The Main Idea:
After singing backup or guest vocals on a whole buttload of top ten hits, as well as writing Jennifer Lopez's "Ain't It Funny" remix, Murder Inc. princess Ashanti Douglas released her long-awaited self-titled debut album in the spring of 2002. I picked this record up on a whim and have found that I have very mixed feelings of it. Ashanti has excellent production, some of the best I've heard in a while, but I really don't think it suits Ashanti's voice well at all. We all know she's no Whitney Houston, and the signature beats of Irv Gotti, 7 Aurelius, and Chink Santana make that seem like even more of a detriment. In truth, Ashanti isn't highly unlike anything we've heard in R&B before. It's good, but it's just not anything special.

Song-By-Song Breakdown:
1. INTRO - This is just some guy saying, "Previously, on Ashanti..." and then it launches into samples of some of the songs Ashanti's been featured on, including Ja Rule's "Always On Time," Fat Joe's "What's Luv?," and Big Pun's "How We Roll." Normally, I hate intros, but I like how this one introduces you to the artist. It's a very clever idea - 4/5

2. FOOLISH - I've always HATED this song, and buying the album didn't make me like it any more. It was one of the most overplayed songs of 2002, and I fail to understand why. The melody and lyrics don't suit the production and sampling at all, the lyrical concept has been used 5647902234545 times already in R&B, and Ashanti's vocals sound strained and rough. It's probably the worst song on the album and a horrible choice for a first single. Its success can only be attributed to beginner's luck - 2/5

3. HAPPY - Ah, what a nice refreshing tune after that last monstrosity! The title describes the song quite well. It's catchy as hell - "All my life/I've been searching for ya/Everyday/So glad that I found you boy/All my life/I've been feeling for you/Everyday/I'm so happy, baby" - and is complimented by some great keyboards and a flute that gives it a fun, summery feel. A great song to bump in your car with the windows down and the stereo up. Ashanti really delivers it well; she sounds sweet and sincere - 5/5

4. LEAVING (ALWAYS ON TIME PART 2) - This song is also disgustingly catchy and sounds a lot like "Always On Time." It also features Ja Rule "rapping" (*cough* singing! *cough cough*) and is your typical radio-friendly Murder Inc. jam. I like the way the vocals are arranged, even if they aren't very remarkable, and the production has a light, airy sound to it that makes it very easy to listen to. One of my favorites, except for Ja Rule's section. I'm really sick of him - 4/5

5. NARRATIVE CALL (SKIT) - I hate this skit. It's just Ashanti talking in a very boring, uninterested voice about some halfway-obsessive relationship she was in. I guess it's supposed to set up the following track, but it should have been done in a different way - 2/5

6. CALL - I'm not fond of this cut at all. It's just as boring as the previous interlude and, once again, the lyrics and the melody don't suit the production: "What's the deal with you and me?/I know you feel the chemistry/I can tell what's on your mind/The same thing that's on mine." The rainfall effects are nice, as is the guitar, but, other than that, I can't stand this song. Ashanti's vocals are just plain horrible; she sounds like a dying bird who just got sat on by J. Lo - 3/5

7. SCARED - I really like this song; it's smooth and funky at the same time and has some excellently arranged vocals and lyrics that are well-suited to the production: "Got me afraid to let my love go/Is it my heart that I should follow/Got me afraid to let myself go/Got me scared of you." This cut also features some rather annoying ad-libs from Irv Gotti, but they're pretty easy to ignore. I also like the keyboards at the end; they make the song sound sweet and classy - 4/5

8. RESCUE - This is basically a cheapened variation of the previous song and features the same vocals from Irv Gotti. The production and guitar of this tune can get very repetitive, as do the lyrics and the bland way Ashanti delivers them. This track drags on for over seven minutes, but is pretty much over after the first four, so I don't see why they had to waste three whole minutes of my valuable time. It's just too damn long and too damn boring - 2/5

9. BABY - This is one of my favorites, as it's so smooth and unlike the rest of the album. There are some great keyboards and vocal arrangements, though the hook, which is simply comprised of the song's title sung over and over again, can get annoying. This was actually the third single off the album and didn't perform too well on the charts, but, besides #3, I think it's the best song on the record. It's fairly simple and doesn't have as much going on as these other songs - 4/5

10. VOODOO - Another one of my favorites, as it's once again unlike any other song on the record. It's got a misty, dreamy feel to it which is caused mainly by the bewitching production (obviously invoking the track's title) and the soft, whispery way Ashanti delivers it. The lyrics can get redundant, as is the case with most of this album, but they're delivered in such a pleasant way that this minor infraction can be delivered just this one time. Very nice and smooth - 4/5

11. MOVIES - The immature production of this one sets you up for a rather mediocre song. The mushy lyrics - "I wanna be like those girls in the movies/To have a man so in love it makes him drop to his knees/She's even on his mind while he's asleep at night/'Cause that's the feeling you've given me" - and unenthusiastic delivery don't do much to improve the quality of the track either. Ashanti tries to hit a couple of high notes towards the end, but falls flat on her face. A very mediocre cut - 3/5

12. FIGHT (OVER SKIT) - This argument between Ashanti and Irv Gotti, meant to mimic the breakup of a couple, does a good job of setting up the next track, but is pretty hard to believe because Gotti is getting all angry and shouting and Ashanti sounds as disinterested and boring as ever. I really think she's needs to work on her enthusiasm a little bit - 3/5

13. OVER - Yet another mediocre, unremarkable cut. The live drums are nice, but, other than that, there's nothing that really sticks out about it. It's your typical breakup song which follows along the same lines as "Leaving" and sounds like everything else on the album production-wise. It's a nice track, but nothing special. Ashanti's so-so vocals don't do the lyrics justice, once again showing the lack of emotion and conviction her voice has. It's good, but certainly not great - 3/5

14. UNFOOLISH - This is just the remix of "Foolish" except now Ashanti has actually left her man: "See my days are cold without you/But I'm hurting while I'm with you/And though my heart can't take no more/I won't keep running back to you." It's nice to see she's gotten her act together, but sampling Biggie's "F*ck You Tonight" wasn't a good idea. The rhyme which is sampled in this track doesn't suit the lyrical concept, and the borrowed beats don't fit in with those already taken from "Foolish". A very mixed up song, but definitely better than the original - 4/5

15. SHI SHI (SKIT) - Why this skit was included on the album, even I can't figure out. Who wants to hear Ashanti's little sister try to boost her ego even more? It's just plain dumb and should have been left off the record entirely - 0/5

16. DREAMS - I really genuinely like this tune. The lyrics are uplifting and inspirational - "There is nothing that should ever take your heart away/From what it is you wanna to do/You should always go with what you love/Don't follow no one else/Just do what's good for you" - and the acoustic and electric guitars and the grand piano give it some class. I don't know if I like the off-key singing from the little kids, though; I definitely could have lived without that - 4/5

17. THANK YOU - This is a short (and off-key) thank-you piece that is rather repetitive and pointless. She repeats the same lyrics over and over and tries way too hard to sound soulful and gospel-y and ends up sounding like a cheap Beyonce knockoff (or is that also redundant?). Not a smart choice to put at the end of the record, as it closes it on a very sour note - 2/5

The Big Picture:
Overall, my feelings about this record are: so what? What's the big deal? Sure, it has its high points, but it also has a lot of low points. Ashanti really puts the focus on the production in an attempt to hide the undeniable fact that Ashanti can't sing, and that attempt fails miserably. It's a fairly good debut album, but there's nothing unique about it and nothing that makes you wanna listen to it over and over. The lyrical concepts are highly overused and poorly written, the said production is equally as repetitive (then again, what do you expect from the Murder Inc. camp?), and Ashanti simply doesn't have the vocal power to pull off anything halfway decent. Ashanti is simply a very mediocre pop album that tries far too desperately to blend in with the the rest of the R&B world. It just sounds too contrived and overproduced and doesn't show any signs of real effort or care.

You do have to give her some credit, though. She's already got a handicap because she's from Murder Inc., AKA The World's Most Annoying Record Label, and she has no one to work with except Irv Gotti and his cronies. She really makes do with what she's got, and at least she writes her own songs, even if the lyrics do suck. Ashanti probably would have been a much better album had Ashanti been signed to a different label and had worked with some different producers. But she she's not, and she didn't, so we're stuck with what she did make. Ashanti garnered a lot of critical acclaim and commercial success, most of which was undeserved. If you want real R&B from someone who can actually sing and has genuine talent, I don't think Ashanti is the record for you. It's simply a danceable pop record with little substance and a rather boring feel to it.

Final Notes:
Average Song Rating: 3.118
Best Song(s): "Happy"
Worst Song(s): "Foolish" and "Thank You"

How Would I Rate This Record's...
Vocals? 1 star
Lyrics? 2 stars
Production? 4 stars
Timelessness? 0 stars
Artistry? 0 stars

Also Recommended:
Ja Rule - Pain Is Love
Amerie - All I Have
Janet Jackson - All For You

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Hanging With Friends