Ashanti is featured on Diddy’s “Gotto Move On Queens Remix.” Her lyrics on the song are important to note.

The Backstory

In a steady stream of online comments and interview conversations, Irv Gotti spoke out about the intimate extra-marital affair he shared with Ashanti in the early 2000s. In the early 2000s, Ashanti was signed to Murder Inc. Records, a label that was founded by brothers Irv and Chris Gotti in the late ’90s. Ashanti would go on to release back-to-back hits under the label, including anthems like “Happy” and “Foolish.” The singer, along with the entire Murder Inc. records franchise, was a significant part of music in the early 2000s, so when Irv Gotti spoke out about his former signee in a string of interviews, it came as a surprise to several fans, many of whom were once avid fans of the duo. Gotti did not only kiss and tell, but he made disparaging remarks about their time together in several instances.

The Online Reactions

Following Gotti’s comments about Ashanti, the internet had a field day analyzing the situation and weighing in on what happened. Many people seemed to lean into the notion that Gotti took things too far, and needed to let things go.

The Clapback

Although many people spoke out against Gotti’s behavior, not many people knew what Ashanti’s response would be, if at all she responded. Following the release of Diddy’s “Gotta Move on (Queens Remix),” fans were shocked, thrilled and tickled, among other things when they took a close listen to a particular segment of Ashanti’s verse on the song. The lyrics read:

“…It’s givin’ obsessed, it’s givin’ you stressed, it’s givin’ you pressed, It’s givin’ this n- missin’ the best (Let’s go)
Thought it’s been twenty years, n-, please, say less
We can see all your tears while you beating on your chest….”

The Significance

Above everything else: Ashanti’s clap back is significant, especially for women today. Two decades ago, the immediacy of the internet did not exist, but it seems like the advancement of technology has made it easier for exes, former romantic partners, and co-entanglers, as the case may be, to become more vocal and inappropriate about the history of their trysts. It is becoming increasingly appropriate for people to throw their former partners under the bus by kissing and telling. Sometimes, women are intimidated into responding with silence and not speaking up because it is the “grown” thing to do. This could not be further from the truth because many situations in life require some sort of response, or in this case, a well-put-together, scathing clap back. Many times, silence is necessary and even wise to employ, but in many instances, people take silence and twist it or manipulate it to seem like a weakness. Ashanti has proven why it is crucial, and even acceptable, to firmly stand up for ourselves, especially when games are being played.

Angie Martinez IRL

Ashanti is also set to address Irv’s allegations in an interview on Angie Martinez’s IRL podcast. Check out the preview below.

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