I love it (and I'm so surprised by the various negative comments). It doesn't seem like these people reviewed the same CD that I felt compelled to comment on, but to each his own. I don't know what's going on with the hating because this CD is BANANAS!!!

Sure, Ashanti had a little bit of an extended sophomore slump, but she's back in a fierce way. This is the Ashanti that we loved from jump. This is the Ashanti who really REALLY understands what a girl is going through in relationships these days. She's so fly because, on one hand, she puts emotions to lyrics soooo well, but then she equally knows how to (with the "musical army"--as she calls them) inspire a lot of head nodding and finger snapping. This CD is so fly. I can't get enough; fans of Ashanti won't either.

Thank you Ashanti, for continuing to put it on wax--the things that us ladies go through--and for giving us this CD, a reminder that you still and will always be here. I'm rolling heavily to this, no pushing of the eject button anywhere in the near future.

I love every cut. My favs, though it's hard to choose, are "Still on it", "Focus Remix" and oh-my-goodness the remix of "Rain on Me," is soooooo fly. You can just TELL that on that cut our girl is really feeling what she's singing when Ashanti sings the words...

"See everybody wanna rise to the top these days... A lot of people might come and try to take your place... Oh you know that all you gotta do is keep risin'... Don't look back and keep shinin'... I had a little struggle, I had a little pain, now make it rain, make it rain, make it rain..."

Keep risin' Ashanti. Glad you're back. Stay here.

Honey, I was so glad that Murder Inc got acquitted of those ridiculous money laundering charges. I know Miss Ashanti would NEVER team up with a label that does shady practices, and that's why I respect her. This album is BANGIN' with beats, and you need to get this, okay? I love you, Ashanti!

Im in love with Ashanti's self-titled first album.
Chapter II & Concrete Rose were very dissapointed. I really think she is a great performer and songwriter, but she better go back to 2002, her beginning. That was Hot!
Girl if you moved to another record company and make real R&B... I'll buy it!!
I even don't like this artwork!!!! It reminds me J. to that Lo! Wack!

Ashanti is no stranger to hit songs. The Collectables by Ashanti showcases her talent and shows that she's more than a "hook" singer. Not that I don't like the original versions, but I'm really feeling the remixes. The People's Champ, Paul Wall, and Method Man rap over the first track, "Still On it." JaRule is on two tracks: "Only You Remix" and "Rain On Me Remix." Former 106 & Park host Free drops by on the "Focus Remix." Some of the other tracks that I like but hadn't heard before are "I Love You" and the smooth groove "I Found It In You" which samples from Zapp's Computer Love.

None of the remixes lose the luster of the original songs, but the guest appearances on the Collectables add that extra ingredient to make it a CD that fans of Ashanti would want to have for their personal music library.--Shelia M Goss, BellaOnline Women in Music

People have confused this album for a Greatest Hits album. It's not. It is best described as a b-sides album, featuring mainly remixes of older albums. This immediately points out the main problem of the CD; there's hardly any original material on it. The songs sound smooth and well produced, but it's rap that makes this album to what it is.
Ashanti's voice is pure, you have to hand this to her. The issue is that it's not very powerful. The raps by Method Man, Cadillac Tah, Ja Rule and others immediately have the upper hand as Ashanti's voice disappears into the shady chorus-parts.
Method Man and Cadillac Tah do shine with their raps. In fact, they shine so hard that this, originally R&B album, rapidly turns into a rap-album. It's hard to believe that this was intended.
This leaves us with a very mediocre album that leaves the genre undecided. The beats are overall good, not outstanding, just good. It's a shame, because much more could've been achieved to make this a believable R&B album. If I had to choose between this album and chickensoup, I'd go for the chickensoup.