♪ Boy you fill me with so much joy ♪
♪ You give.... ♪
- [Ashanti] Performing live is usually a lot of fun.
It's always good to get that reaction from the crowd
and hear people singing the records that you've written.
So it's usually a,
a great experience for me.
♪ Happy by Ashanti ♪
(hip-hop music)
My reaction when I found out
that BET wanted to honor me,
I was just like so surprised and happy.
I had no idea.
I found out on a zoom call.
It kind of just came out
and I was just like,
"oh my gosh, what!"
So I was super, super excited um,
and very happy.
This freezing.
Coaching the set list for this show um,
there was so many different things to
take into consideration.
Time restriction,
how to fit all of these records in,
where to splice them,
where do we start?
Do we start slow and go fast?
Do we go fast then go slow?
Like, it was a lot of thought put into the creative
cause I wanted it to be perfect.
The intention is to bring forth like
an element of royalty,
an element of class,
an element of soul,
an element of women empowerment.
You know,
an element of
that connection.
So,
okay, these are the rain drops.
I wonder if we can make them
like a little more...
- Yeah.
- Bold, you know what I mean?
I think how I zero in on what's most impressionable um,
to the audience,
as far as the set list and the music is concerned.
I'm fortunate enough to be on tour right now.
So, just gauging the reaction from our set list on tour.
And obviously I do look at some of the tweets
and some of the requests from the fans.
And um,
of course I talked to my team,
my creative director,
Bryce Vick,
my mom,
the whole team.
And I'm just very excited and very happy.
And I think it's gonna be amazing.
I'm gonna have fun.
(hip-hop music)
So basically an offsite rehearsal is kinda like
an opportunity to
get out all of your ideas.
So if you have the mirror, the music, the dance floor,
and you're there to create and,
you know, try things and see what looks great
and do staging and
utilize the room
and what angle
and what shapes.
You know,
you know, how are we gonna fit everything together
and just make it cohesively work?
- My name is Bryce D. Vick.
I'm Ashanti's choreographer and creative director.
Anytime you think of Ashanti,
you should think of Bryce Vick.
(hip-hop music)
(indistinct) before.
It's (indistinct),
y'all should hit that.
Cause maybe what I'll do is show the light.
(hip-hop-music)
The choreographer's responsible for the moves,
the set.
I know that Ashanti and I,
we're, we're on tour at the moment.
So, the choreography is different from the tour choreography
and this particular stage performance.
This particular stage performance is all about showgirl.
Concert,
it should be bigger with more personalities,
Showgirls, the A.E.I.O.U.
(indistinct)
It's flash and flair.
It's simple, sexy, and effective.
If I'm not feeling my gut,
I can't sign off on it.
The way that I love you.
A woman's scorn.
You know?
You lied, you lied, all of that.
You know what I mean?
Be, be dramatic.
Be big, tell a story without using your words.
(piano resonating)
Now this is woman's scorn.
Woman's scorn.
(hip-hop music)
Now, throw the concept out the window.
And now, let's just dance.
(applauding)
(hip-hop music)
- This is going to be the first time
actually being on the stage.
Actually doing everything on the platform,
but this is going to be the first time
actually doing a um,
a soundcheck.
Oh, I think we're here.
Doing a soundcheck and um,
rehearsing in the shoes um,
with the props and everything.
So it's, it's a lot.
It's a little overwhelming but,
we're gonna make it happen
and it's gonna be dope.
(hip-hop music)
♪ What's love? ♪
♪ Its about us, its about trust, babe ♪
♪ What's love? ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪
- And the transition into Baby.
(chattering)
Yeah I think its,
I think its pretty good.
So some of the conversations that
myself and Adam are having just about the performance,
it's just like,
the vibe.
Obviously he's been a part of this,
you know, forever with the Apollo.
So he knows the vibe and,
you know,
what I'm bringing and
what he's bringing with the amazing band
and just us having a chemistry
and being on the same page.
So its like, okay,
here's the cue for this
and let's cut it here.
And then we'll drop the beat out here.
- [Adam] Okay everybody,
we're going to run it again from the top.
With full cameras and full lighting.
From the top.
(hip-hop music)
- [Ashanti] Ashanti.
(hip-hop music)
♪ Boy you fill me with so much joy ♪
♪ You give whatever it is I need ♪
- [Ashanti] It's such an iconic moment for me
to be a part of this celebration.
Um, again,
to have Soul Train Awards
here in my hometown,
in New York city,
in Harlem,
at the world famous Apollo
with so many iconic historic memories and moments.
You know, in our culture and history,
music history, um,
is huge.
♪ Rain on me ♪
♪ Lord, won't you take this pain from me ♪
♪ I don't wanna live, I don't wanna breathe, tell ya just ♪
I performed,
I performed at the Apollo when I was super, super young.
You know, I've done the talent shows and then like
when Always on Time came out,
uh, I remember doing a show at the Apollo
at the last minute.
♪ Yeah baby ♪
(crowd applauding)
Those memories and,
and the,
the iconic great legendary people that have
graced that stage,
that history is just there.
You know, so,
to be back in,
in this light,
at this point in my career is very special.
It's really, really special.
♪ Always there when you call ♪
All right, so,
with 30 minutes
before showtime,
definitely a lot going on.
Are we changing the hair?
Are we not changing hair?
Oh my gosh, my nail polish.
Oh my gosh, should we switch this?
Make sure the waist is cinched.
It's freezing in here.
There are so many things that are happening.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Are my eyelashes gonna stay?
You know?
It's just a bunch of things,
just a gazillion things
running through my mind.
Who's watching?
Who's in the audience?
- On that lady is so (indistinct),
you know what I'm saying?
- Well-deserved.
- Thank you.
- Very well deserved.
- [Ashanti] I want to make sure this cue was right.
Did the dancers get all of their fans
and are the costumes perfect?
♪ The way that I love you ♪
♪ Oh ♪
- There'll always be naysayers
and people that try to discourage you.
They criticize you and say hateful things,
to try and bring you down.
They don't want you to follow your dreams.
They don't want to see you win.
They don't care about your feelings.
They don't care how hard you try.
But I want you to look at yourself
and find your inner strength.
And know that nothing and no one can break you.
I am
Ashanti.
♪ Happy by Ashanti ♪
♪ Boy you fill me with so much joy. ♪
♪ You give whatever it is I need ♪
♪ My love, here to stay, won't ever leave ♪
I would say I have evolved so much.
You know, as a live performer.
And I think that comes with just
time, growth, maturity, becoming comfortable in my skin.
I remember I used to like,
hold my head a lot.
(ashanti laughing)
When I performed.
And I would hold like right here a lot.
And I think that's just like
a nervous mechanism, I guess.
But when you receive so much love
and you see and hear people screaming your lyrics
and singing your records,
that,
it gives you a sense of comfortability,
a sense of calm,
a sense of courage.
Apollo, we gon' have some fun in here tonight.
- Come on, come on, come on.
You know I,
what?
♪ Baby, I'm not always there when you call ♪
♪ But I'm always on time ♪
♪ And I gave you my all ♪
♪ Now baby, be mine ♪
What I want people to walk away with
after watching my performance is,
"wow, this girl has definitely been through a lot
and this girl is talented and we're happy for her."
There's been a lot of ups and downs
and everyone knows that I'm a super positive person
and I'm always happy.
You know, that's just part of my genetics
and its just who I am as a person.
And to be in the game 20 years later,
you know um,
just having this huge moment.
God's timing is impeccable.
You know, I think it's unparalleled
and I'm just very happy.
I'm very grateful.
And I think people are gonna walk away saying,
"she did it."
You know?
♪ All the things that we accept ♪
♪ Be the things that we regret ♪
♪ So all of my ladies (ladies) ♪
♪ Put your hands up in the air ♪
♪ What? ♪
♪ when I get the strength to leave ♪
♪ You always tell me that you need me ♪
♪ And I'm weak 'cause I believe you ♪
♪ And I'm mad because I love you ♪
I want them to feel empowered.
I want them to feel like she embodies women empowerment.
You know?
And, and someone that is driven to succeed.
♪ My days are cold baby ♪
♪ Oh ohhhh ♪
(audience applauding)
Thank you so much
Soul Train and BET.
I love you.
(audience applauding)