Ashanti recently opened up on the sexual harassment she’s dealt with in the music industry over the years. Speaking with People, she reflected on the highs and lows of being a female artist.
“Honestly, I’m not sure if another artist would be able to deal with what I’ve dealt with,” Ashanti remarked to the outlet.
Ashanti explained that she’s always felt more like a “tomboy” and thus frequently found herself in rooms alone with men.
“I was always a tomboy, so I felt right at home with a bunch of big brothers,” she added. “If there was a beat I wanted, and another rapper on the label wanted, we would have to battle it out, and whoever wrote the best record got the beat. So, it made me stronger.”
The iconic singer also discussed a time when a male producer offered to help her with two songs for free. Afterward, he went back on his proposal and demanded she either shower with him or pay $40,000 for each track.
“I really, genuinely thought he was joking. You can feel like someone’s cool, and in the back of their mind, they have an ulterior motive,” she said. “Things like that can happen to Ashanti, so it can happen to anyone — and I’ve heard worse stories.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Ashanti discussed marriage and wanting to start a family. She says she has to “make sure it’s with the right person.”
Looking forward, Ashanti says she’s got an album in the works as well as a documentary about her life. Additionally, she’s working on a re-recorded version of her debut album.
[Via]