Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, actor and author, Ashanti burst onto the music scene in 2002 with her smash hit, self-titled debut album, Ashanti. It landed the No. 1 spot on both the Billboard’s Top 200 and R&B album charts, selling an astounding 504,593 units in its first week. This set a SoundScan record as the most albums sold by any debut female artist in the chart’s history and granted her a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Over the span of her 20-year career, Ashanti has released six studio albums and received a number of illustrious rewards including eight Billboard Awards, a Grammy, two American Music Awards, two Soul Train Awards and six ASCAP Awards. She has reigned at the top as one of Billboard’s “Top Females of the Decade (2000-2010)” and continues to break Billboard records having a Hot 100 entry every decade in the 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. As a philanthropist, Ashanti is the Ambassador for the Jumpstart Reading Program and became the “Youth of the Year” Ambassador for the Boys and Girls Club of America in 2009 and was inducted in its Hall of Fame. On April 7, 2022, Ashanti received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her countless contributions to music and recording.
Baby Bash released his first album Savage Dreams in 2001, which was followed by his sophomore album On the Cool (2002). In 2003, he signed a contract with Universal Records where he then released his first major album, The Smokin Newphew, which ranked 48 on the Billboard 200 and received Gold certification by RIAA. The album included the single "Suga Suga" (alongside Frankie J), which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2005, Super Saucy was released, preceded by the lead single "Baby, I'm Back" (featuring Akon). Cyclone followed in 2007, with its title single (featuring T-Pain) and its follow-up, "What Is It" (featuring Sean Kingston), also finding success on the Billboard charts. He continues to tour and write lyrics for singers such as Paula DeAnda, Jennifer Hudson and Frankie J.