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July 16, 2011

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Since her contractual release from The Inc. Records in 2009, Ashanti has been absent from the music scene. Her last album,‘The Declaration, was released in summer 2008, which the former Murder Inc princess says represented the freedom she felt she had at that time in her career.

Fast-forward 3 years later, Ashanti is still jumping through hoops to revive her once career. Speaking with Larry Flick of Sirius XM Radio recently, the songstress opened up about why she has been visibly absent and projects in the works.

“Well, I think it’s a combination of the industry changing as a whole. I think it’s about being happy, knowing what you want and how to accomplish it,” Ashanti tells Flick. “Dealing with execs and the way things change in the labels is really something you have to adapt to because it’s a lot of things that are beyond your control. So in order to get that control back you have to kind of sit for a minute, sort it out and know what you’re doing and have an amazing team.”

Ashanti has been surveying the changes in the industry, looking for the right timing to return. Along with a planned new album, she is also prepping film and TV spots as well as a book deal.

“The first thing I plan is being focused, clearing my head, understanding and adapting. Like I said, the industry, the economy is completely different than 2002, when I first came out,” says Ashanti.

“We’re surrounded by different people, radio has changed, labels have changed, strategic formulas have changed, so it’s about adapting to what that is. I think the first step is definitely staying true to yourself. My passion is music, I love writing music but music is dying so you have to have other outlets to continue to build that brand because that’s the focus."

"So you line up film, televsion and books. It’s all about timing and aligning the stars and having the right people behind you and knowing what you want. I think it’s really important to own. I’m on that path [right now]. If I’m doing something, I need to own half of that; I need the executive produce that, I need to collect that check and have my creative input."

She adds: “Everything that I just mentioned, film, television, music, books, is all in the works. We’ve been lining things up for the past almost 2 ½-3 years. It gets a little frustrating because I’m the type of person I want to see results right now. I want to do it now, I want it to happen right now. But in order for it to be as big as it possibly can, you have to build that platform and that was one of the hardest things to wait. Everything that I’ve spoken about we’ve been in development with [for awhile].”

What is an Ashanti?

Is this an Ashanti?

http://stan-wars.com/medi...le=Ashanti

[Edited 6/16/11 8:59am]

The ship has sailed for her musically methinks.

Never?

RKJCNE said:

What is an Ashanti?

Is this an Ashanti?

http://stan-wars.com/medi...le=Ashanti

[Edited 6/16/11 8:59am]

LOL.

A book deal??? You mean, she's going to write an autobiography?

kitbradley said:

A book deal??? You mean, she's going to write an autobiography?

A fascinating read fort sure

I remember when she blew up in 2002 and people were already talking about her like she was the "Princess of Hip-Hop and R&B". I also remember when she won Entertainer of the Year and everybody and their mama signed that petition to get Soul Train to not get that award, you know, since it was named after ARETHA. Patti LaBelle was like "we gotta protect our babies!" Now nine years later...

It was her being signed to Murder Inc and Irv Gotti that got her all of those record sales. How she earned that has always been a questionable topic. Unless she really comes with some killer new music it's over for her. True musicians/artists can take years between albums and still have a fanbase. Mediocre singers cannot!

HonestMan13 said:

It was her being signed to Murder Inc and Irv Gotti that got her all of those record sales. How she earned that has always been a questionable topic. Unless she really comes with some killer new music it's over for her. True musicians/artists can take years between albums and still have a fanbase. Mediocre singers cannot!

She is no Sade for sure.

The only song i know form her is the cover she did of one of the Pocahontas song's.......

She probably do a "reality" show before she releases another album.

Ashanti,Mya and Ciara are all in the same boat: they're OVER

SoulAlive said:

Ashanti,Mya and Ciara are all in the same boat: they're OVER

did Mya ever have a big song besides Lady Marmalade? i don't know her solo work

Gunsnhalen said:

SoulAlive said:

Ashanti,Mya and Ciara are all in the same boat: they're OVER

did Mya ever have a big song besides Lady Marmalade? i don't know her solo work

she was an afterthought on that song, that almost didnt even involve her. But she had "the best of me" "ghetto Superstar" "My love is like Woah" "case of the ex". But i think what people dont get is that everyone in those terms is over, people the music industry is over at this point, if you think you are going to even come within 10% of what you used to sell you are nuts, so at this point i dont really see what artists are "looking at" or even what people are thinking, the 90's and 00's are over, the bottom fell out in 2001 that was the beginning of the end. And in RB especially mainstream female or male, its a done deal, my advice to Ashanti, do what Amerie did and focus on every other market but the USA, its over for this country.

lastdecember said:

Gunsnhalen said:

did Mya ever have a big song besides Lady Marmalade? i don't know her solo work

she was an afterthought on that song, that almost didnt even involve her. But she had "the best of me" "ghetto Superstar" "My love is like Woah" "case of the ex". But i think what people dont get is that everyone in those terms is over, people the music industry is over at this point, if you think you are going to even come within 10% of what you used to sell you are nuts, so at this point i dont really see what artists are "looking at" or even what people are thinking, the 90's and 00's are over, the bottom fell out in 2001 that was the beginning of the end. And in RB especially mainstream female or male, its a done deal, my advice to Ashanti, do what Amerie did and focus on every other market but the USA, its over for this country.

OMG yes Ghetto Superstar DUH lol and my love is like woah. i forgot all about those songs.

RKJCNE said:

kitbradley said:

A book deal??? You mean, she's going to write an autobiography?

A fascinating read fort sure

[img:$uid]http://th214.photobucket.com/albums/cc85/auntb93/Emoticons/th_rofl2.gif[/img:$uid]

DAMN!!!

I just listened to foolish and a few others man i remember these from my 7th grade year lol

Ugh anything with Ja Rule is a no

SoulAlive said:

Ashanti,Mya and Ciara are all in the same boat: they're OVER

Life can be surprising so I wouldn't count anybody out just yet.

Ashanti, is done, it's a wrap. She was never a great fave of the public, anyway, she just rode the wave of murder inc. No one is interested in her anymore. I still remember what an awful bitch she was on Punk'd.

armpit said:

SoulAlive said:

Ashanti,Mya and Ciara are all in the same boat: they're OVER

Life can be surprising so I wouldn't count anybody out just yet.

Me neither by how this wack industry is... she looks pretty in the picture.

Actually, I must admit that I eventually grew to actually like Ashanti. I didn't at first but when she blew Whitney out of the water during one of those VH1 Diva concerts, I started to have a whole new respect for her and purchased her first two CDs (for 99 cents). She did have a handful of very catchy tunes.