MTV Buzzworthy Blog › Ashanti

Nicki Minaj's 'Starships' single cover.

+ Fresh off her Grammy performance, Nicki Minaj's cover art for new song "Starships" was revealed. The song also debuts today. "Oh my god, this is gonna be big," Ryan Seacrest tweeted yesterday. "Premiere tmrw @onairwithryan." (Just Jared)

+ Taylor Swift gave MTV News the scoop behind "Safe & Sound," her song with The Civil Wars from the "Hunger Games" soundtrack. "I just knew that I wanted it to deal with the empathy, sort of the more sensitive side, the bittersweet side of this story," she said. (MTV News)

+ Selena Gomez and The Scene are no longer together... for now. But don't worry, Sel fans, it sounds like an amicable split. She says she wants to focus on films, and "I want my band to play music wherever and with whoever. We will be back, but it will be a good while." (E!)

+ Watch Ashanti pay tribute to Whitney Houston yesterday on "Good Morning America." Her impromptu tribute included "I Have Nothing" and a snippet of "I Will Always Love You." (Billboard)

+ Are Kanye West and Odd Future headed for a collaboration? If these photos of Kanye, Frank Ocean and Tyler the, Creator are any indication, it's possible. Ocean is reportedly already on board for Kanye's G.O.O.D. compilation. (Pitchfork)

+ Rihanna kept on rocking directly after her Grammy performance. Ri hit L.A.'s House of Blues with deadmau5, Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia's Sebastian Ingrosso for a charity event. Peep the photos. (Rap-Up)

Photo credit: @nickiminaj

Related Content Follow Buzzworthy on Twitter

Tags Ashanti, Buzz Bites, Calvin Harris, deadmau5, Frank Ocean, Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Odd Future, Rihanna, Selena Gomez, Swedish House Mafia, Taylor Swift, The Civil Wars, Tyler The Creator, Whitney Houston

Credit: Getty Images

Ashanti once exploded on the charts with rappers like Ja Rule and Fat Joe, and since then, the singer's been keeping life a little bit more on the DL. That quiet time seems to have toned down her hip-hop side and unveiled a ballad-friendly songbird. Fans will be happy to know that the lady's back with a music makeover, where her vocals are front and center. Case in point: her latest single "Never Too Far Away," a track featured in the upcoming movie "Dream House."

The song starts with dramatic piano chords that gently ramp up as Ashanti's breathy lyrics take over. And it sounds like homegirl is willing to give EVERYTHING -- even her own organs -- to be with someone: "I would take my heart right out of my chest and place it in the palm of your hands/Just to show you how much I need you to keep breathing." Later, she rhymes about giving her all, perhaps inspired by her recent comeback: "I would let nothing keep me away/And I would let nothing keep me from you, babe."

"Never Too Far Away" is sweeping enough to make the song pure soundtrack gold, even if we don't know what "Dream House" is about. We're digging Ashanti's new musical direction, and we're excited to see where she'll take us next.

+ Listen to Ashanti's "Never Too Far Away."

Related Content Follow Buzzworthy On Twitter

Tags Ashanti

Before Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez were even born, two other star-crossed lovers steamed up the screen in a high-school musical of their own. Their names? Danny Zuko and Sandy Olsson. The movie? "Grease."

Most of us have only seen the flick played at slumber parties or on late-night TV. This summer, however, all the "Grease"-heads out there will be able to see the musical in all its big-screen glory when Paramount releases the "Grease Sing-A-Long" in theaters across the country.

"Grease Sing-A-Long" will enjoy a special one-night engagement on June 25 at the Hollywood Bowl and then will play in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Dallas, Seattle, Miami, San Diego and Austin for two weeks starting July 8.

If you don't see your town on the above list, feel free to fight for your right to "Cha-Cha" DiGregorio and demand the movie come to your neck of the woods.

Hey, it worked for "Paranormal Activity," right?

Check out the trailer for "Grease Sing-A-Long" below.

Tags Ashanti, Ja Rule, video

+ Project Runway winner Christian Siriano just launched a new makeup line for Victoria's Secret Beauty and he wants to give you a downtown makeover, and not in the hot-tranny-mess way. (NYMag)

+ Kylie Minogue, touring North America next month, is looking (what'd you say, Christian?) fierce on the cover of Instinct magazine. (We Are Pop Slags)

+ Big Boi is coming out with another solo album, but Andre 3000 fans don't fret. Outkast will also release another album of crazy soon after. (AllHipHop)

+ Hip-hop power couple Ashanti and Nelly called it quits this week. Truly a sad day. Even more sad than Michael Jackson not being buried for the last two months, though that comes in at a close second. (Rap-Up)

+ Just another caaaaaasual travel day for Lady Gaga, wearing nothing more than a g-string onesie. Comfy and caaaasual. (Bossip)

+ Mariah Carey has covered Foreigner's "I Want To Know What Love Is" and is releasing it as the official first single off her forthcoming album "Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel." (Neon Limelight)

Tags Andre3000, Ashanti, Big Boi, Christian Siriano, Kylie-Minogue, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Nelly, Outkast

Ashanti thinks of Plies on two occasions: that's when she wants it and when she needs it. Dirty, huh? The brand-new video for Plies' mellow jam, "Want It, Need It," tracks the ups and downs of a long-distance relationship. Well, mostly the downs. In it, the Fort Myers, Florida-based rapper does his best to keep love alive on his cell phone, but has to come up with a big surprise when that falls short. And although the video doesn't quite deliver on the steaminess of the lyrics, it's got plenty of Ashanti action (not to mention the afore-ermm-mentioned surprise!) to keep you warm. "Want It, Need It" is the second single from Plies third album, Da REAList. Watch the video right here, whenever you want/need it.

Tags Ashanti, Plies

I don't wanna shatter any illusions here, but if you're looking to a professional blogger for advice on anything romantic, you have some serious thinking to do. That's why I'm handing this Valentine's Day post off to a pro. John Vesely, aka Secondhand Serenade has more magnetism in one frosted tip than the whole rest of the Internet combined. Can the Internet play piano and sing with its eyes closed? No. It doesn't even have feelings (or eyes). All it can do is make a heart out of a bracket and a three. Weak. John Vesely was born to tell you he loves you. Stick with him. Here's a special Valentine's Day message and a crazy romantic love-playlist from the man himself:

I've always been a lover, not a fighter which is why I love this time of year. And one of my true loves is obviously music. So to come up with a list of long songs/videos is no problem for a guy like me. It's the time of year where you hear songs you may have heard 100 times before, but you suddenly realize they have a special meaning or remind you of someone close to your heart. So hopefully you can take a look at the videos I decided to go with, and let it remind you of whoever may be that certain someone for you.

+ Jason Mraz, "I'm Yours" - A simple song and a simple video. Both are undeniable.
+ The Fray, "You Found Me" - The video showcases both a great band and a beautiful city.
+ Thriving Ivory, "Angels on the Moon" - These guys are good friends of mine. They went all out on this video.
+ Plain White T’s, "Hey There Deliah" - One of the biggest songs and best videos of a few years back.
+ Katy Perry, "Thinking of You" - I love her retro style, which is overly evident in this video.
+ Kanye West, "Love Lockdown" - Kanye is always evolving and this is a colorful, left-of-center display of his art.
+ Justin Nozuka, "After Tonight" - He's a great new young talent, which is clear as day in this, his first video.
+ R. Kelly, "Real Talk" - Because the video is just as real as the song.
+ We The Kings, "Secret Valentine" - Travis's hair turns me on.
+ Augustana, "Sweet and Low" - I love how the song was written it was written very personally.

Wow ... Thanks, John!!

Want more Valentine's Day playlists? OK. I got those, too. Do you love me yet? Please...?

+ V-Day Playlist: Let Me Count The Ways (Dashboard, Bright Eyes, Beyonce, etc)
+ V-Day Playlist: Love SUCKS (Alanis, Ashanti, Incubus, etc)
+ V-Day Playlist: Celebrity Wedding Songs (Lonestar, Marvin Gaye, Edwin McCain, etc)

<3<3<3

Read more...

Tags Alanis Morissette, Ashanti, Augustana, Beyonce, Bright Eyes, Dashboard Confessional, Edwin McCain, Incubus, Jason Mraz, Justin Nozuka, Katy Perry, Lonestar, Marvin Gaye, Plain White T's, R.-Kelly, Secondhand Serenade, The Fray, Thriving Ivory, We the Kings

The Gap's celebrity holiday ads are almost as much of a cold-weather tradition as spiking your egg nog, and/or returning that sweater that same clueless family member got you yet again. This year, celebs like Jennifer Hudson, futuro-Billie Holiday singer Janelle Monae (shown below with Napoleon Dynamite's Jon Heder) plus Flo Rida, The Dixie Chicks, Ashanti, and Trey Songz, and actors... including Saturday Night Live cast members AND Twilight's Cam Gigandet... are starring in print ads and in online videos featuring jingles, remixed carols, and lots of knitwear. Trust me, your friends will be bombarding your inbox with these Flash-heavy vignettes as soon as the puppy cam gets old.

Now doesn't that make you wanna go buy a holiday sweater (by the way, "Holiday Sweater" by Pas/ Cal is such a great song) or at least some socks? No? Too much crass commercialism for you? 'Kay. Watch Weezer's "Undone (The Sweater Song)," you big Grinch! And thanks for RUINING CHRISTMAS!

Tags Ashanti, Dixie-Chicks, Flo Rida, Janelle Monae, Jennifer-Hudson, Twilight, Weezer

+ Although Travis Barker and DJ AM sustained significant second and third-degree burns from Friday night's plane crash, both are slated to make full recoveries. Hospital officials delivered the good news at a press conference held yesterday, adding that the two men are currently in "critical but stable" condition. (MTV)

+ Meanwhile, famous pals like Fall Out Boy, Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson want AM, Barker and their fellow crash victims to know their thoughts and prayers are with them. (MTV)

+ Radiohead is challenging fans to remix "Reckoner" from their latest album In Rainbows. Let the games begin! (Radionhead Remix)

+ George Michael reenacts his infamous lavatory arrest! This time, the bathroom bandit (who was once slammed for soliciting stall-sex from an undercover officer) was nabbed on more boring charges of drug possession. (Scandalist)

+ Is Pharrell Williams the next Jerry Seinfeld?? (MTV - UK)

+ What do Metallica and Run DMC have in common? Not much, other than both might be headed for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Rolling Stone)

+ For those of you who (wisely!) missed the 2008 Emmy Awards, here's the 3-minute recap. (Best Week Ever)

+ It's Ashanti, like you never heard her before ... literally! (Billboard)

Tags Ashanti, DJ AM, Fall Out Boy, George Michael, Lindsay Lohan, Metallica, Pharrell Williams, Radiohead, Run-DMC, Samantha Ronson, Travis Barker

While the 2008 VMAs were going down in Hollywood, Fashion Week totally took over NYC. And, as always, the front row was the only place to see and be seen. And since a picture's worth a thousand words, we've put together a pictorial peek of the action for your voyeuristic viewing pleasure. Check it out and see which music-minded celebs bombarded NYC's Bryant Park, presided over the promenade and triumphed at The Tents...

John Legend pulled double duty, racing back from the VMAs red carpet in time to take in Tommy Hilfiger with a pixie-haired Hilary Swank. Meanwhile, Ashanti peeped Reem Acra with actress Perry Reeves and Danity Kane's Aubrey O'Day held court at Custo Barcelona with socialite (and Gossip Girl guest star!) Tinsley Mortimer.

Elsewhere, R&B star Mario came out of hiding to mingle with The Veronicas at G-Star, while Jennifer Lopez dazzled at Oscar de la Renta and Day 26's Q got dangerously cozy with fellow Making the Band-er Dawn Richards at Aurelio Costarella.

Plus, Kelly Osbourne and Bow Wow were total suckers for Betsey Johnson while Natasha "I Wrote The Hills Theme Song" Bedingfeld joined the rest of the fashion world in blowing air-kisses at Max Azria.

+ Want to see more of your fave artists dressed to impress? Check out our VMAs Fashion Flipbook or catch the 30-second recap in our Red Carpet Rewind.

Tags Ashanti, Aubrey O'Day, Aurelio Costarella, Betsey Johnson, Bow Wow, Custo Barcelona, D. Woods, Danity Kane, Day 26, Hilary Swank, Jennifer Lopez, JLo, John Legend, Kelly Osbourne, Mario, Max Azria, Natasha Bedingfeld, Oscar de la Renta, Perry Reeves, Q, Reem Acra, the veronicas, Tinsley Mortimer, Tommy Hilfiger

When you think of hip-hop and R&B, gender equality isn't exactly the first time that comes to mind. Sure, there have been a smattering of successful female artists (Eve, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Lil' Kim, Foxy Brown to name a few almost all) but for the most part, the industry still operates like one giant Boys' Club. Which is why we're so proud of the lovely and talented Ashanti for becoming the first woman to get signed onto the Murder Inc record label, not to mention the first singer-turned-actress to snag a role in John Tucker Must Die. At least, as far as we know. Anyway, check out this all-new "Ladies First" video and find out more "firsts" from the Nelly-dating, platinum-selling former choir girl.

Tags Ashanti, Eve, Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim, Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Music, video, Videos