported themselves by constantly touring including an appearance at the Apollo Theater.

In 1963, a record label executive sued Harold Robinson for use of the name "Blue Belles", since another group was using the name. As a result, Robinson gave Holte the nickname, Patti La Belle (La Belle is French for "the beautiful one") and the group's name was altered to "Patti La Belle and Her Blue Belles". A year later, the group left Newtown switching over to Cameo-Parkway Records. Their first hit for Cameo-Parkway was the top 40 hit, "Down the Aisle (The Wedding Song)". Their follow-ups included "You'll Never Walk Alone" and "Danny Boy".

In 1965, Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegun signed the group to the label, working with the group for a year. The group issued their first studio album (as Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles) titled Somewhere Over the Rainbow in 1966. While they had a modest pop charted hit with "All or Nothing" and its b-side, a pop cover of Judy Garland's "Over The Rainbow", the group was not as successful as the label predicted. In 1967, their second release, Dreamer, issued two singles, "Take Me For A Little While" and the Curtis Mayfield standard, "I'm Still Waiting". In the mid of touring for that album, Cindy Birdsong suddenly left the group to join The Supremes after replacing Florence Ballard. The remaining trio of LaBelle, Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash struggled with subsequent recordings and by 1970, Atlantic had dropped the group from its roster, as had longtime manager Bernard Montague, who had by now focused his full energy on more successful Philly groups such as The Delfonics and The Stylistics.

After almost signing a management deal with Frankie Crocker and Herb Hamlett, the group settled on British manager Vicki Wickham (producer of the UK pop show, Ready, Steady, Go!) after Dusty Springfield had mentioned signing them. Wickham advised the group to perform in London and work on a brand new image and sound. LaBelle would later have disagreements with Wickham over changes often saying in interviews that she liked things the way they were. This led to some musical disagreements between LaBelle and Nona Hendryx.

Labelle[link]

In late 1970, the group returned to the U.S. changing their name to Labelle and signing a contract with Warner Bros imprint, Track Records. Wickham then had the group open for rock group The Who. In mid-1971, the group released their Warner debut, Labelle. The record mixed harder-edged soul music with rock music elements, a marked departure from the pop sound of the Blue Belles. The album failed to catch on, as did their 1972 follow-up, Moon Shadow. The group, however, did find success singing alongside Laura Nyro on her acclaimed album, Gonna Take a Miracle. The group would tour with Nyro off and on for the next couple of years.

In 1973, Wickham had the group signed to RCA Records, in Chicago where they recorded the Pressure Cookin' album. In the middle of recording, LaBelle gave birth to her only child, Zuri. While promoting the album opening for The Rolling Stones, Wickham advised the group to adapt the same flamboyant costumes of rock artists such as T. Rex, Elton John and David Bowie. Soon, their own stage entrances started to take a life on its own, at one point the group members flew into the concert stage, while singing. Despite this change in direction, their third album failed to become a success. However, a scout for Epic Records advised the group to sign with them in 1974 at the end of the Rolling Stones tour.

Later that year, Labelle issued their most acclaimed album, Nightbirds. In October 1974, the group made history by becoming the first pop group to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House.^[4] In late December, Epic issued the single, "Lady Marmalade". Within six months, the record became a smash and reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100, the group's first to do so. This helped their album sell over a million copies. Their fame was so massive during this time that they made the cover of Rolling Stone later in 1975.

Later in 1975, the group issued their follow-up, Phoenix, which did not quite catch on as fast though it was critically raved. They had a little more success with the Chameleon album in 1976, with the songs, "Get You Somebody New" and "Isn't It A Shame", the latter song Patti LaBelle would say was "the last record we ever did together". Despite her success, LaBelle was not pleased at the group's direction and by late 1976, neither LaBelle, Dash nor Hendryx could agree on a musical direction. Following a concert in Baltimore in December 1976, LaBelle advised the others to break up.

Solo career[link]

LaBelle released her self-titled album in 1977 on Epic. The record was a critical success, with the highlights being the dance singles, "Joy To Have Your Love" and "Dan Swit Me" and the pop-R&B ballad, "You Are My Friend", a song she and her husband co-wrote. Her subsequent follow-ups, however, 1978's Tasty, 1979's It's Alright with Me and 1980's Released, failed to be as successful. Though well-established in some circles, LaBelle never follow her live performance success with hit records, which was often the case with the Bluebelles. In 1981, she was switched to the CBS subsidiary, Philadelphia International Records, issuing the album, The Spirit's In It.

LaBelle found success outside music, performing in the Broadway revival of Your Arm's Too Short to Box with God, with Al Green. However, the play was criticized mainly because of what critics felt was vocal showboating by Green and LaBelle, criticism that LaBelle did not take lightly. In 1982, she recorded the Grover Washington ballad, "The Best Is Yet To Come", which led to her first top 20 R&B hit and her first Grammy nomination in the spring of 1983. Later that year, LaBelle appeared in the PBS-produced play, Working. In October 1983, the mid-tempo love song, "If Only You Knew", was released. The parent album, I'm In Love Again, was released the following month. In January 1984, "If Only You Knew" reached number-one on the Hot R&B Singles chart, where it stayed for four weeks. The song became LaBelle's first charted hit on the Billboard Hot 100 as a solo artist, reaching the lower regions of the top fifty, peaking at number 46. The success of that single and its similar-sounding follow-up, "Love, Need and Want You", which reached number ten on the R&B chart, helped I'm in Love Again, reached gold in the U.S.

LaBelle promoting AIDS awareness in the 1980's.

Later in 1984, LaBelle appeared in her first film, A Soldier's Story. Her appearance in the film later led to Steven Spielberg handpicking her for the role of Shug Avery on The Color Purple, but she turned it down due to hearing that there was a nude scene and same-sex kissing. LaBelle would later regret her decision to turn down the role, after Margaret Avery won an Academy Award nomination for her role as Shug. In the fall of 1984, LaBelle recorded the songs, "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up", later issued for the soundtrack of Beverly Hills Cop, released in December 1984. The soundtrack became a hit, thanks to the releases of "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up". The former single reached as high as number seventeen on the Hot 100 and was number-one on the Hot Dance Club Songs chart in the spring of 1985, introducing LaBelle to pop audiences. In 1985, LaBelle left Philadelphia International signing a lucrative contract with MCA. PIR issued the final contractual LaBelle album, Patti. The album was not successful.

LaBelle garnered headlines in 1985 for her showstopping performances, first at Motown Returns to the Apollo where she opened the show with Joe Cocker singing You Are So Beautiful in which she received very high praise. In the same show she engaged in the so-called "infamous mic toss" between her and Diana Ross during the show's finale, to the Foreigner song, "I Want to Know What Love Is". LaBelle later alleged that Ross grabbed the microphone away from LaBelle following her taking over the lead, though someone else gave LaBelle another microphone where she finished singing. That same year, LaBelle was accused again of showboating, after singing in the finale of Live Aid to "We Are the World" so loud that she sounded as the only audible singer. Due to this press, she was given her own television special later that fall. Because of these performance Patti gained even more mainstream popularity and it showed in 1986 when LaBelle released her eighth album, Winner in You, which peaked at number-one on the Billboard 200 on the strength of the pop hit, "On My Own", a duet with singer Michael McDonald. The song became LaBelle's first number-one hit since "Lady Marmalade" and her highest selling album. Winner in You eventually sold a million copies, becoming platinum. It remains her best-selling album. LaBelle took a break in 1988, re-emerging with Be Yourself, in 1989. The album went gold thanks to LaBelle's soft rock ballad, "If You Asked Me To" which also was the song for the final credits in the James Bond film License to Kill. In 1989, LaBelle also sang the role of "the Acid Queen" in The Who's star-studded performance of TOMMY in Los Angeles.

Her 1991 album, Burnin', resulted in LaBelle's first Grammy win for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, and spawned three top ten hits on Billboard's R&B chart also selling half a million copies becoming her third gold album. Her 1994 album, Gems and 1997 follow-up, Flame, also were certified gold and LaBelle's 1990s singles, "The Right Kinda Lover" and "When You Talk About Love" hit number-one on the dance charts. She won a second Grammy in 1998 for her live album, One Night Only! Following the announcement of the end of her marriage to her husband, Armstead Edwards, who also dismissed himself as LaBelle's manager after more than 20 years, LaBelle released the ballad-heavy When A Woman Loves album in 2000. LaBelle would not release another album until, after signing with the Def Jam Records imprint, Def Soul Classics, she released Timeless Journey, in 2004. The album became her highest-charted album in eighteen years. In 2005 a follow-up album, Classic Moments, was released. Shortly after LaBelle left Def Jam Records in 2006 over a public dispute with Antonio "L.A." Reid.^[5] She released her first gospel album, The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle,which was #1 on the gospel billboard charts^[6] on the Bungalo label. She returned to Def Jam in 2007 and released her second holiday album, Miss Patti's Christmas. As of 2011, LaBelle has yet to release a new solo album. In 2008, LaBelle briefly reunited with Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash as Labelle on the group's first new album in over thirty years, Back to Now.

Following her roles in A Soldier's Story and Sing, LaBelle won a recurring role as Kadeem Hardison's mother on the hit show, A Different World. In 1992, following her success on the sitcom and responding to the success of rapper Will Smith's Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, LaBelle starred in her own sitcom, Out All Night. The show was cancelled after only 19 episodes. In 1993, she earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and two years afterwards, performed at the Super Bowl half time show. For a period, LaBelle's theme song for The Oprah Winfrey Show, titled "Get With the Program", proved to be popular along with its catchphrase. In 2003, she starred in her own lifestyle show, Livin' It Up With Patti LaBelle, which aired for three years on the TV-One channel. In 1996, LaBelle issued her autobiography, Don't Block the Blessings. She released her first of five cookbooks in 1997, and in 2006, released the book, Patti's Pearls. In addition, LaBelle began to sell collections of spices, lipstick and even wigs on her website. Her "Patti Labelle"wig collection,-featured in Especially Yours wig catalogs-.

On September 14, 2010, LaBelle made a return two decades after her last Broadway performance to star in the award-winning musical Fela!^[7] about Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. LaBelle replaced Tony Award-nominee Lillias White as Fela's mother, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and remained with the production through the end of its run on January 2, 2011.^[8]

On May 23, 2011, LaBelle appeared on "Oprah's Farewell Spectacular, Part 1” the first show in a series of three shows constituting the finale of The Oprah Winfrey Show, singing "Over the Rainbow" with Josh Groban.^[9]

LaBelle was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the BET Awards on June 26, 2011.^[10]

She performed for Obama at the 9/11 tribute, singing "Two Steps Away." She received a standing ovation, after she walked away from the microphone and continued to be heard.

On December 21, 2011, she appeared on an episode of the Bravo television series Top Chef, surprising the ten remaining chefs after their "Quickfire" challenge. A shortened version of Lady Marmalade was in the broadcast, which was filmed in Austin, Texas. She then served as a guest judge on the episode.

On January 2, 2012, she performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the NHL Winter Classic between the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers at Citizens Bank Park.^[11]

Patti LaBelle Honored Mariah Carey singing Carey's Hit Hero at the 2012 BET Honors.

Personal life[link]

A longtime resident of Philadelphia, LaBelle currently lives in the Philadelphia suburb, Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. In 1969, she married Armstead Edwards. In July 1973, their first and only child, Zuri Kye Edwards, was born. In the late 1970s, Labelle and Edwards adopted two teenage boys, Stanley and Todd, the children of their next-door neighbor, after their mother died of cancer. Following the death of her youngest sister Jackie Padgett, Labelle raised Padgett's teenage children. Following the disbanding of the group Labelle in 1976, Edwards, who was a schoolteacher, took over as his wife's manager. In 2000, the couple announced their separation. Their divorce was finalized in 2001. LaBelle's son Zuri has since taken over as her manager.

Her youngest sister Jackie Padgett became president of her sister's fan club in the early 1980s. When Jackie later died of lung cancer in 1989, LaBelle dedicated her 1991 album, Burnin', to Padgett and filmed the video for "If You Asked Me To" a day after her funeral. Her two other sisters, Vivian and Barbara preceded Jackie in death, dying of cancer themselves. LaBelle was diagnosed with diabetes in 1995. Prior to her marriage to Edwards, LaBelle was once engaged to Temptations singer Otis Williams breaking it off due to conflicting schedules.

In June 2011 a West Point cadet filed civil suit against LaBelle after he was allegedly assaulted by her bodyguards at Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston in March.^[12] Houston police department is reviewing the conduct of officers responding to the incident after they posed for photographs with the singer,^[13][14] and have also filed assault charges against members of her entourage and warrants were issued.^[15] In August 2011, the cadet, who had initially been suspended from West Point for his involvement in the altercation, was allowed back in West Point. LaBelle has countersued alleging the cadet was drunk and using racial slurs.^[16]

In November 2011, LaBelle was sued by a woman named Roseanna Monk, from New York, after LaBelle allegedly hurled insults at her for allowing her then 18-month-old daughter to walk steps away from her at an apartment lobby where LaBelle was renting during her appearance on Fela! in November 2010. According to the lawsuit, after Monk reportedly told LaBelle it was none of her business as to why the child was "scampering", she allegedly threw water at Monk and her child.^[17]

Discography[link]

Awards[link]

Grammys[link]

Other[link]

Tours[link]

• 1985: Look To The Rainbow Tour
• 1986-1987: Winner In You Tour
• 1989-1990: Be Yourself Tour
• 1991: Burnin' Tour
• 1993: Still Patti Tour
• 1995: Gems Tour
• 1997-1998: Flame Tour
• 2000: When a Woman Loves Tour
• 2005: Timeless Journey Tour
• 2006: Classic Moments Tour
• 2008: Divas with Heart Tour (w/Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross)
• 2008/2009: Back to Now Tour (w/Labelle)

Filmography[link]

Film

• 1979: Richard Pryor: Live in Concert (documentary) (scenes deleted)
• 1984: A Soldier's Story
• 1986: Unnatural Causes
• 1989: Sing
• 1990: A Different World
• 2002: Sylvester: Mighty Real (short subject)
• 2005: Preaching to the Choir
• 2006: Idlewild
• 2007: Cover
• 2008: Semi-Pro
• 2011: Mama, I Want to Sing!

Television

• 1990: A Different World
• 1992: Out All Night
• 1994: The Nanny
• 1997: Cosby
• 2003: Living It Up With Patti LaBelle
• 2007: The Dog Whisperer
• 2008: An Evening With The Stars: A Tribute to Patti Labelle
• 2011: Oprah`s Farewell Season
• 2011: UNCF: An Evening of Stars "When You've Been Blessed"
• 2011: Top Chef, Season 9: Texas, Episode 8

Music video

• Going Home to Gospel with Patti Labelle (1991) with Albertina Walker, Barrett Sisters, Ricky Dillard and many more.

See also[link]

• List of number-one dance hits (United States)
• List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• Labelle, Patti and Randolph, Laura B. (March 1997). Don't Block the Blessings. Thorndike Press. p. 200. 

External links[link]

• Official website
• Patti LaBelle at Allmusic
• Patti LaBelle at the Internet Movie Database
• Patti LaBelle at the Internet Broadway Database
• Official FELA! Broadway website