Customer Reviews

Chapter II

5 star:		(98)
4 star:		(57)
3 star:		(50)
2 star:		(58)
1 star:		(107)

 

 

Despite a million-plus selling debut, a handful of top ten singles, and being hailed as the new princess of r&b, Ashanti Douglas still has a lot to prove. Like Madonna, Kylie, and J.Lo, Ashanti suffers from an affliction common among most young and pretty female artists: success without the respect. The criticism isn't unwarranted: her 2002 self-titled debut was a collection of trendy hip-hop r&b that's high on gloss but low on substance. What's more, her vocal range is limited to a pretty light whisper that lacks the muscle and grit of many of her peers. It'd be refreshing to expect "Chapter II" to represent a mature step forward from her seriously flawed debut, but you'd be setting yourself up for disappointment. The problems with this CD begin right at its very foundation: the songwriting. Actually, "songwriting" is too questionable a term to use since everything here sounds borrowed, stolen, and sampled. Hooks are few, and the beats lack bounce. The lyrics are trite, juvenile, and vapid tales that fall mainly into one of two categories: puppy love and "he-did-me-wrong." Take a sample from "The Story of 2": "Baby I'm just thinking about what I wanna do / just wanna do / I don't care if I'm wrong / think I'm in love with you." Producer Irv Gotti works overtime to conceal Ashanti's strained voice by coming up with stale rhythms and recycled ideas. This is especially evident on tracks like "Living My Life," "Feel So Good," and the tragic "Breakup 2 Makeup." "Chapter II" does have one guilty pleasure of a single: the infectious "Rock Wit U," which has a hook so undeniable you almost forget how empty-headed it is. The rest of the album would succeed if the other cuts were as interesting, but, in the end, Ashanti has released a second album that's all sizzle and no steak. She could have fought back at critics with a tough album that would justify her commercial success. Instead, she and Irv Gotti slavishly follow the very formula that made her a multiplatinum star in the first place, and they take virtually no risks. That's progress?

I thought this cd was really bad like everybody else, and it had been in my collection for years. I was feeling the need for new music, so that's when I got out the cds I only listened to a couple times. There are a couple really good songs on this cd. The problem is the way the cd was arranged. Ashanti needs to get rid of the intros and skits. It distracts the listener, and it makes you want to skip thru the whole cd. It would help if there were more songs for me to like, but I did discover a couple songs I forgot about, and a new one I now like. You can't give up on something completely. Ashanti has talent and I knew there had to be more to this cd than just getting rid of it. A cd has to breathe anyways. M' fave song by Ashanti is on here, it's called "I Found Lovin'". It has a 80's beat and it's a positive vibe. I like "Aww Baby" and "Rain On Me". A new song I found is "Then Your Gone". It has a good message and good lyrics. I hope Ashanti follows her heart and flips the script so her next album will be better than all of them.

I loved her single "Foolish" and "Baby Baby" was Okay.

But please. What is this. People wake up Ashanti can't sing to save her life. She sounds like she's in a vacumn. And what is this about her filling the void for Janet Jackson - Irv Gotti get a life; if Ashanti is filling the void for Janet Jackson, then I am filling the void for Leonardo Dicaprio and I'm also engaged to Pink monkey that lays eggs and can sing the Star Spangled Banner!

All of you that thing I'm hating, be warned ...... I am hating! But you will soon see for yourselves when you shell out the money to buy this. Again for empahsis:

THIS ALBUM IS LIKE LISTENING TO FRAN DRESCHER DOING A MONOLOUGE FOR SPANISH AMERICAN T.V. all the songs sound the same, and they annoy the [garbage] out of me! ARRUUGGHH!!

Let's call the FAShion Police for Lil Kim.

LETS CALL THE MUSIC POLICE FOR ASHANTI.

Awwww Please!

Normally i don't buy a CD after hearing one song, but considering how much I liked Rock wit U and her first album, I figured that buying Chapter II would be a good bargain. Boy, was I wrong. Ashanti is considered the "princess of R&B". And while I'm not sure if that's the truth, she is trying to be way too soulful on this album. Ashanti, stick to R&B, and let Mary J. Blige handle hip-hop and soul.
How dare someone compare this album to Mary's "My Life"? That album has feelings, emotions... you can actually feel Mary pour out her heart and soul onto those records. And since she's my favorite artist, I'm a little picky when it comes to someone compared to her.
Despite her short-comings (and extremely annoying skits), I'll still give the album 3 stars. I dont see her coming out with another video unless she does some remix, since most of the songs are slow (or just not worth being mainstream).

She's back, and in a big way. Ashanti returns not only with a more well-rounded, cohesive effort, she has returned with a better sense of music altogether. "Chapter II" is coated with a summery sheen. It, in fact, would like to be sort of bible of summer anthems, the CD you hear blasting from cars zooming underneath the hot sun, and it succeeds...but to a certain degree. Granted, "Chapter II" does have its bouncy moments (the 80's banger "I Found Lovin'", the sizzling "Rock Wit U"), but Ashanti's latest is, in its core, a display of an artistic move forward and a push for respect.

Irv Gotti has been known for his relentlessly glossy production, and for his overly excessive use of samples. Neither are apparent on this Chapter. Ashanti and Gotti utilize samples, yes, but in a stylish and sort of "nudge-nudge" fashion. In the soulful, sultry "Story of 2," Gotti uses "Dreammaker" (written by Rick James) not simply as a shortcut, but as a throwback to 70's soul music and singers, in which he undoubtedly succeeds. "Rain On Me" samples Burt Bacharach's "Look of Love" to create a delicious pallette of visions and emotion.

"Chapter II" also seems dead-set on focusing on its artist, not the production team or surrounding artists, and, spare an advertisment for labelmate Black Child, Ashanti is the center of attention. Vocally and lyrically masterful, Ashanti slides through this Chapter obviously more savvy and more in control. She has grown up, but not overtly so. Her music is enriched with more emotion, more experience, and possibly, more talent altogether. Whereas "Ashanti" was a break into the industry, a record aimed at sales, "Chapter II" is a true album, a true statement of love and life, a statement of an urgency to get a point across: Ashanti is here to stay.

I've been bamboozled. I must admit I did it to myself though. I was very skeptical about buying this LP. After Ashanti debuted with her first solo album, I was not impressed or to say the least, interested. Whether it was her limited vocal ability or with all of her songs sounding like the remix of the remix of the remix. I went ahead and purchased Chapter II anyway. I really enjoyed the second single from this album "Rain On Me" which prompted me the buy this after the just okay "Rock Wit You." The interludes bothered me the most. Than it was simply the lack of good songs. The only tracks I've been able to stomach are "Rock wit You," "Rain On Me," and the remake of "I found Lovin," needless to say she didn't do that song justice (those of you who are old enough to remember the original). Done by a male singer, she sings the song just like him, and the beat is exactly the same. They might-as-well had put the original on the record since she didn't even try to make it her own. The interlude featuring her little sister was just a waist of album space, the way they were singing was just a big joke. This whole release was a joke. It is ALMOST impossible for Ashanti to capitalize off her so-so vocals, if she doesn't come better next time she'll be filing "Chapter II" bankruptcy.

Aaliyah was about to blow up big. Ashanti came along right after her death and became the new "R&B princess" or whatever. but if you listen to the records, you know who had the beauty, class and talent. buy Aaliyah instead.

I'm sorry. I'm not trying to hate on a girl, but this CD wasn't poppin'. At all. Maybe it's just me, but when I was giving it its first listen, I had to keep forwarding to the next track 'cause I really wasn't feelin' it. To be honest with you, I really didn't like her first album neither. And I'm not down with Murder Inc, so consider me biased. Don't take my word for it if you don't want to. But when I first heard "Rock Wit U" on the radio, I liked it. And I figured since it was such a hot track, I would cop the album on its release date. It was such a waste of my money. I wanted to sell it back the next day. If I hear Ashanti say "Baby" one more time, I'mma start screaming. For real. The beats aren't hot at all and the material is all filler. As an artist, she doesn't deserve all the hype that she and Murder Inc are claimin'. "Princess of Hip Hop and R&B"??? I say you're better off buyin' the Beyonce, Monica, and Mya albums. For one, THEY deserve the title more than Ashanti.

1.)There are about 7 Intros, Outros, Skits on the album.
2.)The Media says, that her new song "Rock Wit U" is not sampled but upon hearing the Instrumental, there is small parts that sample's M. Jacksons, identicaly titled hit.
3.)There are 2many samples, ("Breakup 2 Makeup"-Mary's Sweet Thing.),( "I Found Lovin"-I Know that beat from somewhere.) (Then on "Livin My Life", she takes the beat straight from R.kelly's "Been around the World Ft. Ja Rule.)(She even samples herself on "Feel So Good" harmonizing her hits "Happy" and "Rock Wit U"),( "The Story of 2" whole thing straight up tooken from Angela Bofill's "Dream Maker")

~But After listening to this album a couple of times, I cant help liking it.

1.hire some talented writers her lyrics sound so childish she says baby in every verse and in every hook yo ashanti expand your vocabulary
2.get better producers and beat makers stop remaking songs p.diddy and bad boy has done that enough its 2003 lets be creative
3.take some vocal classes her voice is not strong she really cant hold a tone
4.maybe ashanti could make it in the music game if she changed labels murder inc. is not a label for a singer yo ashanti maybe you should check with J Records or Def Jam Soul or somethin because murder inc. is not working
I KNOW MUSIC AND THIS CD [is bad] IF YOU WANT TO INVEST YOUR MONEY IN REAL MUSIC BUY MONICA'S CD AFTER THE STORM