Fabolous 2003 hit single, “So Into You” has two different versions with the sampled artist, Tamia, and another one with Ashanti.
Fab and Tamia disagree on the origin of the collaboration, but Ashanti shared her version of the story during an appearance on Hot 97.
The singer said she was aware that her part was for Tamia, but she recorded it as per Fabolous’ request but was ultimately replaced with Tamia.
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“Fab and them wanted me to shoot the video, and I think Irv [Gotti] … he didn’t want me to shoot the video,” Ashanti explained (13:12). “I guess he felt like I was being oversaturated. So for them, business-wise, it’s like, ‘Why would we have the single out with her and then not be able to shoot the video?’ And then, I think that’s when they got Tamia to shoot the video and then do the song. I really believe that is what happened. ‘Cause there’s a bunch of different stories, but I feel like that’s what I was told.”
Ashanti also touched on her Verzuz battle, where she waited on the livestream for more than an hour for Keyshia Cole to appear.
“I obviously thought she was gonna be there a little bit sooner,” Ashanti began (1:23). “I just felt like as women camaraderie, if someone is late, you know, you hold on a little bit … I didn’t even realize so much time was going by … There was something with her screen I think, or the sound, or something. I didn’t even know what was going on … I was like, OK, I have to go out because there’s just people sittin’ there. This thing has been already up and down—the cancelations, the postponements, now it’s late. So, I said, ‘I’mma wait a bit longer, and then I’ll go out.’ So I did.”
She clarified that there’s no bad blood between her and KC as many fans presumed because they said she had a “bad attitude.” But Ashanti is extending her grace and chalking it up to it being one of those days.
Everyone has their days, you know what I mean?” she said, before mentioning Cole’s aforementioned technical difficulties. “… There was probably a lot of stuff going on. It’s a lot of pressure. When you think of that many people with eyes on you … If her stuff wasn’t together, of course you’re going to be frustrated … So on top of being nervous and then having to deal with all of that, of course you’re going to be a little flustered. So I would just assume that played a part into it.”