Ashanti - "Concrete Rose" (2004)

[🇯🇲 lucy88 🇯🇲]

The album and its promotion was vastly overshadowed by the legal troubles that faced The Inc. and Gotti, who was arrested on money laundering charges only a month after Concrete Rose's release. As a result, Def Jam severed ties with The Inc. in May 2005, and refused to promote the album's second single "Don't Let Them", which only charted moderately in Ireland and the United Kingdom.



This is my second favorite Ashanti album after her debut. It was nice and refreshing to see that it didn't have that many skits as Chapter II. I love all the songs. What are your fave memories from this era? It's tragic that this was a short lived era, but "Only U" has always been my jam. I remember she had performed this on Nickelodeon's All That 10th anniversary special.



I love the cover artwork. So gorgeous.

Only U Hot 100 #13, #10 R&B, #19 Mainstream Top 40, #8 U.S. Rhythmic








Don't Let Them #38 U.K.

[Ling-Ling]

It's my favorite Ashanti album. I think the production and song quality are more consistent than her first two ("Freedom" is the only track that's a total toss). And this was the album where she took a few risks and got more adventurous. I remember them changing the second single from "Don't Leave Me Alone" to "Don't Let Them" at the last minute and I just knew this era was over.

And I've always loved the album cover too. Total Diana Ross vibes.

[divasummer]

This is either my first or second favorite Ashanti album.
I also loved “The Declaration” too.
I actually became a bigger Ashanti fan as her career went on.
There were so many bops and potential singles in my opinion on here.
My favorites were:
“Only You”. I had a mini obsession with it back in the day.
“Still On It” with T.I.
“Turn It Up” with Ja Rule.
(Either at the time I thought could have gotten a little love from radio).
“U” which I’m still bopping to today.
They also stuck “Wonderful” on there as a bonus track with Ja Rule.
Isn’t R Kelly on the chorus?
If he is they uncredited him on Apple Music.
I have the cd from back in the day. I’ll have to check.
I didn’t mind a couple other songs but those were my favorites back then.