The Declaration

Infobox Album
Name = The Declaration
Type = Studio
Artist = Ashanti


Released = Start date|2008|6|3
(see release history)
Recorded = 2006–2008
Genre = R&B, pop, hip hop
Length = 49:28 (U.S. standard)
52:58 (non-U.S.)
Label = The Inc., Universal
Producer = Ashanti, L. T. Hutton, Jermaine Dupri, Darkchild, Akon, Babyface, Channel 7, Keith Ross, Stengaard, Mario Winans, Chad Beatz, Neff-U
Reviews = * "Allmusic" rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:09fpxz9hldke~T0 link]
* "Daily News (New York)" rating|3|5 [http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/2008/06/03/2008-06-03_ashanti_declares_her_confidence_with_the.html link]
* "Newsday" (B) [http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/ny-p2music5711089jun03,0,6285902.story link]
* "Rolling Stone" rating|2|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/20949198/review/20961596/the_declaration link]
* "This Is Music" rating|4|5 [http://www.this-is-music.com/2008/06/after-four-year-break-r-diva-ashanti-is.html link]
* "Toronto Star" rating|2|4 [http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/436341 link]
* "USA Today" rating|3|4 [http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2008-06-02-listen-up_N.htm link]
Last album = "Collectables by Ashanti"
(2005)
This album = "The Declaration"
(2008)
Next album = TBR
Misc = Singles
Name = The Declaration
Type = studio
Single 1 = The Way That I Love You
Single 1 date = January 26, 2008
Single 2 = Body on Me
Single 2 date = June 9, 2008
Single 3 = Good Good
Single 3 date = July 16, 2008

"The Declaration" is the fourth studio album by American R&B/pop singer Ashanti. [cite web | title = Ashanti's Incredible Year | publisher = Black Entertainment Television | date = 2006-12-11 | url = http://www.bet.com/Music/Ashanti+Feature.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished | accessdate = 2006-12-28] It was released on June 3, 2008. [http://www.rap-up.com/2008/01/24/ashanti-and-nelly-get-new-release-dates Ashanti and Nelly Get New Release Dates] . Accessed January 28, 2008.]

The album includes the single "The Way That I Love You". Ashanti said during her June 2 appearance on the television program "106 & Park" that she recorded fifty-two tracks for the album, of which fifteen—including the bonus tracks "Why" and "Hey Baby (After the Club)"—were used.

ingles

In mid 2007, MTV News reported that the first single from "The Declaration" was "Switch", [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author=Shaheem Reid |coauthors=Bridget Bland |title=Ashanti, Nelly Get Their Beyonce-And-Jay-Z On For New Single 'Switch' |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1563789/20070629/ashanti.jhtml |work=MTV News |publisher=MTV Networks |date=July 2, 2007 |accessdate=2008-06-07] which was produced by Shy Carter and released digitally in the United States on July 24, 2007. It was later reported that "Switch" may not be included on the album's track listing, and that the first single would be "Hey Baby (After the Club)", [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Ashanti "Hey Baby (After The Club)" : premier single issu de "The Declaration" |url=http://www.musiqueradio.com/article_news5014_ashanti-hey-baby-after-the-club--premier-single-issu-de-the-declaration.php |work=Musique Radio |publisher= |date=December 6, 2007 |accessdate=2008-06-07 |language=French ] which was released to radio and digital outlets on October 16. The song, which does not appear on the U.S. editions of the album, peaked at number eighty-seven on the "Billboard" Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

The album's original release date was in December 2007, but it was pushed back to early/mid 2008. The subsequent single, "The Way That I Love You", which was released to radio and digital outlets in January 2008, was referred to as the "first single" in press material and media reports. [cite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=America Loves 'The Way That I Love You,' Brand-New ASHANTI Smash |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_March_10/ai_n24381562 |work=Business Wire |publisher= |date=March 10, 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-07 ] [cite news |first=Jayson |last=Rodriguez |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=Ashanti Snaps In TV-Inspired 'The Way That I Love You' Video |url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1582080/20080221/ashanti.jhtml |work=MTV News |publisher=MTV Networks |date=February 21, 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-07 ] [cite news |first=Alicia |last=Quarles |authorlink= |author= |coauthors= |title=After a 4-year absence, Ashanti makes a comeback |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080606/ap_en_mu/music_q_a_ashanti |work=Associated Press |publisher= |date=June 5, 2008 |accessdate=2008-06-07 ] [cite web | last = Jackson | first = Charreah | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = Ashanti: A New Attitude | work = Essence.com | publisher = Essence Communications Inc. | date = | url = http://www.essence.com/essence/themix/entertainment/0,16109,1810655,00.html | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2008-06-04 ] It reached number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number thirty-seven on the "Billboard" Hot 100, becoming Ashanti's first song to reach the top forty since "Only U" in 2004.

"Good Good" is the album's second single; it is to be released to urban radio stations on July 16, 2008. [ [http://gfa.radioandrecords.com/publishGFA/GFANextPage.asp?sDate=06/16/2008&Format=5 ®R&R :: Going For Adds™ :: Urban ] ] The song contains elements of Elton John's 1974 single "Bennie and the Jets", and has the same melody arrangement as Michael Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine".Fact|date=June 2008

Track listing

References