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. 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; 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 release—Switch featuring Nelly, and Hey Baby (After the Club) featuring Mario Winans—did 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 — 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.
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 clichés 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, “Say Less” feat. Ty Dolla $ign.
Take Me Tonight
Ashanti Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
('Cause I only want you, my baby)
(No place I'd rather be)
Why don't you take me tonight?
Take me away, wherever you like, yeah
('Cause I only want you, my baby)
(No place I'd rather be)
(So let's go)
Boy, you got everything that I need
And I couldn't ask for more
And everything on me is all yours, yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause you make me smile like I never smiled before
And I adore you, want a little more of you
Do anything, I'd go anywhere
Long as I can hold your hand
Let's go
Why don't you take me tonight?
(Take me tonight)
Take me away, wherever you like, ayy (away, wherever you like)
('Cause I only want you, my baby)
(No place I'd rather be)
You're all I need, all I want
(So let's go)
Baby, I ain't never been the type
To fall in love and have the thoughts of me and just one
'Til I found you, came around you
Now I can't see me without you
'Cause you ain't nothing like them other girls, no
'Cause I could just help you and travel all around the world
And you ain't even gotta pack your things
Whatever you want or need, I got it
So let's go
Why don't you take me tonight?
(Take me tonight, baby)
Take me away, wherever you like, yeah
('Cause I only want you, my baby)
(No place I'd rather be)
You're all I need, all I want
(So let's go)
Now, can you take me and can you make me
Feel like I've never felt before?
(Shorty, I can take you and I can make you)
(Feel like you need it more and more)
Maybe we can go somewhere tonight
(If you want it, baby, we can catch a flight)
Long as I got you, babe
Everything is okay
(Listen, you can ride with me)
(And you can fly with me wherever, hey)
Or we can stay home
We can be alone together, baby
('Cause you know I need you, baby)
Ain't no place I'd rather be
(You're all I need)
You're all I want
So let's go
Why don't you take me tonight?
(Take me tonight)
Take me away, wherever you like (away, wherever you like) ayy
('Cause I only want you, my baby)
(No place I'd rather be)
You're all I need, all I want
(You're all I need in my life)
(When I'm with you, everything is just right, yeah)
'Cause I only want you, my baby
No place I'd rather be
(You're all I need, all I want)
So let's go
Take me tonight, baby
(Take me tonight)
Wherever you like
(Wherever you like)
Oh, oh, oh, oh
You're all I need, all I want
The lyrics of "Take Me Tonight" by Ashanti express the desire to go wherever the person they care about wants to go, because they only want to be with them. The chorus, sung by both Ashanti and Lloyd, repeats the line "why don't you take me tonight," showing that they are eager for their partner to take them away, to any place they want to go. Ashanti's verse describes how the person she likes has everything she needs, and she would go anywhere with them, as long as she can hold their hand. She admires this person and says that he makes her feel happy in a way she has never felt before. Lloyd's verse confesses that he has never been the type to fall in love, but he is proud to be with the girl he is singing about. He tells her that she is different from other girls, and he wants her to come with him on his travels. He offers to take care of her, no matter what she wants or needs.
The song's lyrics describe a romantic sense of wanting to be with someone, to the extent that they are willing to go along with anything to be with their partner. The verses paint a picture of the two lovers being together and doing anything they want while feeling complete because they have each other. In the chorus, Ashanti and Lloyd repeat their desire to be with each other and go anywhere, showing the strength of their love.
Line by Line Meaning
why don't you take me tonight
Asking to be taken away tonight
Take me away wherever you like
Requesting to be taken anywhere
'cause I only want you my baby
Expressing love for the person
No place I rather be, you're all I need, all I want so lets go
Stating that being with the person is all they need to be happy and they are ready to go anywhere
boy you got everything that I need and I couldnt ask for more
Complimenting the person and saying they have all that they need
And everything on me is all yours 'cause
Stating that everything she has is for the person
You make me smile like I never smiled before
Expressing how happy the person makes her
And I adore you, want a lil more of you
Expressing love and desire for the person
Do anything I'll go anywhere as long as I can hold your hand
Willing to do anything and go anywhere as long as she's with the person
baby I ain't never been the tupe to fall in love and having thoughts of
Admitting that he's not the type to fall in love easily
Me and just one
Saying that he only wants to be with one person
Till I found you and I'm proud to say
Suggesting that he's now found the person he wants to be with
That I can't see me without you
Saying that he can't imagine his life without the person
You ain't nuttin like them other girls
Complimenting the person and saying they are different from other girls he's met
And travel around the world
Suggesting they can travel to various places together
And you ain't even gotta pack your things
Stating that he can provide everything the person needs
Watever you want or need I got it
Saying he can provide anything the person wants or needs
now can you take me and can you make me feel like I never felt before
Asking to be taken and requesting to be made to feel special
shorty I can take you and I can make you feel like you need more and more
Saying that he can take her and make her feel even more special
maybe we can go somewhere tonite
Suggesting they can go somewhere tonight
if you want to baby we can catch a flight
Offering to take a flight if she wants to
long as I got you baby everything is ok
Stating that as long as she's with him, everything is okay
or we can stay at home, we can be alone together baby
Suggesting they can stay at home and be alone together
'cause you kno I need you baby
Expressing that he needs her
you're all I need
Stating that she's all he needs
you're all I want so lets go
Expressing desire to be with her
You're all I need in my life when I'm wit you everything is just right
Saying that she's all he needs to be happy and his life is perfect when he's with her
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ashanti S. Douglas, Irving Domingo Lorenzo, Kendred T. Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind