*Ashanti is speaking out about her decision to re-record her 2002 self-titled debut album now that she has control of her masters.
“It’s so surreal,” Ashanti said during an appearance on the “Tamron Hall Show” in Septmeber. “I have an amazing legal team, and I got my first record deal when I was 14 years old, so understanding and seeing how things have changed so much from then to now and conceptually understanding what you’re singing is so imperative, it’s so important nowadays. The fact that I’ll be able to re-record my first album, and put everything together.”
She dished further about the move during a recent interview on The Breakfast Club.
“So as an artist, when you are in the game for a certain amount of time, you pay your dues and things are supposed to come back to you,” she told the hosts. “You have a legal team that does what they’re supposed to do so that you can function and own (your work). So with my album being 20 years old in April (2022), obviously it makes sense for me to go in and re-record so that I can collect my coins.”
Ashanti went on to explain that she intends to make a few changes to the re-recorded album.
READ MORE: Ja Rule Addresses Whether It Was Ashanti or Jennifer Lopez Singing on ‘I’m Real’ [WATCH]
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“It’s not necessarily changing the vibe, but kinda just injecting something new, sonically, into it,” she continued. “And maybe I might put some (new) features in there.”
Meanwhile, Ashanti’s former music label boss, Irv Gotti—co-founder of Murder Inc.– claims he also owns the masters to her debut album and accused Ashanti of trying to “f*ck me out of my masters.”
“What she is trying to do is re-record all those great records, and put them out on her label,” Gotti wrote on social media, Complex reported. “She can do this under the COVER laws. But she is basically trying to f— me out of my masters. And make people decide which album to listen too or stream. Hoping her loyal fans will choose her version. But hey. I stand on the Magic that was created. And I wanna see her duplicate that Magic. It’s f—- up really. But such is life.”
During Ashanti’s Breakfast Club interview, she was asked if Gotti is the true owner of her masters, and the songstress explained: “What I can say is, that’s a conversation for Universal. Let me take that back and not just jump out the window and say, ‘no.’ Me and Ja (Rule) had a very long conversation, me and Ja know what time it is, and let Universal answer that, I guess.”
Watch her full Breakfast Club interview via the YouTube clip above.
Ashanti was recently awarded the Soul Train Lady of Soul award. Check out below the conversation we had with the artist about receiving the honor.
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