R&B chart-topper, Ashanti, brings it to the EQC

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R&B singer Ashanti Douglas was born in 1980 in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York, into a musical family. Her father used to sing and her mother is a dance instructor. Ashanti began singing in a gospel choir at the age of 6. As she grew, her musical talent developed. She danced in a show at Carnegie Hall and in the Disney television musical “Polly.” It was in high school that she honed her songwriting skills and harnessed her talent for creating a story that people could relate to, song after song.

Ashanti first made her break onto the music scene with the Big Pun hit “How We Roll” in 2001. Her sound was infectious and caught the attention of record producers. Irv Gotti, the polished producer with Murder Inc. Records, was credited with her discovery and what was supposed to be an initial collaboration, turned into a record contract. The demure and feminine Ashanti was hesitant at first to sign with a label named Murder Inc., but she filled a void in the company stable of talent. What was a pure rap label became stronger with the arrival of the R&B singer. The marketing team at Murder Inc. went to work to promote Ashanti in time for her debut release.