Karolmel

Ja Rule, J. Lo, Big Pun, Fat Joe. She's worked with some of the industry's best--writing lyrics and singing hooks that help their records reach the top of the music charts. Now it's time for 21-year-old Ashanti Douglas to take center stage and shine on her very own self-titled debut, the much-anticipated Ashanti. In April Ashanti hit the scene as the first R&B vocalist on Murder, Inc. Although this is a departure for the hip hop powerhouse label that has a roster including rappers Ja Rule, Vita and Charli Baltimore, all indications show that the transition has been more than smooth and successful. Ashanti's lead single, Foolish, has already made waves at radio--getting heavy rotation on urban stations and galvanizing fans to demand an earlier-than-planned release of her album, a tantalizing blend of edgy hip hop grooves and subtle R&B styling. With Ashanti's clever lyrics and slick production by Murder Inc.'s president Irv Gotti, Foolish immediately reminds music lovers of the Notorious B.I.G's popular One More Chance remix. (True old school heads will remember the familiar melody from De Barge's 1983 hit Stay With Me ). Either way, you're sure to be hooked.