HOW ASHANTII TOOK CONTROL

THE R&B SINGER HAS ENDURED INDUSTRY DRAMA AND CAREER SETBACKS THROUGH DECADES OF FAME. NOW SHE'S CELEBRATING SUCCESS-ON HER OWN TERMS

-  JACK IRVIN

YOUNG FAME "It was like zero to 100," says Ashanti (performing in New York in 2002) of her rise to stardom.

More than 20 years ago Ashanti’s mom, Tina Douglas, may just have manifested her daughter’s lasting career. On their first trip to L.A., while Ashanti was holed up in a recording session, Tina popped into a souvenir shop to buy a $5 replica of a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, along with some gold-letter stickers. “I stuck her name on and said, ‘You’re going to get a real star one day,’” recalls Tina. “She was like, ‘Yeah, right, Mom.’”

Never doubt a mother’s intuition. In April the R&B singer was honored with a real star—and Tina, Ashanti’s longtime manager, brought the replica to the ceremony. “I didn’t ever think it would happen,” says Ashanti, 42. “It was emotional, knowing the ups and downs and sacrifices.”