October 13: Ashanti Douglas is 31-years-old today.

-----

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas, who was born in Glen Cove, New York, is a recording artist, record producer, actress, dancer, and model who came into the public eye in the early 2000s.

She acquired her musical bend from her mother, Tina Douglas, a former dance teacher and her father, Ken-Kaide Thomas Douglas, a former singer. She was named for the Ashanti Empire in Ghana.

Ashanti is most well-known for her self-named debut album, which featured the hit song "Foolish," and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release throughout the U.S. in April 2002. The album set a Soundscan record as the biggest opening week sales for a new female artist.

In the same week, she became the first female performer to simultaneously hold the top two places on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart with "Foolish," and "What's Luv?" (with Fat Joe).

Ashanti had three top ten songs, "Foolish," "What's Luv?" and "Always on Time" on the Billboard Hot 100 charts in the same week, being the first woman to accomplish this feat, second only to the Beatles.

(Continued below video portal ...)

-----

Ashanti got her first taste of acting as a child extra in the Spike Lee directed movies Malcolm X and Who's the Man? She also started as a dancer in the Disney TV film Polly.

In January 2005, she made her feature film acting debut in the film Coach Carter alongside Samuel L. Jackson, which debuted at number one opening weekend. She played a pregnant teenager named Kyra.

Also in 2005, Ashanti beat out Hilary Duff and Jessica Simpson to star as Dorothy Gale in the made-for-television film The Muppets' Wizard of Oz, which pulled in nearly 8 million viewers.

In 2007, Ashanti appeared in the sci-fi horror action Resident Evil: Extinction as a nurse named Betty. Ashanti headlined the cast of The Wiz in the New York City Center Encores! Summer Stars staging from June 12 to July 5, 2009. Ashanti's role as Dorothy received mixed reviews from critics.

In 2003, the album won Ashanti a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B album. As of 2008, she has sold more than 27 million records worldwide.

Ashanti’s new single & fifth album is set to be released in the fourth quarter of 2011, with the first single being planned for a summertime release. She has been recording with Dr. Dre, Game, and Lil Wayne. Single titles include “Paradise” and “She Can’t.”

For more about Ashanti, visit her Website at -

http://www.writtenentertainment.com/