Ashanti And Jeffrey Wright Joins Kenny Leon, Wren Brown, and Wal-Mart As Honorees For The 20th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards.

The 20th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards takes place on August 30, 2010 at the Director’s Guild of America in Los Angeles. This year’s honorees include: Ashanti, Jeffrey Wright, Kenny Leon, Wren Brown, Isagenix International and Wal-Mart. Full Article

The Spirit Award is presented to an individual who brings energy, tenacity, innovation, commitment, talent, and of course, spirit, to the theater scene.

Usher received it in 2007 (Chicago), Vivica A. Fox in 2008 and Tichina Arnold in 2009.

CONGRATS SHAN! WELL DESERVED!

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The hip-hop landscape may be dominated by members of the Young Money label at the moment, but there was a time not too long ago when the scene was dominated by Murder, Inc., the label headed by Irv Gotti that introduced the universe to the likes of rapper Ja Rule, producer 7 Aurelius and singer Ashanti, who dropped her self-titled debut album on this day in 2002. Ashanti’s special blend of hip-hop-flavored R&B saw her sharp, versatile voice wrapped around the soulful, hypnotic beats that Murder, Inc. producers Aurelius, Gotti and Chink Santana seemed to churn out in their sleep.

Fans first heard Ashanti’s cooing voice backing up rappers and singing hooks on hits like Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez’s “I’m Real,” Fat Joe’s “Whut’s Luv?” and Rule’s “Always on Time.” But she really made it big when her debut solo single “Foolish” flew to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 10 weeks. When the album finally dropped, it sold over a half million copies in its opening week, which made it the best first week from a female debut of all time (a record that was recently broken by Susan Boyle, of all people). Ashanti eventually sold over three million copies and won the singer a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Ashanti released three more albums for Murder, Inc. (now just known as The Inc.) before departing in 2009. She seems to have settled into a healthy acting career, starring in a number of films, TV shows and stage productions. Even if she never comes back to music, her body of work will stand the test of time — especially signature tracks like the single “Happy.” - MTV.com

Also, today, Ashanti’s younger sister Shia turns the big 2-1. Everyone, make sure you wish her a happy birthday on Twitter @PDEESOFNY!!!

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VIBE.com: During Tuesday (October 13) night’s airing of VH1’s Hip Hop Honors, viewers watched today’s rappers do their best impressions of Def Jam icons, but one of the night’s most notable storylines was Ja Rule and Ashanti’s onstage reunion.

The two former Murder Inc. headliners took the stage to revive their hits “Down Ass Chick” and “Always on Time,” the duo’s first joint performance in years.

“[Ja] reached out to me,” Ashanti told VIBE Wednesday night, a day after the tribute show aired. “We were talking on the phone back and forth for a week or two before the show, and when we saw each other at rehearsals the first time in a long time he gave me a big ol’ hug. It was back to years ago. It felt good to be on stage [together].”

As feel-good and historic as it was, however, TV viewers actually watched the tag team’s second taped performance. Due to an audio malfunction, the first play of the classics was scrapped and Ashanti and Ja hit the stage for an unscheduled encore.

“I don’t think it was [DJ] Chuck Chillout’s fault, but something happened with the music to where it started [sounding like] chopped and screw. It was just like, wahh wahh!” Ashanti recalled, imitating Houston’s lethargic music effect. “I was like, ‘Whoa, what happened?’ I would’ve just automatically stopped, but I just saw that Ja kept it moving and they kept the record going so I was like, ‘OK, I’ma go with it’.”

She continued, “It threw Ja off for the verses. And the timing, everything was off, off, off. So when we finished, I was backstage, like ‘We gotta do this over.’ There’s no way we were going out like that!”

Another un-televised moment from Hip Hop Honors was the hatchet burying between DMX and Ja Rule. Ashanti had already split–the singer/actor had to do early-morning radio the following day to promote the 70th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz, as protagonist Dorothy–but she was glad the on-and-off-friendly MCs made peace.

“I heard they made up. I was so happy,” Ashanti said. “Me and [DMX have] always been cool. We took a trip to Africa one time together and we were on the flight for, like, 100 hours. I was always like, it’s kind of awkward with, you know, where I was and who I was and then whatever it is that [Ja Rule and DMX] had between each other. So I was glad to see that they made up. That shows we can unite in hip-hop.”

Eminem, Foxy Brown, Kid Rock, Mary J. Blige, Method Man, Redman, Ludacris, and Scarface were among the nostalgic night’s many performers. -John Kennedy

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As part of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s (BGCA) new advocacy campaign - BE GREAT - Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, actress and Boys & Girls Club alumni Ashanti unveiled a new billboard in Times Square on August 11, featuring her childhood picture and an aspirational message - BE AMAZING. Ashanti joins some 25 prominent alumni in the new advocacy campaign to help increase public awareness and understanding about the key issues facing America’s youth, and the positive impact of Clubs.

Medium Quality x21

High Quality x73

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LOS ANGELES (June 15, 2009) – Entrepreneur, philanthropist and humanitarian Diana Jenkins presents the new fine art coffee table book Room 23 (www.room23thebook.com) (daab), featuring photography and art direction by Deborah Anderson. This artistic exploration depicts a year in the life of a Beverly Hills penthouse suite, featuring 100 celebrities— including George Clooney, Cindy Crawford, Sir Elton John, Dennis Hopper, Larry King, Heidi Klum, Kid Rock, Lindsay Lohan, Ludacris, Moby, Hayden Panettiere, Christian Slater and Sharon Stone—allowing themselves to be intimately revealed behind the lens to raise awareness and funds for the Sanela Diana Jenkins International Human Rights Project (SDJIHRP), a non-profit entity at UCLA School of Law that brings war criminals to justice through legal resources and technology.

Room 23 is available in stores in 120 countries worldwide for $99.00 US, and hits all major retailers in the United States on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Proceeds from the sale of the book will benefit several programs under the umbrella of the Sanela Diana Jenkins International Human Rights Project, which is aimed at developing groundbreaking approaches to advancing human rights and to training the next generation of human rights lawyers and advocates.

Bosnian-born Jenkins is committed to stopping war crimes globally, including genocide and other human rights violations. She was recently appointed as special advisor to Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic, backing his efforts to raise the Country’s image and to attract foreign investment.

She says, “When good things happen for me, I pay it forward by helping my country. In the Bosnian-Serbian War, people lost homes, cars and money, but the greatest casualty was the loss of family and friends. No one should ever have to be a victim of human rights violations, so that is why I founded the Sanela Diana Jenkins International Human Rights Project.”

Born and raised in Sarajevo, Jenkins fled the horrors of the war, in which she lost her brother. In 1993, she escaped with her life by running barricades into Croatia, eventually making her way to the United Kingdom, where she graduated from City University London with a degree in Computer Science. She founded and managed the financial company D-Sol, later relocating to Los Angeles where she has business interests in fashion, lifestyle consumer brands and feature film.

The Room 23 co-venture between Jenkins and Anderson resulted in calling high profile friends to participate in the three month-long production phase. In the spirit of fantasy, the photos tell a glamorous and emotional story of what takes place behind the closed doors of a Beverly Hills penthouse suite.

The book cover features Cindy Crawford who also wrote the opening dedication. Other celebrities lending their name and image for the cause of Room 23 include: Ashanti, Amanda Bynes, James Blunt, Gina Gershon, Rachel Hunter, Mike Medavoy, Brett Ratner, Lisa Rinna, Vidal Sassoon, Donald Sutherland, Jessica Stam, Cheryl Tiegs, Jerry Weintraub and Pete Wentz, among many others.

Room 23 is produced by and created by Diana Jenkins. Photography and art direction is by Deborah Anderson.

For more information, please visit www.Room23thebook.com.

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CoastalCourier.com: Watch out Hinesville, two music legends are heading to town as part the area’s annual 4th of July festivities and they’re sure to cause a lot of of excitement.

Performers Trace Adkins and Ashanti will headline the Independence Day celebration on Fort Stewart tonight. The two will supply a night of patriotic fun for soldiers, their families and other Army supporters.

Ashanti, who has performed for troops multiple times in the past, said she always looks forward to doing what she can to support soldiers and keep their morale high. “It’s always amazing to perform for them,” she said. “They do so much to keep us safe.”

She said she’s also performing on post because she realizes having a spouse or parent in the military is often hard on families. She’s happy to provide them with an opportunity to relax and have good time.
“It’s always great to be able to bring family together. It’s a wonderful feeling.” Ashanti said “No one is going through what they’re going through, so it’s nice to be able to lift their spirits.”

The singer, who has been recently performing in “The Wiz” on Broadway, said she’s excited to shake things up and is ready to do a great show. “It will be nice to do some of my own songs and I’m looking forward to getting on stage and dancing and just having a big party,” she said.

The gates open at 5 p.m., the concert starts at 7 and the fireworks are at 10. The concert is free and open to the public.

“We put on events like this because it’s important for our soldiers and our soldiers’ families to have great events to go to,” Fort Stewart spokesman, Kevin Larson said. “And it’s important to do it on the nation’s birthday because who better understands the cost of freedom than our soldiers and their families.”

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SFGate.com: For someone about to make her stage debut, Ashanti appears eerily relaxed.

The Grammy-winning singer and actress exudes a sense of calm during a lunch break from vigorous rehearsals for the New York City Center revival of “The Wiz.” Not a drop of sweat — nor hint of nerves — can be detected as the fresh-faced, bubbly 28-year-old gabs excitedly about playing Dorothy in the rock-soul version of the classic L. Frank Baum tale.

But don’t be fooled: She’s working hard to fill those famed ruby red slippers. Her skills as singer, actor and dancer are being put to the test as the clock winds ever closer to Friday’s first preview performance. The show officially opens June 18 for a run through July 5.

“It’s a lot,” says Ashanti, sporting a yellow T-shirt, jeans, sneakers and large gold hoop earrings. “It really is. When we first took the project on (in early May), I said, `Wait a minute. Is this the real start date?’ … I thought it was a lot to learn in such a little time and, when you first look at the script, it’s very very overwhelming.”

Ashanti knows a thing or two about Dorothy Gale: She portrayed the character in 2005 in the TV movie “The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz.” Still, she was initially nervous about how the seasoned cast of “The Wiz” would accept her as a non-stage actress and newcomer. (Ashanti has two multiplatinum albums under her belt, and has appeared in the movies “Coach Carter” and “John Tucker Must Die”).

“It’s a little cliquey,” she says. “Broadway has, you know, the Broadway crowd! … So coming into it, you’re like, `OK, I hope everyone is cool and down to Earth,’ so I was very happy and excited to learn that everybody’s all cool.”

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This is actually GOOD news, Ashanti wanted to leave the label a long time ago, so Irv Gotti is not really “dropping her”, he’s giving her what she wants.

MTV.com: Irv Gotti says he and Ashanti, the Princess of the Inc., will soon be parting company. He said they haven’t been on speaking terms for some time, and the label head/ reality TV star says there’s nothing he can do but end their musical and business affiliation.

“The relationship has run its course,” Gotti explained earlier this week while visiting the MTV offices. “The chemistry of what’s needed — we’re in two totally different places. You’re talking to somebody that took her and shaped and molded her and put her out there for the world, and it blew up. We [hold the record] for the [fastest] selling debut by a female R&B artist — 503 [thousand]. We did it! My views and philosophies and her views and philosophies are not meeting up.”

Ashanti’s last LP, The Declaration — her first in four years — came out in June of last year on The Inc and was created with virtually no input from Gotti. The album was her first in-studio project not to go platinum. Gotti says it’s because the singer deviated from their winning formula and tag-team effort.

“I personally believe for her to be successful, it took the energy … when you seen her it, was 30 n—as around her, and she’s the princess so nice and pretty walking through,” he said. “The music was great, but it was the energy that was created. It wasn’t just her standing there and singing a song.

“We don’t really speak or talk or anything like that,” he continued. “It’s sad in a way. But in another, it’s like its all good.”

Well, maybe not that good. Gotti said it is best for them to part ways.

“I don’t think she can win. She needs some guidance with that,” Gotti added. “But she’s not thinking like that. Really, I couldn’t tell you what’s she’s thinking. So that relationship has run its course and honestly, I’m gonna just drop her.”

At press time, a rep for Ashanti had not granted MTV News’ requests for comment.

Gotti told MTV News that he’s maintained the rights to all of his artists including Ashanti, Lloyd and of course Ja Rule. The exec says he’s working on a deal to reunite with his fellow Def Jam alumni Lyor Cohen, Kevin Lyles and Julie Greenwald over at the Warner Music Group. He says new albums by Lloyd, new rapper Newz and Rule are in the cooker. He explains the delay of Rule’s The Mirror is because they are trying to craft a classic LP.

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MTV.COM: Ashanti knows a thing or two about visiting Oz. Not only has she played Dorothy in the Muppets version of “The Wizard of Oz,” but she also played the Wicked Witch of the West for a charity production of “Wicked.”

So this summer, when she reprises her role as Dorothy in the NY City Center Encores! Summer Stars production of “The Wiz,” a role made famous by Diana Ross in the 1978 movie version, the singer will spend a lot of time in front of her TV to do some research. “I’m excited. I watched the DVD twice already,” she told MTV News. “I’m definitely going to have it on repeat.”

Ashanti is using her nerves to prepare for the part. “I think it’s definitely going to be pressure, but in a good way. Broadway is so prestigious, and just getting that experience and getting to work with more seasoned actors is exciting,” she said. “Broadway, it’s a horse of a different color.”

Although she’s had some experience in the role of Dorothy, the last time around she was acting alongside Muppets. She said she would jump at the chance to get Diana Ross’ advice. “I actually saw her,” Ashanti recalled. “I did a Cartier event last year, and she performed, and I was like, ‘Oh, my God!’ She was so sweet and so down to earth.”

Ashanti said that she doesn’t know who else will be in the production, which will run from June 12 through July 5 at the New York City Center, but she did have a suggestion for the role of Toto. “What’s so funny is that I have my own teacup Yorkie named Mimi,” she said. “And I’m like, ‘Can they just let me use Mimi?’ “

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About Saturday night. . .

PHARRELL Williams eyed the Picasso, Warhol and Miró paintings adorning the Fifth Avenue penthouse and dead-panned, “I’m thrilled to be here at the Denise Rich Museum.” The sartorially correct crooner was helping welcome Yousef Al Otaiba, the handsome, young, single ambassador to the US from the United Arab Emirates. Smiling nonstop, Beyoncé and Ashanti devoured Denise’s homemade babaganoush and hummus. Anthony Weiner, hand-in-hand with a glowing Huma Abedin, was introduced to Patti LaBelle as “the next mayor of New York.” Charmed by the congressman, Patti electrified the room with “A Change Is Gonna Come.” Admiring a trio of belly dancers were Star Jones, Ronald Perelman, Glenn O’Brien, Doug and Lily Band, Janice Combs, jeweler Lorraine Schwartz, Richard Turley and Reem Acra, accepting congrats on the inaugural ball gown she made for Jill Biden. - NY Post

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