The Truth About Ashanti's Music Career

Ashanti may be ready to record music again — but it's not in the way you think. Recently, the R&B star guest-starred on Fat Joe and Ja Rule's "Verzuz," which took place at New York City's Madison Square Garden on September 14. The "Rain on Me" singer stopped by to perform her features on songs such as Ja's "Mesmerize" and Joe's "What's Love." And, based on all the social media reactions, Ashanti completely stole the show.

"Ashanti is both Fat Joe & Ja Rule's cheat code," one fan tweeted. "Sis has hits on both ends of the stage & still looks as good (or even better) than she did when the songs came out." To show his appreciation, Fat Joe even gifted Ashanti (as well as collaborator Remy Ma) with her own Hermés Birkin bag. But perhaps the most-talked-about moment was when Ashanti's ex-boyfriend, Nelly, walked over to give her a hug ... leaving fans wondering if there could be a romantic reunion between the two.

"Listen, there's nothing happening," Ashanti told Fat Joe during an Instagram Live recap of the night (via REVOLT). "Now look, this is the crazy part. I had no idea he was gonna be there and I haven't seen him or spoken to him since we broke up. Six years or something? So, I didn't know what to expect. I seen him move you out the way." Hot off her "Verzuz" performance, Ashanti has now made a big announcement about her music career.

During an appearance on "The Tamron Hall Show" on September 28, Ashanti discussed owning her masters, as well as her plans to re-record her self-titled debut album. "It's so surreal," Ashanti told the host.

"I have an amazing legal team," she said. "And I got my first record deal when I was 14 years old, so understanding and seeing how things have changed so much from then to now, and conceptually understanding what you're signing, is so imperative and so important nowadays. The fact that I'll be able to re-record my first album, and put everything together." Originally released in 2002, Ashanti's debut album earned the singer a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album, as well as two nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. 

The singer also shared how excited she is about what's to come. "It's such a blessing, you know, the fact that we are still here, we're living through a pandemic, and these blessings are still coming in, it just makes me so happy again, so humbled and such a believer," Ashanti continued. "There's a higher power, and I think that just being as a person and praying and putting your heart into things you get that energy back, and I think that's so important. So, I'm just really, really happy." Ashanti's newfound happiness is definitely deserved, given her past record label drama. Find out more below.

At the height of her career, Ashanti was signed to Irv Gotti's Murder Inc., the same label as her long-time collaborator Ja Rule. However, Gotti went on to release the singer in 2009, blaming a lack of chemistry. "The relationship has run its course," he told MTV that same year. "The chemistry of what's needed — we're in two totally different places."  He added that, although they've made groundbreaking music together, it was time to move on. "My views and philosophies and her views and philosophies are not meeting up." 

Being dropped from Murder Inc. didn't stop Ashanti, though. Two years later, the R&B star announced that she was launching her own label, Written Entertainment. "I'm so excited," Ashanti told AllHipHop in 2011. "With eOne as my distributor, I feel that their innovative and ambitious approach to the music industry really gives my label a worldwide presence."

In a 2017 interview with W Magazine, the singer explained why launching her own label (as well as owning her masters) is so important to her. "I think it is crucial to support other women in such a male-dominated industry," Ashanti said. "As a woman and being the boss of my own record label Written Entertainment, and having the rights to the master version of my records, calling the shots is actually a blessing but also a lot of hard work. I hope to encourage more women to take control of their own destinies." What a boss!