You'd half expect the self-described "princess" of the Murder Inc. rap collective to sweep into a photo shoot with a bevy of beefy bodyguards and an interpreter to relay her demands to the little people. After all, MTV mainstay and pop superstar Ja Rule is the captain of her team. But when Ashanti Douglas walks into New York's Picture Ray Studio, she is sans entourage and hangers-on. 
   Ashanti comes in flanked by only her mother, Tina Douglas. With her fitted denim jacket, matching jeans and spanking new Air Jordans, Ashanti could easily be a high school senior on a college tour with Mom. Even with the sparkly, rhinestone belt, diamond-encrusted watch and cross medallion, there is still little to give Ashanti away. Except the fact that she has kept a group of photographers, stylists and journalists waiting for over two hours. 
   You can forgive her lateness. Today has been nearly nine years in the making. Consider it payback for a decade of near misses. "It's been a very long time. I've already had two deals," explains Ashanti, unloading her purse and looking over the outfits for the photo shoot. And every time I got a deal, it was in the local paper around the way. I would see my friends and they would be like, 'Where's the album? I thought it was going to come out. It's been two years already! It was so frustrating." 
   A stylist approaches, gingerly asking if she would try on a few outfits. Ashanti puts him at ease. "We can do what ever you want to do," she says. "I am completely workable." 
   She has been inescapable of late, this gracious and humble 21-year old from Glen Cove, N.Y.. It started with guest spots on songs by Big Pun and Fat Joe. But it was the chorus that she lent to la Rule's runaway smash, Always on Time" that led to appearances on Saturday Night Live, when Ja Rule was the musical guest, and on MTV for Ja's episode of "Making the Video." 
   Now her own self-penned single, "Foolish," has caught on big at urban radio stations nationwide. "The [song] has been explosive” says Tosha Love, music director for Atlanta's V103. "Listeners want to know where she came from. [They] recognize her as the girl from la Rule's single but didn't expect her to come out on her first single so strongly." 
   The buzz-worthy video, featuring heartthrob actor Terrance Howard, is an interpretation of the mafia movie Goodfellas. And with her flawless skin, bright smile and classy style, Ashanti represents the woman that women want to be and men want to be with. "She's gorgeous. But the fact that she is on some of the biggest records of the past year doesn't hurt," says Stephen Hill, vice president of music programming at BET. "'Foolish' quickly became one of the top videos on 106 & Park, and Fat Joe's video is close behind." 

WHO'S THAT GIRL? 
   And so the whispers are starting up. Who is this girl? Where did she come from? Can she really sing? Who is she trying to be, exactly? Her musical influences tell the story. "My dad put me on to The Delphonics, Heatwave and The Stylistics," says Ashanti, who first sang in the gospel choir at age 6. "But I never wanted to sing all slow songs. And, of course, I love hip-hop but I can't rap. So as far as wanting to be in the music industry, my biggest influence was definitely Mary l. Blige. She married hip-hop and R&B together and I said, that's what I want to do." 
   Ten years ago, the formula for creating Mary's royal ascension to the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul was simple. First, use her vocals on a popular hip-hop track (Father MC's "I'll Do 4 U"). Second, make sure her exposure is maintained through videos. Then, when her album is released, make sure the single borrows a famous loop from a hip-hop song ("Real Love," from Mary's debut album, featured the beat from "Top Billin"' by Audio 1Wo). What's the 411 was certified triple-platinum and Mary has never looked back.
   While Mary l. Blige was ruling her queendom, Ashanti Shaquoya Douglas was learning tap, modern, jazz and ballet as a 12-year old living in the suburbs of New York City. The eldest of two daughters born to Tina and Thomas Douglas, Ashanti had always been encouraged to explore the arts (Mrs. Douglas, a former dancer, enrolled her daughter in dance school as soon as she was toilet-trained.) Her dancing and acting skills landed her roles in Polly, with Phylicia Rashad, Spike Lee's Malcolm X and a number of music videos. But it would be Ashanti's voice-not her pirouettes-that would catch her mother's attention. 
   "I had [Ashanti] do chores on the weekend: no television and no radio," explains Mrs. Douglas, between peeks at her two-way pager. "I was vacuuming and I heard the radio playing. I said, 'I told you to turn the music off.' Ashanti said, 'That was me.’”
   Mrs. Douglas was in shock. She called her husband and had Ashanti sing on the phone to him. By the time Ashanti finished Mary l. Blige's "Reminisce,” her parents were making plans. In the spirit of Tina "Beyonce's Mom" Knowles and Sonya "Brandy's Mom" Norwood, Tina Douglas threw herself into her daughter's career, sending her out to perform in talent shows and hiring a team of attorneys and a co-manager.
   Mrs. Douglas, a tech support computer specialist, has been using accumulated vacation time to travel with her daughter. "We waited almost nine years for this," says Mrs. Douglas, who stays true to character in her cameo appearance as a protective mother in the video for "Foolish." "Everything is popping now, but she ain't sell no records yet-let's keep it real. One day I will quit my job-hopefully it will be soon. But for now, I got bills to pay." 

THE MAKING OF A STAR 
   Ashanti was signed to Jive Records while still in high school. When that deal did not pan out, she signed to Atlanta-based Noontime Records. After graduation, Ashanti turned down a track scholarship from Princeton (she was an all-star in the triple jump in high school) and relocated to Atlanta to record. Her mother let her go but admits that she "cried like two children" when she left. In 18 months, Ashanti was back home, with an unfinished album and dim prospects for another shot. 
   Trying on outfits from a rack of dresses, Ashanti removes her clothes without a shred of self-consciousness. Naked, except for a pair of string bikinis, she calmly describes the reasons why her first two record deals did not work out. 
   "With the first label, the chemistry just wasn't there. [The] creativity wasn't there and it wasn't a good vibe," she says with the air of a music veteran. "The second label was failing internally and they weren't structured right. And I didn't want to be in that." 
   Every unhappy artist doesn't have the opportunity to bail ship. But then again, every artist doesn't have Tina Douglas for a mom. "She was a minor, so we got out of it," says Mrs. Douglas flatly. "We have an excellent team: two attorneys and a co-manager. We play tag-team, good cop, bad cop…whatever's needed." 
   After signing to AIM Records, an independent label, Ashanti went shopping for hip-hop beats for her album. She crossed the path of Irv Gotti - GEO of Murder Inc. Records. He was instantly impressed with her style, her voice and, most important, her writing. Ashanti has penned tracks for her label mates, rappers Vita and Cadillac Tah. She also wrote-and some think sang a little more than backup on-Jennifer Lopez's No.1 song “Ain't It Funny." 
   "He [Gotti] gave me a lot of tests," explains Ashanti, as she gets her sewn-in weave tightened for the shoot. "I was writing with everybody. Irv saw that I knew how to make hits and then he knew he wanted me to be in the Murder Inc. family." 
   Irv followed the Mary I. Blige formula like he found it in his grandma's cookbook. He set Ashanti up on a few rap hooks, starting with Big Pun and leading up to his marquee artist, Ja Rule. He made sure her face was visible even before her single reached the airwaves through her appearances in videos with those artists. And to cement the deal, he used one of hip-hop's most beloved samples, "Stay with Me" by DeBarge, also the background to the Notorious B.I.G.'s "One More Chance," on Ashanti's first single. 
   Ashanti's self-titled album has no collaborations and nothing faster than a mid-tempo groove. Risky? Perhaps. But Ashanti calls it, "an experience." And she is determined to keep the marriage of hip- hop and R&B sacrosanct. "Mary is leaving what she used to be and going another slot higher," explains Ashanti. "She's doing 'no more drama.' And me, I've created a space for myself in that hip-hop/R&B lane-those records that you can feel."
   Dismissing comparisons to hip-hop soul's most recent tragic loss, V-103's Tosha Love sees Ashanti's individuality. "I do not believe that Ashanti will replace Aaliyah. It's impossible for anyone to," she says. "I do believe that Ashanti will make a place of her own in this industry. She has Murder Inc. behind her, and Irv Gotti is a genius. And he has the winning formula." 
   In ways that are more like Aaliyah than Mary I., who was not a member of a crew, Ashanti is not just signed to Murder Inc. She is - like Faith Evans, the first lady of Bad Boy - a part of the image of the group. With parents as involved as hers, and a middle-class life that was filled with ballet, cheerleading and track, it's easy to understand why Ashanti never imagined herself signed to Murder Inc. 
   "Originally, we didn't even think of signing to Murder Inc.," explains Ashanti. "But the chemistry couldn't be better. I have my own lane and I'm the only R&B act, so it's very beneficial. I think it adds a little bit of flavor. I don't come across as a murderer and when you think about it, we're murdering music." 
   Murdering music. Right. But surprisingly, Mom agrees with Gotti's explanation. "My first instinct was...murder? What the hell is that about? But he’s letting people know he’s gonna knock ‘em dead with the music. And that’s fine,” says Mrs.Douglas. 
   Whether her affiliation with the Murderers will help or hurt her career remains to be seen. What is clear iis that Ashanti represents the future. This is not your mother’s R&B. There are no high notes, power riffs or histrionics. And some critics have already dismissed the repetition of using well-known hip-hop beats. But as long as the presentation is slick, stylish and smart, divas-to-be like Ashanti will always have a place on center stage. 

SHOWTIME 
   While she's getting her face powdered one last time before she faces the cameras, Ashanti's cell phone rings. It's Gotti with good news. "Maaaaaaaa!" Ashanti shouts, sounding eerily similar to the Lorraine Bracco character from Goodfellas that she plays in the video for "Foolish." "We just made TRL! "Foolish" is No.10!" A smattering of light applause goes around the room and Ashanti grins bright. 
   Now that she has a hit single and an anxiously awaited debut album, perhaps the days of steering her father's car around Glen Cove in sunglasses and a hooded sweatshirt are finally over. "Yeah, I can drive around now," says Ashanti with a wink. “And I'm pushing a 500 too."