Ashanti is an R&B singer from the 2000s who was very popular, having many hits like the song “Foolish” from 2009. Her album was on the Billboard charts, catching the public’s eye, along with her friend JaRule who was signed by the same label. They frequently performed together and made duets like the song Always on Time. JaRule accompanies Ashanti’s vocals with rapping.
Due to their frequent public appearances and collaborations, people regularly suspected that they were dating. What were some disruptions in that theory though? That is what we are going to explore now.
First of all, there was Irv Gotti: a person Ashanti was suspected of having an affair with, until an FBI Investigation opened up on Gotti’s alleged drug money laundering. When that happened, the rumors stopped. However, in 2019 Irv and his ex-wife talked about the affair on TV where they confirmed it, saying it happened while he was separated from his wife, even though both Ashanti and Gotti have been denying it for years.
Then, of course, there was the fact that Ashanti was in a committed relationship with the rapper Nelly. The rumors of the relationship have been circulating since 2003 but it was confirmed in 2008, lasting until 2014. Ashanti commented on their breakup, saying she had been betrayed but that it had been an opportunity for self-growth.
Finally, after all these years, Ashanti spoke about the rumors around JaRule and her on Live. Ashanti told her Live partner Fat Joe that they just had amazing chemistry, but there was never anything romantic going on, and that it never even came up in conversation. She claimed that the time spent apart never mattered, because whenever they met on stage they would just pick up where they left off, still having the same energy.
