Ashanti Stops By 106 & Park (Updated)
Singer Ashanti stopped by 106 & Park yesterday to talk about her upcoming movie, Resident Evil: Extinction, as well as her new single, Hey Baby, which has now officially been confirmed as the first single from her upcoming album, The Declaration. I listened to the single earlier today on Ashanti’s MySpace Page and honestly, I do not like it. I don’t think it is suitable as a comeback track and a comeback is excatly what Ashanti is trying to do. Her last album was released three years ago and it did not sell as well as her previous two albums. Since then the musical landscape has changed quite a bit, with singers like Beyonce, Ciara and Rihanna now occupying the throne Ashanti once shared with singers like Brandy and Monica.
Unfortunately, Hey Baby does not do a good job at helping Ashanti carve out her place in this new musical market as the single sounds exactly like Last Night by Diddy and Keyshia Cole. Mario Winans produced both tracks so that explains the likeness, it does not however explain why Ashanti’s record label would choose this track as the lead single. Maybe they really like it or maybe they were hoping to ride the wave of success Keyshia and Diddy had. Whatever the case, I’m not feeling it and early buzz around the net and even Ashanti’s own fans, show neither are they.
For those of you haven’t heard the single yet, click here and let me know what you all think.
I have added pics of Ashanti at the BET taping below.
Josie said,
I have come to like Ashanti over the years but this single like the earlier one that was leaked with Nelly is not good. Hey Baby may have the drum beat that made Last Night a hit but lyrically it is weaker than Last Night and Ashanti lacks Keyshia’s vocal depth. They may be testing this single like they tested the Nelly track and then pulled it. I can’t really see them releasing this cause it is just such a blatant rip of Last Night. Mario Wynans should be held accountable for this but he won’t be. Ashanti will shouleder the flop and that is too bad. What type of lame producer doesn’t even change the beat from one song to the next?
Nne said,
Dido Josie…. dido!
Stacy said,
Yep. Ashanti is already being called a biter even though the faux pas belongs to Mario Winans. Baybyface would never do anything this stupid or lazy as Josie says. This is laziness plain and simple. Mario prolly thought he could rack up another quick hit by keeping the beat. Her showed no concern for Ashanti as an artist or how she would be viewed releasing a song so similar to Keyshia’s. This is why I don’t respect these fake producers today who are only beat makers. Most of them don’t even play instruments and have no true love of the art of music. Babyface, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis may not be the “IT” producers of the moment but I would take them over all these new producers any day.
KNOCKKEY said,
If Beyonce can get a pass for B-DAY ASHANTI can too. The Industry is about label buy their artist music and favortism. IRREPLACEABLE and UMBRELLA winning video of the year enough said. CIARA come back was the hardest and CIARA got no love from VIACOM. CIARA dance like crazy in GET UP to show her new evolution. ASHANTI will do well because she is likable and her fans will support her. ASHANTI ruled 2004 CIARA ruled 2005 MARIAH and MARY ruled 2006 BEYONCE and RIHANNA got by with JAYZ and SONY buying power in 2007.
Boogie said,
Wow. Wow. Wow.
I actually liked that that Rider song (2PAc beat) she had with Jim Jones. Even Switch with Nelly (with the Grillz beat) but honestly she must really have run out of ideas with this Last Night remix. I guess she did need Irv after all.
rnblover said,
Well put ladies to all of the above comments…
I am a HUGE Ashanti fan and I a disappointed that they picked this as a lead single…
I like the vocals and lyrics but hate that the beat is a blantant rip off of “Last Night” and like someone stated earlier…Ashanti is going to shoulder the blame for that and not Mario.. Hell “Last Night” wasn’t that hot to begin with…Keyshia made that song bareable.
I recently read an interview with Babyface and he did a song on Ashanti’s new cd and he said she delivered vocally…big time…plus she has recorded 52 songs so I am not understanding this choice as a lead single…
They should have kept Switch…all they needed to do was have Nelly put his 16 bars on it and release a hot video to it…
Jo said,
She uses the word “baby” in that song like fifty-leven times as per usual.
Kanyade said,
I wish her the best. I like her as a celeb and even singer. I’ve enjoyed her ‘joints’ over the years. ;)
But it was hard for her counterparts (Brandy and Monica, as you’ve pointed out) to ‘come back’, too. Why the ever-changing ‘wave’ of singers? Who do you all foresee having the STAYING power through the years? Beyonce? Rihanna? Amerie? Brandy? Monica? Ashanti? Rihanna? Or will these women also ride their wave while the new crop of “NEXT” artists come into play?
S. Dot said,
SHe looks GREAT! LOVED THE DRESS!
Madame Zenobia said,
Wow. It DOES sound a lot like P.Diddy/Keyshia’s song (which I didn’t like). And “Switch” sounds like something Kelly Rowland recorded but decided against it, choosing instead to release “Ghetto”. All in all, it ALL sounds the same. Ashanti’s stuff, Kelly’s, ALL OF IT. WHY? *cries* Nelly’s hook doesn’t really help all that much :( Sorry to say. I’m not really feeling either of the tracks on her myspace. I wish her well, though.
Deedre said,
I wish Ashanti all the best. Like most music I need to listen to it like a million times to get used to it.
I only started liking Umbrella like 2 weeks ago, lol. (yes I’m wierd!)
Ollie said,
Why does every black female singer have to be compared to Beyonce Knowles. Like my grandmother says, Pretty is not a talent and Beyonce is the best thing since slice bread.
I wish Ashanti all the success.
linds said,
No Deedre, you are not weird. Umbrella is had to grow on me too! It might not have taken that long but nah girl you not weird.
Ollie said,
I meant to say “Beyonce is not the best thing since sliced bread.”
rachel said,
I actually like Ashanti but all this song does is make me want to go and listen to Last Night. I hope this is NOT the single! The beat over shadows her weak vocals and all that hey hey hey at the end is aggravating! I agree KNOCKKEY, if B-Day can get a pass and go multi plat then why not Ashanti. I totally agree Ollie everyone is compared to Beyonce and it just drives me nuts!
Well the second time around is better but it would not make me excited to go out spending money on her project especially since Switch was just terrible to me.
Sally Dae said,
Ashanti looks great in the pics above! Not feeling any of the songs I’ve heard from her so far but hopefully she’ll pull it together and have a great album cause it may be her last (or maybe not since alot of singers like to come out with new albums, with songs they know they are too young for them to be singing about). Artist forget they need to grow with their fans/audience but lately it seems like artist are only interested in making hit songs/albums that have no substance or relevance. It’s strictly, all about the money for them. Mary J does a great job at growing with her audience. I think Alicia Keys will prove to. Brandy’s last album was awesome and I think she still has great potential to have wonderful albums and can keep her fans for life. Toni Braxton totally could’ve been more successful with her albums had she not tried to be so “trendy” and “in” with her last one or two albums. Janet, needs to get back (100%) with Jimmy and Terry (no JD) and watch and see how much better her albums will be and she regain that older audience she dissed and lost from trying to be “in”.
Beyoncita is aiming for that Latin audience cause she knows her time (with the material she got) is running short and she’ll end up like…. well, the ones who are like 27-30 years old+ making teeny-bop music.
Tia said,
Ashanti looks like she can be apart of my family
(OFFICIAL STAND UP GIRL)
Chocolate Girl said,
Ashanti looks great but her vocal talent is not there.
Kitten said,
Ashanti looks fab! And everyone talks about her vocal skills but Jesus who has skills except for Fantasia and Jennifer Hud? No one sounds that great anyway. I keep trying to tell people its not hard for an artist to be #1 or on the top 10 just have a phat beat and booty in the video!
Chey said,
Ashanti looks great. She made really good music in the past and I am looking for her to make a strong comeback.
I too agree with Ollie, Beyonce is not the greatest thing since sliced bread. Everybody kisses her butt just because she is pretty. But her time in the spotlight is getting dim which is why she is all over the place. She is really getting desperate.
But, it is so nice that other sistas in the business are making new music with some substance and not that teeny bop pop crap.
S. Dot said,
Hey Ashanti has on my Channel ballet shoes!!!
Love it, she looks great! I’m mad i Missed the show!
Good luck to her!!!
Debbie said,
I love Ashanti. However, was this song the best she had to offer? I mean she stated she worked with Pharrell, Babyface, LT Hutton, etc. Why did she select this as the single?
Teeda said,
Ashanti, that new single is trash! Don’t put it out. I think someone is trying to ruin your career. I like to support black artists, but there’s no way I’m going to waste my hard earned money on that album based on the music I hear so far. I KNOW Ashanti can do much better than that. Record some new music, and put some fire on that album. She will ruin her career if she puts that mess out. Point-blank-period! I expect more from her.
Tia said,
AS FAR AS HER NEW SINGLE GOES I GUESS SHE JUST WANT’S EVERYBODY TO JUST “SWITCH” LOL. (but im liking’ the pumps though)
(OFFICIAL STAND UP GIRL)
PISSED OFF MOTHA said,
ASHANTI CAN SING FOR THE RECORD GO TO YOUTUBE AND CKOUT HER ARCHIVES…SHE HAS QUALITY STAGE PRESENCE AND SHE SPEAKS WELL. HER DANCING IS FAIR BUT WHAT SHE LACKS ITS BALANCED WITH HER OTHER STRONGER QUALITIES. TRUST ME I HAVE SEEN FAR WORSE. UHM…UHM ….BRITNEY SPEARS!
Tarra said,
K Ashanti’s vocals are WEAK…. Im sorry…
And I honestly think that Ashanti’s music career is LOST and she jus needs 2 stop b’cuz her presence in this industry hasn’t left a dent since her hiatus and it won’t leave a scratch if she stops now!!!
Sorry Ashanti fans but that’s my OP!!!!
ribbon said,
I need to make a correction…Ashanti was not out during the hey days of Monica and Brandy, nor was she ever on a throne. She had one good year back in 2002 and that’s it.And Beyonce was out WAY before her. The only two that came after her was Rhianna and Ciara. Music hasn’t changed much since her debut because it was garbage then and it’s garbage now.