Ashanti blooms in the desert in a new promo photo for her forthcoming album, her first since 2008’s The Declaration. The R&B chanteuse strikes a fierce pose against a rock, flaunting her fit physique in a black-and-gold bikini and flowing gold dress as she stares into the distance.

She has been in the studio with big names including Dr. Dre, Game, and Lil Wayne, and is expected to drop a new single in the next month. The new body of work was inspired by her time in Los Angeles and real-life experiences. Tracks include “Paradise” and “She Can’t.”

Are you excited for Ashanti’s comeback?

Ashanti added some shiny accessories to her closet while shopping for jewelry at the Simone I. Smith Jewelry trunk show in support of LL Cool J’s wife at Shag in New York City. The R&B songstress recently chatted with Us Weekly about her upcoming fifth album.

“Single is coming out way sooner than you think,” she said of the undisclosed song, adding that it is not a ballad. She also shared two track titles from the project, “Paradise” and “She Can’t,” saying the new body of work was inspired by her time in Los Angeles and real-life experiences.

Are you excited for a new Ashanti album? Let us know!

Game dug into his rap Rolodex for his latest mixtape Purp & Patron, roping in production from Dr. Dre, RZA, and Pharrell, with guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, and Fabolous. But when it came to working with Ashanti on the gushy “Soft Rhodes,” he got some help from the man behind the boards.


While in the studio with the Compton rapper, Dr. Dre asked him if he had ever collaborated with the former Murder Inc. princess, and if there was anything keeping him from hopping on a song with her. “We were in the studio. Dre asked me if I had any drama with Ashanti, and I was like, ‘Nah.’ He was like, ‘You worked with her?’ And I was like, ‘Nah,’” Game told Rap-Up.com. “He was like, ‘You mind working with her?’ I was like, ‘Nope.’ He called her up and she came through and we did that.”

The Dre-produced cut, which boasts a soothing beat and catchy hook, sees each artist tackling the touchy issue of hooking up with an ex. “Just ’cause we break up don’t mean it’s over/ When I call, you comin’ over/ To get this here like I told ya/ I’ma get it every time I want it,” sings Ashanti.

Game is currently assembling the leftover tracks from his Purp & Patron sessions for another mixtape, The Hangover, scheduled to drop Monday.

It was all love at Nelly’s 2010 Black and White Ball. The “Just a Dream” rapper and his girlfriend Ashanti stepped out together for the 5th annual charity event at the Chase Park Plaza in his hometown of St. Louis on Sunday (Dec. 19). In addition to Nelly, the night featured performances from hip-hop vet DMC and Ashanti, who was joined by her beau onstage for a duet. Jermaine Dupri co-hosted and Nelly presented college scholarships to two women.

Top Hollywood divas rocked the red carpet at Lorraine Schwartz’s “2BHAPPY” jewelry collection launch on (November 22) at Lavo in New York City. Along with Beyonce, the host of event, sexy Blake Lively and Kim Kardashian flaunted bold fashion statement. Hollywood beauties wowed the audience as they hit the event and turned the launch party into an amazing fashion night. Also in attendance was Ashanti, Mary J. Blige and Tina Knowles.

Those steamy voice mails, raunchy text messages and X-rated pictures?

Why, they were for the ladies, of course.

So says the Windy City wacko who's on trial for swamping Ashanti's mom with revolting messages and images he hoped would romance the R&B singer.

"That's sex texting, for the ladies," Devar Hurd explained. "She welcomed it."

The 31-year-old man took the stand Friday in Manhattan Supreme Court, where he is on trial for swamping the Long Island star's manager-mom, Tina Douglas, with lurid calls and texts.

Alternately describing himself as a music company executive, a singer, a car salesman, a model and a real estate investor, Hurd calmly explained to jurors that many of his "lady friends" welcomed the images of him pleasuring himself.

"I have this lady friend in L.A., and she likes this kind of stuff," he said.

Douglas, he insisted, was no different because she never demanded that he knock it off and only once swore at him.

"This is the thing, she welcomed the messages," he said. "She never tell me to stop, see?"

Hurd frequently peppered his testimony with "yada, yada, yada," and at one point rapped a few lines from the Snoop Dogg hit "Drop It Like It's Hot" while trying to explain a picture he sent Douglas of Ashanti squatting in hot pants.

"She has on these little shorts," Hurd said. "This is for the fellas."

The hip-hop hustler explained how a fleeting encounter with Ashanti at a 2003 Chicago concert convinced him they had a "connection."

"We had strong eye contact, and I'm like, 'Oh, I need to get in contact with her,'" he said.

Hurd's pursuit of stardom then led him to sing into an answering machine for Irv Gotti, until a member of the music honcho's posse leaked him a number for Douglas.

"I was like, 'Hey, wazzup, Tina?'" Hurd said.

The singer's mom rarely resisted his calls, Hurd said. Asked if Douglas "liked" him, Hurd didn't hesitate.

"Yep," he said.

Hurd said he also sent pictures of naked women to Ashanti's dad, Kincaid, but drew the line at sending him pictures of his own genitalia.

"He don't want that," said Hurd, who faces up to two years in prison if convicted of aggravated harassment. "That's for the ladies."

Ashanti, pretty in pink, was on hand to help celebrate the 70th anniversary of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz at the Empire State Building in New York City on Thursday (Sept. 24). She has remade the Judy Garland classic “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” to mark the occasion. Watch her perform it below.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Hip-hop power couple Ashanti and Nelly are reportedly going their separate ways.


The New York Daily News reports that the lovers split because Ashanti wanted to get married, while Nelly wasn’t ready to settle down. The “Country Grammar” rapper was rumored to be seen with model-actress Melyssa Ford in Las Vegas and Miami.

Ashanti and Nelly began dating nearly six years ago. “I met her at the MTV [Video Music] Awards one year,” Nelly told Rap-Up in 2008. “And we just exchanged numbers and we started talking and stuff like that, and we just started hanging out.”

When asked about marriage at the time, he said, “Right now, we not thinking about that. It’s just all about the work.”

No official confirmation has been made from either camp.

Ashanti unveiled her “Be Amazing” billboard in New York City’s Times Square on Tuesday. The ad, featuring a childhood photo of the singer, is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s “Be Great” advocacy campaign.

“Growing up in the Club gave me the opportunity to explore many interests and talents, including dancing and singing, that have profoundly influenced my life,” said Ashanti in a statement.

Ashanti and her sister hosted a BBQ in NYC over the weekend on a rooftop. Mr. Juelz Satana stopped by and showed some love!! Guess they DIDNTINVITEME!!!!!!!!

Speaking to MTV recently, The INC owner Irv Gotti has controversially gone on record to publicly reveal that he is dropping Ashanti from the label - her recording home for 8 years:

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 it's 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 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 Liles 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.

R&B star ASHANTI has hinted she will marry her rapper lover NELLY in 2009.

Just four months after the couple went public with its four year romance, the singer has confessed she is planning to walk down the aisle with Nelly.

When asked if wedding bells were on the horizon for her, the Happy hitmaker tells Us Weekly, "Absolutely. It's in the cards for me. I believe that I have a couple more things I need to do before that happens."

But Ashanti urges fans not to believe all the gossip that's written about her and Nelly - despite the media correctly predicting their relationship, years before they admitted it to the world.

She adds, "I should have had six or seven kids, been married three times and secretly engaged now. But none of it's true."

In a recent interview with Angie Martinez, Ashanti said she wouldn't be naked, but would do something tasteful. Hmmmmmmm I would buy it!

Ashanti attends the 82nd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the streets of Manhattan on November 27, 2008 in New York City.

Ashanti - "Crime" (Link#1)

Ashanti - "Crime" (Link#2)

Ashanti was out in Hollywood on Monday celebrating her birthday at Area nightclub. Word is, Keyshia Cole was also celebrating her birthday there with her but, looks like she missed the red carpet.

Guests to the birthday bash included Meagan Good, Tamala Jones, Brian T. White, and former Pretty Ricky member Pleasure P…