From 2002-2004 Ashanti was a legit female R&B superstar. Why did she fall off so fast

[TheDarkCloud]

There just didn't seem to be much depth, or 'It Factor' with Ashanti. She was a cute chick, with a very average singing voice. Frankly, chicks like that are a dime a dozen. I think she hit the right label, at the right time, and it worked out. However, she was never going to be a HUGE star, imo. Based on what? Mary J. was the BEST singer, but she had such emotional depth to her music, that you overlooked it. Also, MJB's music might not have had the same affect if she was more polished as a singer.

Lol. Speaking of Mary J, remember when Ashanti came out and Murder Inc was calling her the Princess of Hip Hop Soul. Apparently Mary’s heiress to the throne. I fukked with Ashanti but they was corny for that lol.

She was a huge star in the beginning, though. It’s just the game eventually got too competitive and she no longer stood out. Solo Beyoncé came. Then Ciara blew up. Then Rihanna blew up after that.

 

[Love Sosa]

Lost that murder inc production. Like someone said above, she put out concrete rose and it was a dud. Murder inc as a whole had the perfect formula 99-03 then they just collapsed.

 

[Ol’Otis]

Beyonce started putting that 1960s Motown style squeeze on anyone who looked like competition.

R&B has never recovered

Nobody wants to admit this

 

[3rdWorld]

At the end of the day Ashanti was just an average singer propped up by great production. She dropped at exactly the right time but she was gonna get overshadowed regardless.

This..Murder Inc. came through for their girl, they cooked those beats and laced that vocal arrangement so tight she had to blow. Ashanti says she used to hang around the studio waiting for her chance, and they eventually got tired and hooked her up.

And the fact she wasnt a great singer gave her future rivals hope.

 

[Standing on business]

Beyonce started putting that 1960s Motown style squeeze on anyone who looked like competition.

R&B has never recovered

Nobody wants to admit this

Because it’s dumb and not true at all. Ashanti fell off in 03, Alicia Keys had no problems in 03 when she released diary nor did she have a problem staying relevant for a whole decade.

Others have already mentioned it was Ashanti’s lack of talent

 

[Toe Jay Simpson]

Because it’s dumb and not true at all. Ashanti fell off in 03, Alicia Keys had no problems in 03 when she released diary nor did she have a problem staying relevant for a whole decade.

Others have already mentioned it was Ashanti’s lack of talent

Felicia Keys had no problems because she got a multi platinum plaque in 2001 and by this time period was appearing on Ellen and major white outlets. She came in the game with co-sign from the man who made Whitney Houston. She had been totally accepted by pop culture as something bigger than the urban market. No one since then has even had a chance to do the same thing and Beyoncé’s team is the reason why.

You got producers admitting they wouldn’t produce for certain acts. Writers admitting they wouldn’t write for certain acts. Her people made sure no one was coming up and no one has since

If that had been a white woman in Jennifer Hudson’s role in dream girls with the buzz she was carrying she’d have a diamond album like Adele does.

 

[Standing on business]

You got producers admitting they wouldn’t produce for certain acts. Writers admitting they wouldn’t write for certain acts. Her people made sure no one was coming up and no one has since

Post these videos of producers and writers saying they won’t work with any other artist besides Beyoncé.

This should be fun


Only time that shyt ever happened is when keyshia Cole dissed her and the dream said he wouldn’t work with keyshia.

 

[daboywonder2002]

There just didn't seem to be much depth, or 'It Factor' with Ashanti. She was a cute chick, with a very average singing voice. Frankly, chicks like that are a dime a dozen. I think she hit the right label, at the right time, and it worked out. However, she was never going to be a HUGE star, imo. Based on what? Mary J. was the BEST singer, but she had such emotional depth to her music, that you overlooked it. Also, MJB's music might not have had the same affect if she was more polished as a singer.

I thought Christina Milian could have done the same thing.

 

[Lesfilles]

I think we all knew Ashanti wasn't talented...bad enough she was just a J.Lo replacement for Ja Rule but then she could barely sing which I never cared for. She had fans cause she was cute and relatively fit but I don't think anyone was looking at Ashanti as the next Whitney of RnB -- for the time period, she put out good music.

She was never going to have hardcore 'stans' because she didn't have much of an image outside of being 'Ja Rules side-kick'; "princess" of a label called 'Murder Inc' was only going to have but so much wide-spread appeal. So, outside of being known as cute, what was Ashanti's 'gimmick'? Beyonce had her 'next Tina Turner' thing going on with the big blond hair, flashy stage outfits and loud vocals. Aaliyah always had obsessed fans due to her charm and style, she was considered the sophisticated, urbanite with an 'around the way' personality.... Ashanti really didn't have anything much going for her in comparison.

This is why everyone praises how smart Rihanna was when she changed and became the 'Bad Gal' of RnB/pop music -- she knew there was no future in the Beyonce/Aaliyah clone #0014 designation and if Beyonce really is as petty/underhanded as people say, it was best to get out of 'her' lane and carve her own. Rihanna's not even remotely vocally talented but she had the courage to get out of the Beyonce/Aaliyah ctrl x - ctrl v and do her own thing.

Ashanti is really no different than Ciara, Cassie etc who came after her. She was a black J.Lo reproduction just like Ciara and Cassie were new era Aaliyah/Beyonce clones who couldn't survive without overproduction and auto-tune to cover-up their many weaknesses. Just like Justine Skye is struggling as Aaliyah remix/clone #0035...

Honestly I'm glad they don't get anywhere cause a lot of them really don't care about music. They just want to be famous and get rich. How are you a musician but you can't hear you're not hitting the notes? You don't recognize you're flat? You can't read the sheet music and gotta listen to the demo to know how to sing the song? Sad.

 

[SuperPawgHunter]

I thought Christina Milian could have done the same thing.

I remember the first time I saw her, I thought to myself, 'How many dikks did she have to suck to get a deal."

I thought she was so pretty/cute, that there was no way she was anything but a marginally talented chick, who saw music as a way to gain fame and wealth.

FYI, I have a very strong disdain for people who ONLY see music as a way to enrich themselves.

 

[daboywonder2002]

There just didn't seem to be much depth, or 'It Factor' with Ashanti. She was a cute chick, with a very average singing voice. Frankly, chicks like that are a dime a dozen. I think she hit the right label, at the right time, and it worked out. However, she was never going to be a HUGE star, imo. Based on what? Mary J. was the BEST singer, but she had such emotional depth to her music, that you overlooked it. Also, MJB's music might not have had the same affect if she was more polished as a singer.

Beyonce doesn't have emotional depth either though.

 

[Dzali OG]

Lol at rnb superstar

I wouldn't even call ginuwine an ex rnb "superstar"....BUT he has a seminal song...pony

Ashanti has?????

She was an artist that was fortunate enough to get burn once upon a time. .thats it and thats all

Baby, baby, baby (classic)

 

[FlimFlam]

Baby, baby, baby (classic)

Lol...i believe i can fly is a classic

The chasm between the effect and resonance of them too songs are glaring

Baby baby baby was just a sucessfully serviced and funded record...theres a difference

 

[ill_will82]

Ashanti's career was stalled due to Ja Rule's beef with the whole G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath camp (what a time to be a rap fan). Then add to the fact, that the feds raided Murder Inc's office. The final "nail in the coffin" so to speak.

Ashanti's mainstream career fell victim to beefin labels & "politics".

 

[FSP]

Who was fukking Ashanti