Tuesday
Jun102008
Ashanti "Parodies" Slaughtering Black Folks To Sell Records: Career Officially Over!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 8:04AM The Blogmother
When all else fails, beat up, brutalize or slaughter a Black person. I have never been an Ashanti fan. Apparently I'm not the only one. In a world where there are other people who sing better, write better, dance better, and are just plain better, Ashanti has struggled to remain relevant. With her first week album sales being well past poor ( She'll be #1, but look at the numbers.), Ashanti had to think up a way to get some interest because her talent isn't enough to make people pay attention.
So Ashanti had her idiotic record label set up a fake news video and create a site called Universal Crime Network. The site features a faux news video reporting a string of murders because people listened to her tired, uninspiring, vapid, music. The suspect in the video is male and there is blood all over the walls with the phrase "Black Children Must Die." [to appease Ashanti fans in the comments. The site lets you choose who must die, how they die and why they die- so "Black Children" was a phrase inserted by a user and not the record company. You could have had "Daffy Duck Must Die" of "Mother Teresa Must Die" in blood or any other name you entered.... Yeah, that makes it all better-- The title of the "Wave of bloodlettings fear across the nation" and is titled "Brutal Attack Linked to Music Video"]
In addition, the suspect is supposedly going to take a hammer and beat his next victim in the head . It looks like a real news story except at the end a "Gotcha Gram" pops up promoting Ashanti's New Album and asking you to sign up. They put up an entire fake news site for feature a faux gruesome crime scene.Where the heck is Barry Gordy to let Motown crank out this foolishness? OH yeah, he is off somewhere counting his money.
Ashanti is so ignorant. No, I don't throw that word around willy nily, seriously, someone should tie her to a chair and read her the police reports from the Dunbar Village Case, Romona Moore, Dorothy Dixion, the Hovey Street Killings. Someone should drag her to speak with the families of the more than 20 Chicago school children who were slaughtered during the last school term. Someone should read her a book or two. The idea that she would stoop to this to get more record sales is pathetic and sad, which pretty much describes the current state of her career. Don't believe that #1 record in the country spin her label puts out. She's not moving units in any number that matters.
Just plain ignorant. Ashanti has officially jumped the shark. What's left for her to do to get attention when her "talent" can't quite get the job done? Well lets see...She could marry someone a la Mariah Carey or Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson. She could pose naked for Playboy, have someone "leak" a sex tape a la Paris Hilton. What else could she do? Oh yeah, she could star in a reality show, but we all know no one would watch it.
In an industry that is supposed to be about creativity, why can't the recording industry manage to understand one fundamental truth: Ashanti sounds exactly the same as she did ten years ago. No growth. No Evolution. She isn't selling because her music is mediocre and even when she overtly "tries" to be controversial, she is mediocre. Why not have her cale the New York Times building in New York.
Najee Ali is going to lead a nationwide protest. I am not joining in and I will tell you why. The only reason this talentless "has been" decided to "parody" murdering Black folks was to sell records and get attention. If you decide to demonstrate I suggest nonchalance. Since she likes death and murder, hold a funeral for her career. No I am serious, get some Styrofoam tombstones and write "here lies Ashanti's career." Sing funeral dirges and say that you are praying for her and her career.
So folks how do you respond to foolishness when the entire purpose of the foolishness was to get you to respond???
UPDATE:Clnmike asked "How do we know that she did this?" per her publicist:
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So Ashanti had her idiotic record label set up a fake news video and create a site called Universal Crime Network. The site features a faux news video reporting a string of murders because people listened to her tired, uninspiring, vapid, music. The suspect in the video is male and there is blood all over the walls with the phrase "Black Children Must Die." [to appease Ashanti fans in the comments. The site lets you choose who must die, how they die and why they die- so "Black Children" was a phrase inserted by a user and not the record company. You could have had "Daffy Duck Must Die" of "Mother Teresa Must Die" in blood or any other name you entered.... Yeah, that makes it all better-- The title of the "Wave of bloodlettings fear across the nation" and is titled "Brutal Attack Linked to Music Video"]
In addition, the suspect is supposedly going to take a hammer and beat his next victim in the head . It looks like a real news story except at the end a "Gotcha Gram" pops up promoting Ashanti's New Album and asking you to sign up. They put up an entire fake news site for feature a faux gruesome crime scene.Where the heck is Barry Gordy to let Motown crank out this foolishness? OH yeah, he is off somewhere counting his money.
Ashanti is so ignorant. No, I don't throw that word around willy nily, seriously, someone should tie her to a chair and read her the police reports from the Dunbar Village Case, Romona Moore, Dorothy Dixion, the Hovey Street Killings. Someone should drag her to speak with the families of the more than 20 Chicago school children who were slaughtered during the last school term. Someone should read her a book or two. The idea that she would stoop to this to get more record sales is pathetic and sad, which pretty much describes the current state of her career. Don't believe that #1 record in the country spin her label puts out. She's not moving units in any number that matters.
Just plain ignorant. Ashanti has officially jumped the shark. What's left for her to do to get attention when her "talent" can't quite get the job done? Well lets see...She could marry someone a la Mariah Carey or Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson. She could pose naked for Playboy, have someone "leak" a sex tape a la Paris Hilton. What else could she do? Oh yeah, she could star in a reality show, but we all know no one would watch it.
In an industry that is supposed to be about creativity, why can't the recording industry manage to understand one fundamental truth: Ashanti sounds exactly the same as she did ten years ago. No growth. No Evolution. She isn't selling because her music is mediocre and even when she overtly "tries" to be controversial, she is mediocre. Why not have her cale the New York Times building in New York.
Najee Ali is going to lead a nationwide protest. I am not joining in and I will tell you why. The only reason this talentless "has been" decided to "parody" murdering Black folks was to sell records and get attention. If you decide to demonstrate I suggest nonchalance. Since she likes death and murder, hold a funeral for her career. No I am serious, get some Styrofoam tombstones and write "here lies Ashanti's career." Sing funeral dirges and say that you are praying for her and her career.
So folks how do you respond to foolishness when the entire purpose of the foolishness was to get you to respond???
UPDATE:Clnmike asked "How do we know that she did this?" per her publicist:
Huff said Ashanti did not come up with the Gotchagram concept — which debuted online more than two months ago — but that the singer supported the label's marketing concept. The video was intended to be a "Saturday Night Live"-style parody, Huff said, and while she reported that "95 percent" of the comments Ashanti has gotten so far have been positive, the singer plans to speak to her label in light of the controversy about possibly taking it down.......
In an interview with SOHH.com in February, Ashanti endorsed the violent imagery in the video. "It matches incredibly with the record," she told the site. "It's very cinematic as opposed to a regular music video. I found out my man is cheating on me, and cut to the story, you find him in a bloody tub." The message is simple, Ashanti told the site: "Don't cheat." MTV.com ( "Ashanti's Bloody Online Promotion Sparks Protest)"
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Reader Comments (36)
My response to foolishness is by 1.) ignoring it and hoping it will go away or 2.) shooting the fool an email about what they've done wrong or querying them about their actions.
I remember seeing a http://the9elements.blogspot.com/2008/04/ashanti-on-hot-97.html" REL="nofollow">video of Ashanti talking about this promo on Hot 97. I think she said it's supposed to be some sort of video game. She thought it was hot but I beg to differ. Sounded corny. I always found her to be wack. Especially when she always fronts like she's hood.
This is sad that she had to do something like this to "TRY" and sell records. Your take on her talent (or lack of) is on point...
Ashanti never had talent. I was surprised she stayed in the industry THIS long. And why be shocked by the dumb stuff she pulled with the video?? She was part of MURDER INC. since the start of her 'career'. She is a nobody and she should fade into obscurity.
Wow.
I am somewhat shocked that Ashanti chose to go down this road. I thought she was more of the wholesome type. Even though I know the music industry is pretty much pimps and hoes, I never expected for her to allow her image to be tarnished. Especially since she made a name for herself so early in her career.
Yes she does not have a lick of talent and I thought she was dead to the world 5 years ago.
This stunt is symptomatic of the present state of the recording industry. For the last 10 years or so, the recording industry (notice I did not say music industry) has been bleeding out of all orfices. Sony has shut down many divisions and laid of masses of people over the years. Other music conglomerates have done the same.
That is why Ashanti music is marketed in such a way, why we see mess on BET, experienced the MSM Britney obession and why Hannah Montana posed half naked in Vanity Fair. All of these stunts are trying to get people to buy records. The record industry are not moving units. The digital revolution killed that. They recording industry is a dinosaur in the middle of an ice age.
The best thing we can do is simply ignore these artists (In the performing arts world, a bad review is better than no review)
I am a violinist and composer (classical, jazz and rock), as well as an researcher and educator. Over the years I have come to understand a few things.
Institutions impacts our music understanding - the education system, the Church, MSM, our family life dictates the music we hear , learn about , interpret , consume. It starts at the cradle and continues.
Music taste in this society usually come into fruition around the ages of 15-21. If you look at major american music movements (bebob, hip hop, rock and roll, blues, rock) the primary innovators and consumers were in this age group.
After adults marry and have children music participations recedes, thus leaving other institutions to become the tastemakers.
And finally what you see in music mainstream culture does not reflect what is actually going on in the music world. Prime example is in the classical music world. If you listen to major orchestra such as New York Philharmonic. They complain about how the public is not supporting classical music and how they have to do all types of "gimmicks" (such as introducing jazz, pop, and world music) to get people to come. Well that is simply not true. Community and civic orchestras hardly ever cry about lack or audience. But we are in the underground and the Mainstream Classical institutions do not include our type of orchestras in their world view
There has been a Black Rock/Alternative music that has been around for at least 30 years. Collectively we have not simply ignore MSM definition of Black music and support those of us musician who are not MSM artist. To turn the tide we have to walk away (silently boycotting sponsorships and related products and services, etc. ) systematically become active in championing our own music and musicians.
We all know where Ashanti must go.
To the "SIT YOUR AZZ DOWN" list!!!!
When I saw the Universal Crime Network site I couldn't believe it. I just don't see how it is helping her career. It doesn't make me want to go out and buy the album. Go to www.urbanthoughtcollective.com to see comments on Ashanti from activist Najee Ali.
She jumped the shark long ago when rumors surfaced that she alleged romped in the hay with her married boss. I think he said it on the WW show, and no public rebuttal from her that I have heard to counter that allegation.
A silent boycott would be good, but making too much noise would be providing more unnecessary promotion for that "album."
We might be taking this the wrong way. To be fair, this has nothing to do with race. The video does not say "Black children will die" by default. In fact, Gina, whoever sent you this link is the person responsible for inserting "Black children" into the video...a pretty weird choice on their part. I suspect they were just trying to get a rise out of the black blogosphere. Also, the murderer can be male or female, depending on the choice you make. The point of the video is supposed to be that you can insert your friend or lover's name (that's what would appear in place of "Black children"), a weapon, and a reason for their impending death in order to...I don't know, freak them out I guess. So you could put your white, black, or Asian (you get the point) friends' name in "Black children's" place. This is more silly than offensive, and definitely not worth a "nationwide protest."
http://www.universalcrimenetwork.com/article.php?id=a28440c5-eeab-4dae" REL="nofollow">Here's one I made to illustrate the point:
http://www.universalcrimenetwork.com/article.php?id=a28440c5-eeab-4dae
From the UCN site: "Authorities have already expressed apprehension at the pending release of Ashanti's album The Declaration, on June 3rd, fearful that the Music Video for the song, "The Way That I Love you" will only lead to more violence."
You cannot be serious!
It's a shame Mariah tosses her hair and booty about like some sort of My Little Pony, when she's one of the best singers of the last 20 years. Ashanti was always on borrowed time; her 15 minutes are up.
Ashanti never had a lick of talent to begin with. The only reason she ever had hits was because of her association with Ja Rule. This just shows that when a person has no talent they'll do anything to sell records, and I guess posing nude was out of the question.
This story doesn't surprise me. I always thought she was trash. In fact, most of these "R&B/Hip Hop diva's" (I can't call them by their more appropriate names here) are pretty much in the same garbage pile.
What blows my mind when these stories surface, is the way that so many Black folks appear to be shocked and oblivious, as if their blinders have stopped them from seeing all that has been going on with the Black entertainment elite, especially in the World of Rap. How in the Hell can you be surprised by this...at this point?
That's the shocker for me....Black folk's reactions. Not the incidents themselves... She's behaving the way you would expect a Hip Hop ----------- to behave.
And this won't be the end of her career. Quite the opposite, this will be a boost. The Black community loves its trash....especially these Hip Hop -------. These people are held up as heroes in the so-called "Black Community", especially by young Black girls. This is why these women are emulated so heavily by Black women and girls.
This incident isn't going to change any of that. If anything, she will be loved even more.
This is just another example of the sickness that runs rampant in the so-called "Black Community"....and in the Modern Black Culture- where the worst of the Race are celebrated & worshipped and the best are marginalized. It has long been a race-to-the-bottom gutter culture in so many ways. This is just par for the course.
The music industry has been using black homomcide as way to sell records for over 10 years now under the guise of Hip Hop music. I don't see what staging a boycott of an artists whose music career is already in the dumps will accomplish.
Thank You Pecola for saying exactly what I was thinking. It would be wise if bloggers do more research before posting damaging contents about someone. The site where someone can insert someones name or rather in this case where some sick freak put Black Children Must Die is thewaythatiloveyou.com .
The site/gotchagram is based off of Ashanti's video The Way That I Love You which the singles video just so happens to be based off of the Oxygen Network's show Snapped.
Next time before spewing uncalled for hate and actually making Ashanti out to be some horrible monster- do your research.
I now understand the website a little better, thanks to the above explanation. Gina will have to answer to that.
It doesn't change my feelings about Ashanti or her cohorts one bit.
The comments alluding to race (that someone entered) shouldn't be the source of disgust.
The fact is, the "artist" and record company are using the culture of urban violence for fun, and to make money, when we know that this is a serious problem in inner city America.
It's an asinine attempt at entertainment, and to embrace the worst of the culture.
This ignorance is aimed at Black teens & pre-teens, who will love it, but most people with enough brains won't see the entertainment value at all.
Seems to be very targeted marketing with a narrow group in mind.
My criticism still stands. You can type in Mickey Mouse, Daffy Duck, Strawberry shortcake into the site to produce whatever you want to. The point is that why is a violent murder of ANYBODY an appropriate marketing tool for an R&B CD. My criticism stands.
There is no HATE for anybody. She did this to stoke outrage. I'm saying she is not worth it.
What evidence do you have that she did this?
Does any one know if Ashanti really had anything to do with it or even knows about it?
clnmike see my quotes from her publicist. She knew about it and supported the marketing concept of bloody gore.
"The fact is, the "artist" and record company are using the culture of urban violence for fun, and to make money, when we know that this is a serious problem in inner city America."
ehhhh...but I checked out what skye said and s/he's right, Ashanti says the video was based on the show Snapped. I watch that show, it's mostly middle aged white suburban women who kill their husbands (weaker sex my @$$!). I did see a sister on there once. And the video doesn't scream inner-city (yes, I subjected myself to an Ashanti video for the sake of this discussion). Anyway, Ashanti's target audience, inner-city black girls, seem to be the last folks, in my mind, who'd take a knife to their exes. Maybe I'm wrong there.
Relationship abuse/murder definitely is not cute, but I'd feel like a hypocrite criticizing her but watching movies like Fatal Attraction, Swimfan, and, well, Snapped. I think there's a fuzzy line when it comes to the depiction of murder for entertainment - how do we know when an artist/writer/director has crossed it?
Ha! I just saw your updates. I, for one, am definitely not an Ashanti fan. I'm just bored (avoiding reading for an upcoming exam, truth be told). But I am very interested in the question I just posed concerning violence and entertainment. I just read Ann Petry's The Street for my exam. Violent end which I won't spoil for those who haven't read it (READ IT!!!!). Petry's book is a classic. What's the difference between her portraying women's violence and Ashanti doing the same?
Yes. Ashanti did agree with the video for the single The Way That I Love You (its does indeed go perfect with her story-telling) however if you watch the video she doesn't kill her boyfriend but thinks about it and eventually takes the high road and walks away. As I previously stated it is based on the show Snapped but its an alternative route that she chooses in the end.
However the comment of Black Children Must Die was not made by Ashanti or her camp and therefore due to this blog she has been getting unnecessary hate and for what? A parody.
The thing is that Ashanti's video does take on a real life situation- one that unfortunately can get out of hand when one well snaps.
Now if you are going to post updates why not highlight the part where Ashanti is going to talk to her label about taking it down?. The entire article can be read here for those who are interested.
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1589090/20080610/ashanti.jhtml
Again as I have previously stated its best to do ones research before flying off the handle and spewing out hate.
I have to lay my head down and just weep...
Well now that I know, yeah it was in poor taste especially considering what has been going on in the past year with violence against women.
How ever like pecola I would be hypocritical for calling her out on this ONE incident, considering the entertainment I watch and listent to.
The question is though, was this done to try to entertain or was she trying to take advantage of a problem in the community for her own gain?
If you start picking and choosing were do you stop.
I never thought she had talent either . That includes her songwriting skills. Afterall she wrote music for JLO and well we see the result of that.
She should be ashamed but it's true, protesting will only elevate this no-talent and she'll carry on to release another record with more silly antics to promote it's lack of substance.
You know what. I find it amazing what some of you are willing to defend and do research on. I put the mtv.com link up. At the end of the day, she is using a violent bloody murder to promote her album. I think it is tacky and tasteless.
But by all means, spend the next 48 hours defending foolishness. While you are at it, why don't you order a "Free R Kelly" T-shirt to match.
Right now as you become apologists for Ashanti, there is a PBS documentary on the atrocities occurring in Darfur. Yesterday i put up a post about The Cool Girls. What did I get... about 5 comments?
This blog was founded to talk about popular culture. the post is about the lengths to which recording artists will go to get attention. That's a pop culture analysis
Any criticism she is getting she deserves. She green lighted this campaign to let people scrawl people's names in blood at the scene of a crime scene. she is the one who decided to "imagine" that her music caused people to commit violent crime.
But this is exactly the attention she was seeking, and it is working.Ashanti has no problem being associated with blood and gore, so why should her family and fans? I did not create the stupid promotion, her record label did. Tis was done intentionally to drive controversy and it is working. Hence why I didn't encourage anyone to join in on the protest.
I just wish folks spent as much time focusing on preparing the damage being inflicted on young black women and girls all over the planet instead of acting as amateur publicists for celebrities.
But keep apologizing for an idiotic and stupid decision.
Ashanti's publicist/relative said "Again as I have previously stated its best to do ones research before flying off the handle and spewing out hate."
I actually was quite restrained with this post mainly because what Ashanti wanted was for someone to fly off the handle and call of a boycott. This is a desperate call for attention. Your rationalization that "people snap" illustrates that all is not right in your world. Snapping is not an excuse to take another human life.
Dreaming about people killing other human beings because they listened to your album is tasteless especially as an album promotion.
The "research" speaks for itself. You can't take her words back. She said what she said. her publicist said what they said. the videos depicts what it depicts. That's not hate. That's the truth.
The truth is her album sales are in the toilet. That's not hate. That is the truth.
The truth is that she as always been in the shadow of any number of other female artists; Jennifer Lopez, Beyonce, Rihanna. That's not hate. That's the truth.
But keep hope alive!! I don't hate Ashanti. You have to care in order to hate! I don't care.
I see it as just tacky and inconsiderate to the families and victims of violent crimes.
However, it doesn't have to be race or specifically gender related. Anyone could choose either gender and put any absurd phrase they choose. I've seen much worse in similar online set ups, in the movies, and video games. We would have to tackle those as well. It's just pathetic and needs to be ignored as with many other generational technology prank.
Um, Gina, wow. I don't know if that was directed to me, but if so, I didn't mean to rub you the wrong way. I was surfing the net and stopped by; this was the first post on the site. The idea of an artist using the message "Black Children will die" for promotional purposes seemed so outrageous to me that I looked into it. When I saw the confusion I simply posted to clear it up.
Again, I'm not an Ashanti fan. I couldn't give two craps in a rusty bucket how many records she sells at the end of the day. But violence and entertainment/art is a topic of interest to me. I thought I saw the beginnings of a reasoned, interesting discussion here. But, hey, this site is your world; I'll stand down.
Further, my failure to comment on a post does not indicate that I am not interested in its contents. If I commented on every blog I read on an average day that interests, moves, or inspires me, I'd have little time for anything else. Perhaps you should indicate which posts comments are welcome on and which ones they aren't so I that the next time I stop by I don't leave the wrong impression.
No! I do not rationalize that people snap but it does happen which is the point of the video. However she doesn't kill her boyfriend but thinks about it and emerges from the tub. I don't wear blinders. I know what does at times unfortunately happens in the real world & Ashanti's video illustrates that perfectly. People can't seem to wrap their head around Ashanti even thinking about killing someone but that is what drives the videos point home- that even the most nicest person on the outside if pushed enough can snap. Its just the way it is.
As for her sales considering everything that Ashanti has went through with her record label & the constant hate she has garnered from jump- for her to still be doing what she loves to do and doing it quite well I might add is a success within itself.
I also must add that I find it sad yet predictable that someone would actually view this as an effort to get sales. Like seriously who really believes that one is going to get a Gotcha Gram and say Ahh yeah I just got that Gotcha Gram let me go cop that new Ashanti. Please!
Pecola,
You didn't rub me the wrong way. I was directing most of that to Ahsanti's amateur publicist who has discovered this blog today. I think people give my comments far more heavier weight than they should. I am seriously in a mellow place playng around with some CSS and HTML on a new blog.. I am more amused than anything.
What? other people can comment in the comment's section on my blog, but the blog owner can't respond? You knew you were disagreeing with me when you posted. So why would anyone be surprised, offended, or hurt when I replied to your comment. I don't understand that. I have actually been restrained, or at least have been attempting to be. Because honestly... If I wasn't uploading and editing Wordpress themes right now, I would not even be on this blog. To read your comments.
To skye,
If you read the post, which I am beginning to think that you did not, the point of the post was to not give her additional attention by trying to stage some big to do over the video as some folks would love me to do.
I don't care if you disagree, but you can't then in turn be offended when I disagree with your disagreement.
But carry on. Who knew Ashanti would create such a stir.
Also I am someone who defends what is real. If anyone doesn't like the video or the Gotcha Gram don't watch/participate. I find it hilarious that one has the nerve to try and take shots at Ashanti's video & anyone (me) who can see the point of it yet where is the love for her I Declare Me campaign, her work with women who have been abused et cetera?
Why focus on a video that is truthful in some situations but totally ignore what she is/has been doing as a person? One can claim they don't care but the overt run of emotions tell a different story. Me when I come across something I don't care about I simply ignore it.
Lastly as far as the website is concerned I can only imagine that it is people who know what it is about and that violence isn't the answer. Now if kids go on the site than they need to be better supervised by their parents. I will not bash Ashanti for being realistic in her video. The site maybe shouldn't have been made but lets not act brand new here anyone with even a little bit of sense KNOWS that the site isn't real.
Well you thought wrong. I read the "news item" which is why I posted. I find it all so funny how you are getting bent out of shape. Trying to throw shots at me for not agreeing with your stance? Child please.
I may have just discovered this blog but clearly I have given it far too much attention when someone actually thinks that their words make me feel uncomfortable. Yikes! I'll stick to other blogs in my downtime since this one is clearly ran by a delusional person. Good Day. :)
In other words, You are entitled to your opinion as I am entitled to mine. When you place a comment in the comments section, you may on occasion get a response from the blog owner.
Bye Skye. Come back anytime! I refer you to Rule number 4
That comes with online/e-mail communication - we come across differently than we intend sometimes. I thought you were taking me to the woodshed. I see now that that's not what you intended. Disagreeing I'm cool with.
This is still a conversation I'm interested in having here or elsewhere. I'm very interested in where we draw the line with violence and entertainment/art. I feel uncomfortable critiquing the Ashantis of the world when I know damn well that I'll watch Goodfellas or New Jack City for the 50th time in a heartbeat. And who wasn't hoping Vanessa Williams got a teeny, tiny jab in with that knife in Soul Food? So there's a question of in what ways and when do we hold Hollywood or the media accountable. I'm interested in where the line lies and how we know when it is crossed.