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Ashanti is definitely R&B for the under-30 set, and as such it's bouncy and playful. This debut, as is to be expected of a Murder Inc. release, features a strong hip-hop element, including two duets with Irv Gotti's golden child, Ja Rule, and the sampling of a controversial Notorious B.I.G. composition in "Unfoolish." The kids should love it. --Rebecca Levine
This is radio-ready,"106 & Park"-tailored R&B.Stricly for the kids not fans of earthy soul or trendy folks.
Ashanti-who wrote much of "Ashanti"-talks about about three things:love,love,and more love.Groundbreaking...
Sugary,radio-friendly cuts like the first single "Foolish"
(already a hit),"Baby","Call"(featuring her labelmate,Ja Rule)
are pure polite,cutesy teen-R&B fare with easy,elementary,easy-to-sing lyrics to boot.It sounds like these aren't neccesarily songs Ashanti wants to sing,but songs she thinks a photogenic,cute young girl SHOULD sing.And that's the problem,
there seems be no real respect for R&B and it shows.
Since this album was produced by Irv Gotti(like Ja Rule,Ashanti is a Murder Inc. artist;she's the crew's first non-rap artist),
it shows that the folks here are on the more street,hip hop tip and they feel that R&B is just folks singing about love.
Ashanti never passes the line of "R&B Girl",which I think she can easily pass-with more mercurial material,that is.
Fourtnaly,tracks like "Over","Rescue",and "Movies" are a little more earthier than the sweeter songs on here.
Ashanti will most likely become a star.She should.But why does mainstream music have to be so predictible?
The video debuted the song. It sold that song. Then you turn around & she's on Fat Joe's "what's luv." Ashanti was on every video and every radio station. She became the first female to have 3 songs in the top ten at the same time. Her album debuted at #1 with 500,000 sold, but does that say she talented or should the marketing department at Murder Inc. get a huge bonus for the good job they've done?
She does write songs that this generation can relate to. They are simple lyrics, but it still gets the point across. "Scared", Movies", "Baby", and "Over" are some stand out songs. The songs on the CD sound good, but I was disappointed when I first heard her live. She did not sound too good, but I dismissed that performance. The 2nd time was just as bad, nothing like the recorded songs.
I gave this 3 stars because I potential in her in the years to come. If she takes some vocal lessons & survive the sophomore jinx, maybe then can she be Hip-Hop & R&B's new princess.
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