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Fair Ashanti urges students to pursue their dreams
Famous GCHS alum shares musical pointers
“Immediately when I saw the message pop up I was shook,” Galatri said. “I was like ‘Oh my God, are you serious, is this really happening?”
Soon after receiving the text, she told her parents she had to go to school weeks before the first day of class, and she needed to take the following day off from work.
Ashanti’s visit to GCHS on July 21 was prompted by an interview with the CBS Mornings show, with host Nate Burleson, which aired on Aug. 15. The 41-year-old musician, born Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas, walked the hallways of her alma mater during her interview. She spoke about her upbringing in Glen Cove, expressing gratitude in having grown up in the city, and her appreciation for the diversity and culture she found there. Her interview took place on the same stage she performed as a teenager, where she acted in several of Glen Cove’s plays.
Norris contacted students the same day he was notified by Dr. Maria Rianna, the school’s superintendent, of Ashanti’s visit.
In his text, Norris stressed the importance of talking to someone who has been through the music business and added that students could ask questions of the superstar.
Before the meetup, Norris gave historical context to Ashanti’s career, noting
accomplishments in the music industry that very few people have made, especially women.
Ashanti’s music career took off shortly after she graduated from GCHS in 1998. She was signed to the major record label Murder Inc. Records in 2002 and released two of that year’s biggest hits: “What’s Luv?” with rapper Fat Joe and “Always on Time” with rapper Ja Rule. Ashanti holds the Guinness World Record for Fastest Selling Debut Artist for a female. Her 2002 debut album “Ashanti” sold over 503,000 copies in its first week.
Ashanti met with the GCHS choral students before her interview with CBS. When asked about her career’s beginning, she said she didn’t originally think of becoming a musician, but thought she’d do something she considered more practical.
She was drawn to music, she said, but her tremendous success came as a surprise. Growing up within the district and singing throughout the community, she realized that singing had a profound impact on her, and she wanted to give people a positive experience through music.
“I really connected to her through that,” said, Galatri. “Through school and being in choir, it made me continue wanting to sing, even if I’m not a musician.”
Galatri said she wants to continue singing after she graduates and wants to give others positive experiences through music and dance.
Students like junior Shye Roberts were just as excited to meet Ashanti. Roberts was visiting her sister in Pennsylvania and had been making her way back to Glen Cove when notified of Ashanti’s visit.
“I thought it would be a very good opportunity to see someone who’s kind of come from the same roots and learn about how they made it in the music business,” Roberts said.
Roberts ended up not only meeting with Ashanti, but also singing for her. When Ashanti asked if anyone wanted to sing for her, all eyes pointed to Roberts, who sang “When We Were Young,” by Adele.
Before leaving, Ashanti urged students to continue pursuing their passions adding that one never knows where hard work will lead.
Norris said that he strives to give his students different experiences, whether it is through school trips or by working with other musicians. He said,
“Somebody that traveled through the same steps that they travel through right now, I think that’s something for our kids in Glen Cove that can be life changing.”
