Ashanti Shaquoya Douglas was born October 13, 1980 in Glen Cove, Long
Island, New York. She came from a musical family, her father a singer
and her mother a dance instructor. She sang in a gospel choir when she
was a child, and later appeared in a Carnegie Hall show and a Disney
television musical. It was in high school that she began to write
songs, and was able to produce creations that people could relate to.
In 2002, two artists released songs simultaneously that featured
Ashanti, Ja Rule's "Justify My Love," and Fat Joe's "What's Luv?" When
both songs became pop hits, Ashanti moved from being a featured singer
to releasing her own debut album, "Ashanti," and the single, "Foolish,"
which remained number #1 on the top 100 charts for eleven weeks, and was
ultimately proclaimed 2002's greatest hit by Billboard. The hit
contained a remix called "Unfoolish," that featured a rap by Biggie, as
a result of which it received heavy airplay. Ashanti followed up with
two minor hits singles that same year, "Happy," and "Baby."
In 2003, Ashanti collaborated with Ja Rule to produce another major hit,
"Mesmerize," accompanied by a music video, ultimately criticized as
being too mainstream. That summer, Ashanti's album "Chapter II" was
released, its first single, "Rock Wit U," becoming a summer hit along
with its video, that was nominated for a 2003 MTV Music Award for Best
R&B Video.
According to Ashanti, "I didn't want to sing only slow songs, and I
didn't want to be spittin' rhymes. Mary Blige put those concepts
together... Now I'm following my own path."
Putting aside criticism for producing works that were too mainstream,
Ashanti has continued to go her own way, and mow down the critics,
proving you don't have to live on the edge of the law to generate art.
Ashanti has appeared in television's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and in
2005 was chosen for her debut screen role in the movie, "Coach Carter,"
along with Samuel L. Jackson.
