Being a woman in the entertainment industry can, unfortunately, come with entitled men who try to flex their position of power to intimidate. Thankfully, there are women in the industry unafraid to speak of their uncomfortable experiences and Ashanti is one of them.
In Ashanti’s most recent “The Breakfast Club” interview that was uploaded Thursday, Dec. 1, the “Foolish” singer revealed a producer she collaborated on two songs with wanted her to shower with him as a form of payment for the tracks.
“One producer, we did two records together he was like ‘OK, you know I’m not gonna charge you, you’re my homie’ whatever, whatever. And then when it came time to put on the album he was like ‘Well, let’s take a shower together,’” she said.
Noting that she initially thought he was joking, Ashanti continued, “He’s like ‘Naw, I’m dead serious, like, you know, let’s go out or let’s take a shower together and I’ll give you the record. ’Cause if not, I’ll need 40 racks for the record.’”
The unnamed producer and Ashanti had been reportedly working together for a few weeks and were cool, thus causing Ashanti’s confusion on where this ultimatum stemmed from.
The Grammy award-winning vocalist confirmed that she had to make “some phone calls” in order for the situation to be resolved.
Many women have came to Ashanti’s defense regarding her situation, and even encouraged women in the industry to expose those men even if they hold high positions of power.
“Women in the industry do not deserve this”
“Being a female in the industry is so hard and scary”
“I wish y’all would drop names when saying things like this. Put them on blast!”
Ashanti is only one of many women who have spoken out about what it’s like being a female in the entertainment business.
In a 2018 “The Breakfast Club” interview, Keke Palmer spoke out against the way Black women have been treated in the industry and how they are treated once they speak out about experiences that made them feel uncomfortable. She was following up about her experience of Trey Songz sexually intimidating her during a photo shoot in 2017 just as the #MeToo movement began to blow up.
Though she faced backlash and criticism from folks who believed she was attempting to “tear a Black man down,” Palmer was not discouraged from speaking her truth and encouraged women to do the same.
