Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous Grammy Award-winning debut album Ashanti which featured the hit song Foolish. The album set a Soundscan record as the most albums sold by any first-time female artist in the chart's history, outselling debuts by Alicia Keys and Lauryn Hill. Later that year, she was acclaimed as the "Princess of Hip-Hop & R&B" by the media and capped off her successful debut by winning eight Billboard awards and two American Music Awards.
Ashanti cites Mary J. Blige and Ella Fitzgerald as her musical influences. 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 an independent artist on her own record label entitled Written Entertainment.
It was when she was noticed by Murder Inc. mastermind Irv Gotti that Ashanti began to blossom. Gotti noted her dancing and acting abilities in addition to her vocal skills. In 2001, 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 Caddillac 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 Ain't It Funny (Murder Remix), the 2nd duet between Lopez & Rule), 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 when Always on Time and What's Luv? were number-one and number-two respectively.
Following the success of her collaborations with Ja Rule and Fat Joe, Ashanti released her debut single, Foolish, which contained a sample of the 1983 song Stay With Me by DeBarge (also utilized by Notorious B.I.G. in his 1995 hit One More Chance). She became the second artist (after the 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 200 albums chart, selling over 503,000 copies in its first week (the most successful first week sales for a debut R&B female artist up through that point--record later broken by Mary J. Blige's The Breakthrough). The album has been certified 3x platinum in the U.S and platinum (300,000 copies) in the UK. The album has sold over 6.5 million copies worldwide. Ashanti penned all 12 songs on the album, most written on-the-spot in the studio.
Ashanti's follow-up singles, Happy and Baby, were not as successful as her debut single but did peak in the top ten and top twenty in the U.S. respectively. During the summer of 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, a Lady of Soul Award for "Aretha Franklin Entertainer of the Year," and a Grammy Award.
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 1.5 million copies in U.S. 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 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. According to soundscan, the album sold just around 100,000 units in the U.S.
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. Wonderfulβwith Ja Rule and R. Kellyβpeaked 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; according to Nielsen SoundScan, it has sold 871,000 copies. 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.
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.
Her fourth studio album, The Declaration, was released on June 3, 2008. Ashanti ventured out and acquired producers and collaborators primarily outside The Inc. for the first time. She said the album was a representation of the freedom she felt she had at that time in her career. "I'm steering my own ship and taking the lead on everything. You can definitely hear the growth; I'm working with producers I've never worked with before". Irv Gotti was quoted as saying, "she's having her little Janet Jackson Control moment. Every artist has their moment when they feel they need to take over their own music and this is hers".
The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200 with sales of 86,000 copies, Ashanti's lowest first-week sales for a studio album. As of September 2008, The Declaration had sold 230,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. Two singles released during 2007 in advance of the album's releaseβSwitch featuring Nelly, and Hey Baby (After the Club) featuring Mario Winansβdid not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. Hey Baby (After the Club) reached number eighty-seven on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and the third single, the L. T. Hutton-produced The Way That I Love You, reached number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The final single, the Jermaine Dupri-produced Good Good, became a minor urban hit, peaking at number thirty on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Also featured on The Declaration is the Nelly collaboration Body on Me, which is the third single from his 2008 album Brass Knuckles.
In May 2009, Irv Gotti announced that he was officially releasing Ashanti from The Inc. Records, stating that "The relationship has run its course. The chemistry of what's needed β 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 β 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.
BraveHeart, her fifth album on March 4, 2014. Upon release, the album garnered favorable reviews, with music critics describing Braveheart's sound as an "evolution of R&B" and praising the themes of empowerment, but criticizing the romantic clichΓ©s and lack of interesting moments on the album. On the charts, Braveheart opened at number ten on the U.S. Billboard 200, becoming Ashanti's fifth consecutive top-ten album, as well as her first Independent Albums chart topper. It also debuted in the top-thirty of the UK R&B Albums Chart and top-forty of the UK Indie Albums Chart.
In 2017, she announced her seventh studio album, set to be released in 2018 or 2019. On November 6, 2017, she released the first single, βSay Lessβ feat. Ty Dolla $ign.
Only U
Ashanti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't wait to get next to you
Oooh
I just can't leave you alone
Boy you got me doing things that I would never do
And I can't stop the way I'm feeling if I wanted to
I'm crazy 'bout the way that you could make me say your name
'Cause only you can make me feel (only you can make me feel)
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Only you can make me feel (only you, only you can make me feel)
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Oooh
I can't wait to get next to you
Oooh
I just can't leave you alone
Boy you stay inside my mind, ain't no denyin' that
And only you could do them things that got me coming back
It's gotta be the realest thing that I have ever felt
And I do what I gotta do to keep you to myself
'Cause only you can make me feel (only you can make me feel)
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Only you can make me feel (only you can make me feel)
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Crazy 'bout the way you feel
I just gotta have you here
And I wanna let you know
I won't ever let you go
And only you can make me feel (only you can make me feel)
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Only you can make me feel (you can make me feel)
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Oooh
I can't wait to get next to you
Oooh
I just can't leave you alone
The lyrics to Ashanti's song Only U express the singer's intense feelings for the person she is singing to. She cannot wait to be with him ("I can't wait to get next to you"), and she feels unable to resist him ("I just can't leave you alone"). She admits that the person has a hold on her - he makes her behave in ways she would never normally do, and she can't stop feeling the way she does about him. The singer is "crazy 'bout the way" the person makes her say his name, and she implies that she would go insane without him. The chorus repeats the idea that only this person can make her feel the way that she does and take her to "that" place. She is clearly infatuated with him, and she is willing to do whatever it takes to keep him to herself.
The song is a slow-tempo R&B track that heavily features the use of the 808 drum. The production on the track is credited to Irv Gotti and 7 Aurelius. The song also heavily samples DeBarge's Stay with Me from their album In a Special Way, which was released in 1983. The song achieved critical and commercial success, reaching the number one position on the Billboard charts for several weeks. It was also certified Platinum by the RIAA in the United States. In addition to its success, the song has been covered by various artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Oooh
Expressing intense excitement and anticipation
I can't wait to get next to you
Looking forward to being in close physical proximity to the person
I just can't leave you alone
Unable to resist the person's irresistible appeal
Boy you got me doing things that I would never do
Experiencing a new level of spontaneity and daring inspired by the person
And I can't stop the way I'm feeling if I wanted to
Having intense and uncontrollable feelings for the person
I'm crazy 'bout the way that you could make me say your name
Being captivated by the person's ability to trigger strong emotions and reactions in her
And if I couldn't have you I would probably go insane
Feeling that life would be unbearable without the person
'Cause only you can make me feel (only you can make me feel)
Acknowledging that the person has a unique ability to evoke powerful emotions in her
And only you can take me there (only you can take me there)
Recognizing that the person has the power to transport her to a higher emotional and physical state
Boy you stay inside my mind, ain't no denyin' that
Having constant thoughts about the person
And only you could do them things that got me coming back
Feeling drawn to the person because of the unique experiences and feelings they provide
It's gotta be the realest thing that I have ever felt
Believing that the connection with the person is genuine and substantial
And I do what I gotta do to keep you to myself
Taking action to maintain a close and exclusive relationship with the person
Crazy 'bout the way you feel
Having intense positive feelings about the person's touch and presence
I just gotta have you here
Longing for the person's physical presence and companionship
And I wanna let you know
Communicating the depth of her feelings to the person
I won't ever let you go
Promising to maintain a close relationship with the person
Lyrics Β© Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing, Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Ashanti S. Douglas, Denzil Delano Foster, Jay A. King, Thomas Derrick Mcelroy, Irving Domingo Lorenzo, Marcus Vest
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@JohnDeDominicano
People forget how commercially successful Ashanti was back then:
- World Record for Fastest/Biggest Debut Album for a Female Artist (Billboard and Guinness World Record)
- "Foolish" went #1 for 11 weeks and one of the greatest selling songs of all time
- 1st solo artist in history to have 2 top spots on Billboard Hot 100
- 1st solo artist in history to have 3 top spots on the Billboard Hot 100
- The World's top selling female artist of 2002
- Billboard Woman of the Year 2002
- 4 #1 Hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (including the songs that Jennifer Lopez stole from and tried to take credit for due to Irv Gotti evil politics)
- A profusion of awards including many Bilboard, American Music Awards and a Grammy
Etc
Ashanti could've continued to have global succes, but the music industry did her wrong plus the federal government when they had investigated Irv Gotti and Murda Inc. Ashanti should've had global stardom longevity like Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Rihanna and Britney Spears for the 2000s decade. But Ashanti's first year in the music industry was enough and many artists have not accomplished what she did in their whole career.
Funfact: Ashanti was supposed to be a 90s Pop star and was supposed to rival Brandy, Britney Spears and many teenage Pop stars, but she didn't want to be a teenage Pop star and want from label to label. I think she was signed to Bad Boys with Diddy. Plus she had a full ride scholarship to the prestigious Ivy League Princeton University π²π² π²
Nonetheless Ashanti is a legend.
@osainharris748
That guitar riff is iconic, this will forever be a BANGER!πΈ
@magneticallah1057
And he sampled it from a old school hit
@TheDANfromAXP
@@magneticallah1057 what was the old one?
@magneticallah1057
@@TheDANfromAXP I swear Idk I just heard it working with my oldhead on a job and he was playing music and I was like why does this sound familiar....ooooohhh
@TheDANfromAXP
@@magneticallah1057 i forgot it in my old days ^^
@tearitup115
The riff is from a song called Presence by Aurelius
@playgame1234
So glad to be a teen in the early 2000s. The R&B girls were working back then! Everyone was so unique and different from each other. They were all in their own lane. Ashanti, Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Ciara, Mya, etc. What a time to be alive!
@UnreleasedUnderratedRnBgrooves
The fact that this song will be aging to be 20 years in 2024 is insane. Time flies by way too damn quick!
@yunghillbilly
This song still go hard π₯ canβt believe itβs that old
@donnasmallwood6133
This is my first time hearing it. Lol It is so fire π₯π₯πΈπΈ