Ashanti – Interview

In a short time Ashanti has gone from nobody to a household name. Could life be better for this twenty-one year-old? Becoming a first time author isn’t a bad way to follow up a hit record.

You know what is funny? I just watched you on the Today Show a few minutes ago.

(Laughs) Oh my God.

Is it weird doing shows like that?

Not anymore, when my album dropped I was doing all the same exact shows.

Was it crazy back then?

It was great and overwhelming and exciting all at the same time.

It was funny because they showed the clip of you on American Dreams and you were freaking out.

Oh my God I can’t believe they did that. They really got me with that footage, I never saw it before that.

I got the book, Foolish/Unfoolish, and my first question is was it heard to describe your poems to readers?

It wasn’t hard at all, I wrote the book to be personal and intimate. I have a phenomenal following and the people that support me are amazing and I’m so thankful. I just wanted to let the fans know who I am and what has happened with me in my life.

Was the nice thing about the book was that you were able to let them know you are a regular person?

Most definitely. That is key with me. It played a major role in why the album was successful. When you do things that people can relate to you win.

It’s nice for fans to see their idols are human.

It’s a great inspiration; it was for me growing up too. When you are so real and down to earth it makes them realize you are real and she made it and they believe they can too.

And from reading the book they realize its okay to make mistakes sometimes and act foolish.

(We both laugh) Exactly.

Reading it made me think about all the dumb things I did as a teen. I mean you flew to New York to be with a guy, now that is crazy.

(Laughs) I know.

I think the funny thing is to look back at your teenage years and realize how stupid we were to think that each time we met someone that they were the one.

(Laughs) Exactly. All the time.

Did you approach the publisher to do the book?

I knew I wanted to do a book, but never thought it would be this soon. I never thought it would happen.

Some of the songs seem to be written in verse/chorus like a song. Do you mingle songs and poems or take parts of poems and make songs?

Some of the poems are actual songs that didn’t make the album.

That is what I was wondering.

(Laughs) Yeah, definitely. I guess with me being a lyricists sometimes they bleed into the poetry. I’m so used to writing the hook, the verse, the bridge and the rest. I like poetry that flows. Some of them may sound like a record.

Are there guys who you still know today that are subjects in the book?

(Laughs) Definitely. When they get the book (laughs), they’ll be like ‘awwww, I can’t believe she put that in there’. They’ll know who they are.

Your partner i crime Ja Rule is coming out in a film this weekend, Half Past Dead, is that something you are interested in doing?

Maybe later on, but it took me so long to get into the music I really want to stay with the music right now.

Would you even be able to watch yourself on screen, I mean after you were freaking out on…

(Laughs hysterically) Don’t even say that (continues to laugh).

What has been the biggest shock for you since the album dropped?

Everything, from having a fan base to having fans say they love you yet don’t know you and people telling me that I’ve inspired them. Then breaking records, selling so many records, going overseas, wow, everything has been a blessing. I’ve been so thankful and humble.

You were making waves by being someone’s guest on their tracks. So you were trying to make it through someone else like Ja Rule or Fat Joe, is it weird now because there are artists out there who want to leapfrog their career through you being on their tracks?

(Laughs) Yeah. We get calls about me being on people’s records. We have to tone that down for a while.

It has to be weird having the shoe on the other foot. Someone out there is thinking ‘I gotta get Ashanti’ on this track.

It’s weird. Just to see how everything happened so quickly and to know everything was on the other side just a minute ago.

Is there anyone out there where you say ‘if I could have a career like…’

With longevity and respect I’d say Mary J. Blige. She came out in the early ‘90s and has been around for ten or more years. She has it. Then there are Aretha and Patti LaBelle.

Mary J. gets all the respect.

I know, it doesn’t get any better. She is the queen.

You dreamed about being where you are now, what do you dream about now?

Honestly I just dream about sustaining and working hard. I want to keep everything positive, and good health. (Laughs) I’d like to make a lot of money so that I can take care of my family. But most of all I just want to enjoy it and live life.

+ charlie craine