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*Ashanti's record label Universal Music Group has taken down a controversial Web site amid protests and outrage over its use of a fake killing spree to promote her new album, "The Declaration."
As EUR previously reported, visitors to the website TheWayThatILoveYou.com were able to personalize a news report about the murders and send a "Gotchagram" e-card/video to folks with the target's name listed as the killer's latest victim.
Parents and religious groups protested outside of her record company Tuesday and threatened to disrupt her scheduled performance of the National Anthem at Game 5 of the NBA finals at LA's Staples Center. As a result, Universal shut down the gotcha-grams and removed the Web site altogether.
The drama started several months ago with the video for her single "The Way That I Love You," which depicts Ashanti as a spurned lover appearing to exact revenge on her cheating boyfriend by stabbing him to death. The clip's images of blood-spattered walls were included in the Gotchagram e-card promotion on TheWayThatILoveYou.com.
Visitors to the former site were greeted by a fake news headline from the UCN, the Universal Crime Network, which reported that, "police are investigating a recent wave of violence in New Jersey. The police commissioner has hinted that there may be a tie between the recent attacks and the music video for Universal/Motown recording artist Ashanti's single 'The Way That I Love You.'
A fake news story on the site ended with the warning that police fear the prime suspect in the alleged string of killings, Victoria Jackson, "may be planning to open a big can of whoop-a**. Authorities have already expressed apprehension at the pending release of Ashanti's album, The Declaration, on June 3rd, fearful that the power of the album will lead to more violence. Only time will tell."
Fans accessing the site were immediately greeted by a large, blood-soaked knife, carving out a box at the top of the page. A menu popped up that let users send the Gotchagram to a friend or enemy. After putting in your name, the name of your friend and their "crime," a menu titled "Your Victim's Crime" dropped down with such options as "sleeping around," "suspected sleeping around," "playing you like a fool" and "breaking your heart."
The next drop-down menu, for "Weapon of Choice," featured options such as "boot," "knife," "can," "sledgehammer," "rolling pin" and "guillotine." Once the information was typed in, a customized UCN news report was generated featuring the victim's name splattered in blood on a wall, the weapon of choice, the sender's name in a fake newspaper headline and a reference to their home state. The clip ends with a plug for the album and a cartoonish voice stating: "Ashanti and Universal Music Group do not encourage or condone violence of any kind. This is for parody purposes only."
Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope joined more than two dozen concerned parents and religious leaders outside of LA's Universal/Motown offices Tuesday in calling for the Web site to be taken down. Former radio veteran and BET staffer Paul Porter of the nonpartisan media justice think tank Industry Ears, said the video came to his attention on Monday, and he immediately called Ali.
"I questioned not only the content of the video, but also why Universal/Motown would support this effort," Porter said. "The real shock is that Ashanti is squeaky-clean ... and the song has nothing to do with murdering someone, so the video is definitely constructed for shock value, and we feel there's enough violence in our inner cities without you picking your weapon of choice."
A statement released Tuesday through Ashanti's personal publicist, Michelle Huff, stressed that "the Web site that Mr. Porter is referring to is not controlled by Ashanti nor is it her creative work. We respect what Mr. Porter is working to accomplish with his organization. But it is important to point out that Ashanti's history of creative expression does not glorify violence at all."
Unsatisfied with the response, Porter released a statement Wednesday announcing plans to disrupt Ashanti's performance of the National Anthem before the Los Angeles Lakers meet the Boston Celtics for Game 5. That's when Universal Motown president Sylvia Rhone responded to Porter with a one-sentence e-mail that read: "The sight is down, I took it down this morning."
The official statement from Universal was sent out a short time afterward: It said: "Following discussions with Ashanti, we have jointly decided to remove the TheWayThatILoveYou.com website that hosts the Gotchagram. Ashanti and her music have always been about self-empowerment and addressing the issues that are most meaningful to her. We stand by our artist and her creative choices."
As EUR previously reported, visitors to the website TheWayThatILoveYou.com were able to personalize a news report about the murders and send a "Gotchagram" e-card/video to folks with the target's name listed as the killer's latest victim.
Parents and religious groups protested outside of her record company Tuesday and threatened to disrupt her scheduled performance of the National Anthem at Game 5 of the NBA finals at LA's Staples Center. As a result, Universal shut down the gotcha-grams and removed the Web site altogether.
The drama started several months ago with the video for her single "The Way That I Love You," which depicts Ashanti as a spurned lover appearing to exact revenge on her cheating boyfriend by stabbing him to death. The clip's images of blood-spattered walls were included in the Gotchagram e-card promotion on TheWayThatILoveYou.com.
Visitors to the former site were greeted by a fake news headline from the UCN, the Universal Crime Network, which reported that, "police are investigating a recent wave of violence in New Jersey. The police commissioner has hinted that there may be a tie between the recent attacks and the music video for Universal/Motown recording artist Ashanti's single 'The Way That I Love You.'
A fake news story on the site ended with the warning that police fear the prime suspect in the alleged string of killings, Victoria Jackson, "may be planning to open a big can of whoop-a**. Authorities have already expressed apprehension at the pending release of Ashanti's album, The Declaration, on June 3rd, fearful that the power of the album will lead to more violence. Only time will tell."
Fans accessing the site were immediately greeted by a large, blood-soaked knife, carving out a box at the top of the page. A menu popped up that let users send the Gotchagram to a friend or enemy. After putting in your name, the name of your friend and their "crime," a menu titled "Your Victim's Crime" dropped down with such options as "sleeping around," "suspected sleeping around," "playing you like a fool" and "breaking your heart."
The next drop-down menu, for "Weapon of Choice," featured options such as "boot," "knife," "can," "sledgehammer," "rolling pin" and "guillotine." Once the information was typed in, a customized UCN news report was generated featuring the victim's name splattered in blood on a wall, the weapon of choice, the sender's name in a fake newspaper headline and a reference to their home state. The clip ends with a plug for the album and a cartoonish voice stating: "Ashanti and Universal Music Group do not encourage or condone violence of any kind. This is for parody purposes only."
Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope joined more than two dozen concerned parents and religious leaders outside of LA's Universal/Motown offices Tuesday in calling for the Web site to be taken down. Former radio veteran and BET staffer Paul Porter of the nonpartisan media justice think tank Industry Ears, said the video came to his attention on Monday, and he immediately called Ali.
"I questioned not only the content of the video, but also why Universal/Motown would support this effort," Porter said. "The real shock is that Ashanti is squeaky-clean ... and the song has nothing to do with murdering someone, so the video is definitely constructed for shock value, and we feel there's enough violence in our inner cities without you picking your weapon of choice."
A statement released Tuesday through Ashanti's personal publicist, Michelle Huff, stressed that "the Web site that Mr. Porter is referring to is not controlled by Ashanti nor is it her creative work. We respect what Mr. Porter is working to accomplish with his organization. But it is important to point out that Ashanti's history of creative expression does not glorify violence at all."
Unsatisfied with the response, Porter released a statement Wednesday announcing plans to disrupt Ashanti's performance of the National Anthem before the Los Angeles Lakers meet the Boston Celtics for Game 5. That's when Universal Motown president Sylvia Rhone responded to Porter with a one-sentence e-mail that read: "The sight is down, I took it down this morning."
The official statement from Universal was sent out a short time afterward: It said: "Following discussions with Ashanti, we have jointly decided to remove the TheWayThatILoveYou.com website that hosts the Gotchagram. Ashanti and her music have always been about self-empowerment and addressing the issues that are most meaningful to her. We stand by our artist and her creative choices."
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