Source: Getty / creative services
Ashanti left an indelible mark on the music industry with her 2002 self-titled debut album, Ashanti. Her heartfelt songs spoke directly to the ebbs and flows of relationships. Due to its relatability, her album became a music staple in just a short amount of time. It hit the Billboard 200 chart at No. 1 with 505,000 albums sold. It also broke records with the biggest first-week sales for a debut female artist during that time. Ashanti amassed three Grammy nominations for her debut album and took home the golden gramophone for Best Contemporary Album at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards.
After the success of her first album, Ashanti followed up with her sophomore album, Chapter II. It sold 326,000 copies and shot straight to the top of the Billboard 200 chart. In 2005, she added acting to her resume with her first role, alongside Samuel L. Jackson, in the movie Coach Carter. She went on to appear in more films such as John Tucker Must Die (2006), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), and Honey Girls (2021). Her acting career led to her headlining The Wiz in the New York City Center Encores.
Twenty years have flown by, and not much has changed in Ashanti’s zeitgeist. The multi-hyphenate star is still grinding and making her mark. Above all the other myriad of achievements the Glen Cove, NY native has garnered, she will now go down in history as the first Black female artist to be a co-founder of a Web3 company with the launch of EQ Exchange, a woman-owned Web3 platform. She has rightfully been inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame with a cemented star on the famous strip, and she has added author to her name as she recently released her first children’s book titled, My Name Is A Story. And with these notable accomplishments, keen insight, and a more mature perspective, Ashanti is just getting warmed up.
Tune in this Sunday, July 17th, on TVOne to witness the results of her evolution. Join us for an unforgettable, intimate night with the Ashanti at 9 pm EST.
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Ashanti Celebrates 20 Years Of Music At HelloBeautiful Interludes Live
