The American singer-songwriter and actress Ashanti started her career during the early 2000s in Glen Cove, New York. The musical world recognizes Ashanti for her smooth singing voice and her ability to blend R&B with hip-hop music. The artist gained popularity through her work with Ja Rule and Fat Joe before establishing herself as a successful solo performer. Ashanti released her self-titled debut album in 2002 which reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart after selling more than 500,000 copies during its first week. The Billboard Hot 100 chart crowned "Foolish" as its number one single for ten consecutive weeks after its release. She became the first female artist to occupy both top positions on the Billboard Hot 100 chart through her simultaneous releases of “Foolish” and “What's Luv?”. The second album, Chapter II (2003) reached number one on the charts while delivering hits “Rock wit U (Awww Baby)” and “Rain on Me.” The album received three Grammy nominations for Best Contemporary R&B Album, among other categories. The R&B genre has benefited from Ashanti's musical evolution through her albums Concrete Rose (2004), The Declaration (2008), and Braveheart (2014). Ashanti has achieved worldwide record sales exceeding 15 million units while earning eight Billboard Music Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. Ashanti remains a popular artist who performs at festivals, corporate events and special occasions because of her enduring fan base and her ability to deliver dynamic R&B and hip-hop performances.