Ashanti: The Declaration

Ashanti Douglas has been criticized her entire career and, to me, most of that criticism has been undeserved. Yet and still, her illustrious catalog of hits including "Foolish", "Rock Wit U", and "Only U" have made her a favorite among fans but bloggers, like myself, seem to only focus on the negative. I'll admit, Ashanti is not the most talented as far as singing but, as a whole, I think she makes for one hell of an entertainer. Her airy vocals and tendency to use the word "baby" a lot in her music makes her annoying to some and from that standpoint, I guess I can understand; but, personally, I happen to like Ashanti and her new album, The Declaration, is some of her best work to date.

Now, before any of you "Ashanti haters" even have a chance to attack this review, allow me to say that my reviews are strictly subjective to my opinion and, really, that's all that matters. That being said, I truly feel that Ashanti put her all into this album and it really shows. The lead single "The Way That I Love You" is a current favorite of mine (I really like the video also) and it displays Ashanti's full potential as a great singer. Now, will she ever reach that plateau? Probably not, but that remains to be seen. Still, I really like the effort Ashanti put in here and the rest of the album pales in comparison. Tracks like the Robin Thicke assisted "Things You Make Me Do" work well for Ashanti and really sells the "sex for your stereo" message it's trying to put across, yet in a classy way if that makes sense. Other stand out tracks include the Darkchild produced "So Over You" and the L.T. Hutton produced "Girlfriend", "Struggle", and "You're Gonna Miss"; but, it's the Babyface produced ballad "Mother" that makes this album worth it. The song is an incredible record that just has to be heard and it's nice to see Ashanti finally come into her own.

Overall, The Declaration works for what it is and validates the decision Ashanti made to separate herself from The Inc. While still contractually obligated, Ashanti proves she can hold her own just fine and a lot can be said about that. Most artists would've easily put in a half-assed effort in an attempt to fulfill contractual obligations but Ashanti seems to realize the bigger picture at hand. Is this a classic album? By all means no but, it's a step in the right direction. Besides, the groundwork for success is built over time and with this only being Ashanti's fourth studio album, imagine how good the so-called "princess of Hip-Hop and R&B" can be.

Rating: 6.0 headphones out of 10