Like more women from her generation, Ashanti Douglas has opted to venture into motherhood later than “normal” – she’s currently expecting her first child with Nelly, whom she secretly married in 2023. At 43 years old, bringing a baby into the world is no easy task. Still, thanks to the countless hours she’s poured into her career as an entertainer, the songbird’s little one is sure to have a warm welcome, to say nothing of the countless opportunities that come naturally to nepo babies.
Ashanti hasn’t seen the same success as her self-titled debut album in 2002, but that hasn’t stopped her from navigating the industry with total confidence. From launching her own record label after parting ways with Irv Gotti’s Murder Inc. to making her presence felt in the acting world, it’s clear that Ashanti’s net worth isn’t hurting as she expands her family.
What Is Ashanti’s Net Worth?
Reports about how much Ashanti is worth vary greatly, with Celebrity Net Worth estimating $5 million, while The Richest suggests the number is closer to $20M. We’ll explore her career path and alleged earnings momentarily, but outside of those, the “Happy” singer has other endeavours contributing to her wealth. First, there’s the Old Westbury, New York two-acre property she purchased in 2003 for $1.95M. After almost two decades there, Douglas listed her home for $2.2M in July but didn’t sell it until the next year for the same price she initially paid.
After conceiving a child in her early 40s, Ashanti and her husband have also invested in a fertility company, Proov, which they’re now co-owners of. “The company aims to take the guesswork out of tracking hormonal activity for those on fertility journeys,” Essence explains. “[They] offer a range of FDA-approved at-home fertility tests, treatments and supportive supplements.”
From Her 2002 Debut Album to Today, the New Yorker Has Always Been Booked and Busy
Before she and Gotti began working together, Douglas got her start doing work as an extra in film and TV as a child, also appearing in numerous music videos. Her earliest credited roles come from Sabrina the Teenage Witch, American Dreams, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Proud Family. By 2002, however, Ashanti was fully dialed into her debut album, which earned an estimated $3.6M according to The Richest. The 17-track effort has since been certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA and 2x Platinum by Music Canada, while earning plenty of other accolades along the way.
The young starlet’s sophom*ore LP, Chapter II, didn’t gain as much acclaim, but still brought in a reported $1.1M – the same as her 2004 LP, Concrete Rose. Both projects have Platinum RIAA certifications, but it wouldn’t be until 2008 that Ashanti would drop more music. In the meantime, she focused on movie projects like Coach Carter, John Tucker Must Die and Resident Evil: Extinction.
When Douglas finally dropped her fourth album, The Declaration, her sales were the lowest they’d ever been. Before long, she parted ways with Gotti and his embattled label, instead taking a few years to establish her own, Written Entertainment, in tandem with eOne Music. This gave the fashionista elevated creative control over her career, though we have yet to see her embrace music the same way she did during her breakthrough.
What Are Ashanti’s Most Recent Projects?
Much to her fans’ despair, Ashanti hasn’t delivered a full-length EP since 2014’s Braveheart, which boasted collabs with French Montana, Jeremih and Rick Ross. It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, but it wasn’t enough to bring the R&B icon back to the studio full-time. In 2017, she announced a collaborative project with Ja Rule that never saw the light of day, but has at least continued to drop the occasional single to tide us over. “Say Less” with Ty Dolla $ign, “Pretty Little Thing” with Afro B and “2:35 (I Want You)” all remain in rotation as we wait to see what’s next for the multi-talented beauty.
As far as acting goes, Ashanti’s net worth has grown steadily thanks to appearances in A Christmas Winter Song, Dynasty, Honey Girls, A New Diva’s Christmas Carol and The Plus One. When she’s not looking incredible in front of the camera, the actress and musician has been expanding her production resume with projects like Stuck.
