Ashanti

Where you’ve seen her:
Murder Inc.'s resident hottie exploded onto the scene with her self-titled album, which earned her a Grammy in 2003. A guest spot on TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer paved the way for her first big acting gig in the movie Coach Carter and a subsequent role as Dorothy in The Muppets' Wizard of Oz. Keep an eye out for her in John Tucker Must Die.

Thug life:
“Sometimes when we go out to clubs, it's hard for me to venture out and get my dance on with different guys with [the Murder Inc. crew] standing around. It would put anyone off.”

Look who's stalking:
“Guys will come up and be like, 'Hi, I just wanna talk to you. I wanna prove that I ain't like these other dudes. I just wanna conversate!' But I don't get guys following me back to my hotel, banging on my door.”

Classy act:
“In my heart I am not a raunchy chick. I've always tried to keep it sassy and classy and sexy and not trashy.”

Inc.'s sexiest minx:
Our 2003 interview with Ashanti
Ashanti's artist page on Blender.com

November 2003 (#71)