Album Review: Ashanti – The Declaration
This week, Ashanti releases her new album, The Declaration, after a 4 year hiatus. The follow-up album to her last effort, Concrete Rose has been a long time coming. After a couple of failed buzz singles (the Nelly-featured “Switch,” and the “Last Night”-esque “Hey Baby (After the Club)”) and a lot of push backs, Ashanti is finally ready to come back.
Ashanti sprang back onto the scene with the official first single, “♫ The Way That I Love You,” which I thought was a great way to reintroduce herself to the public. It got a lot of great feedback across blogs, great radio play, and when the video dropped, it blazed countdowns. It seemed as though Ashanti finally found a single that was being embraced pretty positively. On The Declaration it seems as though Ashanti took a step out from the Inc. family and tapped a couple different producers to experiment with her sound a bit. And I won’t lie, even with the excessive amount of times Ashanti used to use the word “baby” in her songs, I’ve always had respect for her writing ability – especially after her debut album.
There are a couple different sounds that Ashanti plays with on the new album. There are some very R&B-heavy ballads and midtempo jams, but then it seems as though she decided to play with the popular dance-inspired tracks that have been dropping as of late. Ashanti recruits Rodney “Darkchild” Jenkins, Jermaine Dupri, Akon, Babyface and LT Hutton, who has the most credits on the album. She also collaborates with boyfriend Nelly, Akon and Robin Thicke.
Although the album boasts a few nice tracks, stand out tracks include the first single, “The Way That I Love You,” the smooth “Things You Make Me Do,” a duet with the master of blue-eyed soul, Robin Thicke, as well as the single-worthy, radio-friendly Jermaine Dupri-produced “Good Good,” and a personal favorite, “Girlfriend.” I think that Ashanti may want to rethink “Body On Me” for the next single, though.
If you’re digging what you’ve heard on The Declaration, make sure you cop it today in stores or on iTunes!
Congrats Ashanti, you look as much like a white woman as you can….
Her album sucks…you were way too generous in your review Brian.
Ashanti did her thing on The Way That I Loe You this album is actually realy good it dont have nothing on her 1st record but she def surpass them wack ass “Chapter 2″ and “Concrete Rose”. I love Struggle and Girfriend def needs to be singles
GO ASHANTI! I hope she goes #1 she really deserves it.
I COPPED HER ALBUM B4 WORK THIS MORNING!
ITS HOT!
AND THE TRACK W. ROBIN THICKE IS HOT!
Ashanti looks DOPE! a lil Beyonceish but dope still. Go on girl!
i listened to clips of it on AOL.from what i heard,i think it sounds good…i love “GOOD GOOD” but my favorite is “In These Streets”that seems single-worthy
Go head Shanti, I love you baby, do you and don’t let any negative comments or people hold you back. The world is yours and I’m glad that you’re back where you’re supposed to be, on top.
Ashanti’s album is off the chain and i give her props for taking care of her business.
Sorry but will Ashanti’s P.R. team stop posting all that crap saying “her album is good”
Yup, pretty face, nice skin..and def feels like a B cover and photo shoot to me..but whatev, if this will bring her more album sells then so be it! lol. Not a huge Ashanti fan, they been mixing over old beats since her inception and I didnt really respect that as a new artist you couldnt make your own mark and be a bit more creative..Not entirely her fault… but she is cool.. God bless her and I hope she does well so she can the label back!
i guess the big hair and mini-dresses are still in. she actually does look like she’s “borrowing” Beyonce’s look a little and that first photo is…well that wig needs some work, but she’s a gorgeous lady. Let me check out these tunes…
@ 4 lol my BFF said the BEE comment last night. I will buy here cd today this afternoon. Good Good sounds good
Good review Brian
lol at#9… Yeah, I have NEVER heard anyone say an Ashanti Album was hot.. oh well..
sounds like its gonna be good.i remember buying her first CD..where “BABY” was her favourtie word…
But this one seems like theres a lot more Ashanti has to offer this time around
uh-oh here comes the BEYONCE STANS…..why cant ya’ll believe that every singer does not want to be beyonce?damn
that robin thicke song is niice i like this…
This is one of the best albums I’ve ever heard. Ashanti sounds incredible on every single track and from what i’ve heard so far, i didn’t hear a bad track at all. With this album, i think she is going to successfully do well this time. I will absolutely buy this album, and would recommend it to those who wanna hear something new especially in the R&B and pop category.
All of the posted songz are hot. Might have to go cop the CD
Ugh, Shanti sweetie…I absolutely Hate that wig you have on in the first pic. But good luck with everything anyway!
I picked up the album this morning. It’s actually a good listen. I know some doubted her but she’s back and I’m lovin the album. It’s somewhat different from her usual which is good. Change is good, give the haters something to talk about!!
I have a couple of favorites so far but the last song on the cd, I love, love it “I’m still here”. I think that’s the name of it, don’t quote me on that though.
ppl stop lying yall no this album is shit.
wtf is she declaring talking about the same old bullshit that she always talk about.
and her voice gives me a damn headache. she should beat in her fucking mouth for releasing this trash of a album. sorry ashitti, but your career is dead.
After hearing the album twice, I’d say it’s an okay effort 3/5. The critiques I have about the album is that she still overuses the word baby, and the song “The Declaration” at the end could have been real hot (the hook and the beat is cool), but the lyrics were too amateurish. They should have been more well written so that the album could have ended on a high note.
Oh yeah I agree Brian, Body On Me should not be the next single. That song is soooo annoying. The 2nd single should either be Good Good or Girlfriend.
Ashanti album is so typical it aint nothin to be all excited over. I doubt if it goes to #1 but IF it does then so be it lol….her voice still aint all that great at all.
Ashanti does look nice in the pic cuz usually her makeup is clown-ish. Her weave is stacked a bit high, but she does look nice
# 17
What are you smoking?????? Did you just say that this was “one of the best albums you’ve ever heard”
You must be a Chris Brown fan as well….*shrugs*
I’ve never listerned to Ashanti before, however this new project just convinced me to buy her new album. She sounds surprisingly well here, and i could relate to almost every song. Wow, what an incredible album.
My favorite songs are You’re going to miss, Good Good, Girlfriend, and The Declaration. And I am not even going to lie I thought it was not going to be that good from the snippets I heard on Amazon. But when I heard the songs in full I really like them all. She could have kept out the song Shine though. It is not really that good to me (well just my personal taste). But hey overall I like all the songs. Sorry for doubting you Ashanti you did pretty good.
album garbage ………only 2 songs crank
I wish her the best of luck in her album sales.. I really dig the chick.
well the songs i have heard i really like and i will be buying her album, every since she came out the girl could write she was writing before she out as a singer and remembering back i have liked all her singles she put out, i have never bought one of her albums though, but some people on here who probably ain’t even listened to the album really dogging it like she ain’t just dropped two hot singles, but anyway i will be getting it i love what i have heard so far, and her voice has upgraded she sounds good and ready go ashanti!
I hope her album does well. I really do.
Ashanti is back with a hard ass album. Haters who come and comment here are jealous for the fact that Ashanti is doing incredibly fine with this album, and they are so worried for that matter. Bitch if u don’t like Ashanti, then why are you keep haunting for her? why you listened to her new project? are you jealous? or are you getting paid for just giving negative comment? haters need to get their attitude together and get the fuck outta here. Ashanti is back once again and haters can kiss her behind. and i will say it million times.
I agree, haters need to get their attitude together, and i think they also like Ashanti very much because they keep looking for her, listen to her albums, and so they see how nice Ashanti sounds then turn that into a negative feedback because they are jealous. Abviously, this is the number one reason why haters give negative comment. Jealously, jealously, jealously, and again, jealously.
IDK….she does have a couple of decent tracks on her album but don’t think any chart toppers. We all know that you don’t have to have mad vocal skills to make it. Part of it is image that helps move more units. She needs to find her edge and shake that “Beyonce vibe”. Not saying that she wants to be Bey, but re-invent and go for another look.
She is stepping away from her OLD formula which in this case is good thing! Congrats Ashanti!
Why can’t we as black people support each other? Damn this shit gets old, if her music isn’t for you move on!!!!!!!!!
i know alot of people hate on Ashanti cause her overnight success but yall cant break her down eveyrtime espically when she actually doing the damn thing you know how long i waited to hear an Ashanti album without Irv and Ja and evey other flopped Inc artist yelling her name and saying THE INC throughout the record. SHE DID THE DAMN THING GOOD JOB ASHANTI I KNOW SHE READING LOL
# 25 whats wrong with chris brown? atleast he’s not out on the damn streets, leave the young brother along!!!!!
Good Good and In These Streets are great second singles. The joint with Thicke should be dropped third close to the fall….
I root for Ashanti but I must admit, that cover looks TOO much like Beyonce in Upgrade You. From the photo I bet you wouldn’t have known it was Ashanti if this wasn’t a post about her. Looking at that picture you would’ve thought it was Bey.
Shani needs to cop her own style and the Euro weave of locks down her back doesn’t do her justice. Good luck with your sales though Ashanti
@38
What does that have to do with his garbage music? And of course he is on the streets banging Rihanna, and doing whatever. How on Earth do you know what he does in his personal life anyway? I know for sure that ur an Ashanti fan now…
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!!!! Everyone does not want to be Beyonce. There is nothing original about Beyonce. Stop comparing everyone to her.
Anyway, congrats to Ashanti and the new album. I love “the way that I love you” and the song she has with Robin Thicke. I havent heard the rest of the album yet, but I hope she went back to the old formula she had on her first album….which was HOT!!! I still bump that now.
I’m not a huge fan of Ashanti, but all 4 of these songs are pretty hot. If she has at least 2 more songs I can rock to, then I just might cop the album.
STANDOUTS:
The Way That I Love You
Girlfriend (SEXY AS HELL)
Struggle (Her Tribute to Nelly)
Your Gonna Miss (Good Single Material)
The Declaration (Her F YOU’s to Irv and Ja lol)
Shine – Nice American Idol type record
In These Streets – Staright Up 2002 Ashanti lol
Body On Me – Pop Freindly And I Like That Her and her boo Nelly got another collabo together!
COP THE DECLARATION IN STORES NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAMN….. I mean is all that weave really necessary??
She looks so damn crazy..!!
Ashanti is finally back, i have been waiting for this project for four straight years, and it’s here eventually. Im gon’ get my copy tonight. Good luck.
i think her album is hot and. she looks nothing like beyonce beyonce is not all that get off her nuts she is not that damn original she holds on to tina and patty and the rest of them just like everybody else GO HEAD SHANTI
She look fly on the album cover im tired of people comparing every artist to beyonce please. Im going to get her album this week. I think there is no good music anymore that why i just go back to listening 70-early 2000 music but we do need to support artist like her not all the booty music that we listen too. Go Ashanti i was always a true fan. Let her get her shine on with comparing her to anyone.
Wow, I like the songs posted.
My bootleg man tried to get me to buy it yesterday. I didnt have 5 bucks on me… Im going to swing by the bank and see if he still standing outside after I get off work… Sounds good to me…
She looks nice… Its a different look for her…
Love the first single. Hate the album cover looks too draggish IMO. The above would’ve been better IMO. LOL!!!
I thnk im gna buy her album, since tht shitty switch & hey baby aint on there, plus she got robin thicke, so i am goin 2 target & gettin it while its cheap ths week..haha, go head shanti!!!
Laughing at #1, so do you think Beyonce is alot like a white woman also? beause they got that same look going on
Congrats Ashanti! The CD is hot!!! Shake the haters off and keep doing your thing~~~
I always liked Ashanti…not the greatest voice but she does HER thing and thats what i always liked a respected
Brian you respect her writing game but imply you don’t like Rihanna’s new song because she wrote it? lol There’s no competition…Rihanna is a farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr better writer. lol I just don’t understand…smh!
#49 I would not have admitted to that, plus bootlegging is not being a fan, it is being a theif.
@ #2, I agree.
Not impressed at all. I do actually like ‘The Way That I Love You’ though, but that’s about it. I’m not surprised she didn’t impress me. The bottom picture looks like Beyonce when you glance at it, HHHHHMMMMM am I surprised. I think she is taking this Beyonce thing way too far. I used to defend her ass, BUT how can I now..she’s Beyonce’s complete shadow.
I’m with you #49.
Bootleg Man here I come…lol. Except the bootleg man I know only charge 3 dollars per CD.
And Ashanti needs to go away…she’s so annoying…and hairy. yuck!
i wish some of you would just hop off beyonce’s dick. not every singer out there wants to her.
i like ashanti but that wig from the Janice comb collection needs to go. Fast!