Chapter II

Performer: Ashanti
Artist: Chink Santana
Engineer: Milwaukee Buck
Producer: Chink Santana; Irv Gotti
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: Personnel includes: Ashanti (vocals); Chink Santana, Gunnz (rap vocals); Demetrius (keyboards); Rob Bacon (bass). CHAPTER II was nominated for the 2004 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. "Rain On Me" was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. "Rock Wit U (Awww Baby)" was nominated for Best R&B Song. Personnel: Robert Bacon (guitar); Demetrius McGhee (piano). Audio Mixer: Duro. Recording information: Crackhouse Studios, New York, NY; The Hit Factory Critera, Miami, FL. Photographer: Daniela Federici. Skits notwithstanding, Ashanti's sophomore album is a confident leap away from her self-titled debut. She makes the most of her lightweight, breathy voice, incorporating airy, summery, string-laced arrangements in a variety of settings that go down extremely smoothly even, as in "Living My Life," when they're about that thorniest of topics, the struggle to make it. Ashanti never hectors or browbeats, instead soaring effortlessly above the Murder Inc. goons who populate the skits between the cuts, sounding persuasive even on an ostensibly downbeat song such as "Carry On." The lyrics may tell us she's had enough, but there's a quiet, constant center to her voice that says otherwise. She's also at home with a sexy lyric such as that of the self-descriptive "Ohhh Ahhh," and her delivery is confident and understated even here. CHAPTER II is an assured, leisurely ride with an artist who's becoming more accomplished with time and experience.

Mojo (Publisher) (9/03, p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...She co-writes all the material, which ranges from the effervescent and catchy 'Rock Wit U' to the sensual slow-jam, 'Rain On Me'..."

Beginning her career as a featured back-up singer on tracks by Jah Rule, Jennifer Lopez, Big Pun, and a host of other Irv Gotti/Murder Inc. projects, Ashanti's solo career exploded upon the release of her self-titled Murder Inc. debut, which topped the Billboard charts the week of its release. Various award nominations and wins later, the singer released CHAPTER II, which also debuted at number one. The juggernaut that was her career slowed just a bit for the release of 2004's CONCRETE ROSE, but film and television work, as well as song writing and producing credits kept her firmly fixed in the spotlight, and solidified her position as one of the most powerful women in hip-hop and R&B.

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