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2008 studio album by Ashanti
The Declaration is the fifth studio album by American singer Ashanti, released on June 3, 2008, by The Inc. Records and Universal Motown Records.[1]
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. This is her last album to be released on Irv Gotti's label The Inc. Records.
Critical reception
The Declaration received generally mixed reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 52, based on 11 reviews, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[12] Dan Gennoe of Yahoo! Music UK felt that the album was "surprisingly short of anything even approaching a commercial hit [but] even without instant hooks to grab on to, it's amazingly compelling." He called The Declaration a "supremely subtle and sophisticated record" as well as "the best album of Ashanti's career."[23] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine felt that while "past releases have displayed an ostensible desire to follow in the melodramatic steps of Mary J. Blige and much of Declaration continues in that quest," it also "aims to prove that Ashanti is indeed growing up."[19]
AllMusic editor Andy Kellman found that "even though this album marks a nearly complete break from The Inc., it's very much in line with what came before it, hardly a major departure [...] This is neither a great nor a poor Ashanti album. It's decent, just like the rest of them."[13] Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly wrote that The Declaration "simply doesn't make much of a statement, and its high point – the prettily emotive ballad "The Way That I Love You" – isn't enough to unseat the Beyoncés and Mary J.'s of the world."[15] Rolling Stone's Christian Hoard thought that Ashanti "is still doing the diva-by-numbers thing, alternating between angry-at-her-man anthems and lovey pleasantry [...] But even with A-list producers like Babyface, Jermaine Dupri and Rodney Jerkins, the beats stick to straightforward bounce or subdued ballads. And Ashanti doesn't offer any more personality."[18]
Shanel Odum of Vibe gave a mixed review to the album, writing that "her voice is pleasant if sometimes uninspiring, but on soulful songs like "You’re Gonna Miss," the pain in her sweet-as-Smarties voice is definite. But even with all the emo-passion, nearly half of this album is lukewarm."[22] Now writer Benjamin Boles found that it's "all too evident why The Declaration was delayed. Producer LT Hutton is behind most of these beats, and it’s easy to see why he hasn’t had a hit in years. A few bigger names drop in (Nelly and Akon might as well be sleepwalking here), but none sound like they’re putting much into their appearances. Ashanti’s still got a decent voice, but she’s badly in need of a better songwriting and production team."[17] The Boston Globe remarked that "after four years away, Ashanti declares that she's back, but this middling, familiar set of songs is unlikely to reclaim her spotlight."[24]
Credits and personnel
Credits are taken from the album's liner notes.[28]
- Seven Aurelius – producer, vocals (background)
- Chad Beat – producer, programming, vocals (background)
- Keith Bizz – producer, programming
- Paul Boutin – engineer, mixing
- Sandy Brummels – art direction, creative director
- Channel 7 – engineer, Instrumentation, producer, vocals (background)
- Mike Donaldson – engineer
- Jermaine Dupri – producer
- Kenneth Edmonds – composer, drums, guitar, keyboards, producer
- Theron Feemster – producer
- Mark "Exit" Goodchild – engineer
- John Horesco IV – engineer
- Bob Horn – engineer
- L.T. Hutton – composer
- Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins – producer
- Khris Kellow – keyboards
- Christopher Kornmann – art direction, design
- Sam Lobue II – engineer
- Mario Lucy – engineer
- John Marie – mixing
- Nelly – primary artist
- Eddy C. Richardson – a&R
- Andros Rodriguez – engineer
- Matthew Rolston – photography
- Gillian Russell – A&R
- Manuel Seal, Jr. – producer
- Peter Stengaard – engineer, instruments, producer, programming
- Aliaume Thiam – Instrumentation, producer, programming
- Diane Warren – executive producer
- James M. Wisner – engineer