In 2003, Beyoncé Knowles stepped away from her Destiny's Child bandmates Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams and released a solo album.
Knowles was 21 at the time, and her debut solo album "Dangerously in Love" is now accepted as the beginning of one of the biggest careers in pop music history. While the album received some mixed reviews, reactions were largely positive, earning Knowles five Grammy awards, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and going four times platinum.
Upon the album's release, however, the New York Times was less than impressed. The newspaper of record compared Knowles to a female competitor at the time, R&B singer Ashanti. "The Solo Beyoncé: She's No Ashanti," The New York Times wrote when reviewing "Dangerously in Love" in comparison to Ashanti's Murder Inc. release "Chapter II."
The review named Ashanti as Beyoncé's "mirror-image rival," noting that while Ashanti's album exceeded expectations, Beyonce's album could not live up to the hype. The Times claimed that Beyoncé's early success was due in large part to being a part of the girl group Destiny's Child, writing, "Maybe this album is merely a misstep, and maybe Beyoncé has yet to record the brilliant solo album that people expected. Or maybe it's proof that she isn't quite as versatile as she seemed. She's a strong and independent singer, no doubt, but maybe she seems strongest and most independent when she's got a posse behind her."
In the ten years since, Beyoncé's music career has decidedly dwarfed Ashanti's efforts. While NYT noted more promise in the "underdog" Ashanti, the singer's two subsequent releases cannot compete with Beyonce's albums. Ashanti released her third album, "Concrete Rose" in 2004, hitting No. 7 on the Billboard 200, and following up with 2008's "The Declaration," which peaked at No. 6. She then transitioned to a career in acting which includes roles in "John Tucker Must Die" and Lifetime's "Army Wives."
Beyoncé, in contrast, has hit No. 1 with every album she has released since. Her 2006 album, "B'Day" went three times platinum and took the Grammy award for Best Contemporary R&B Album. Knowles' next effort, 2008's "I Am... Sasha Fierce," saw similar success, going twice platinum and also taking the Grammy for Best Contemporary R&B Album. Her most recent album, 2011's "4," went platinum and produced the Grammy-winning smash hit "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)."
While comparisons between Knowles and Ashanti seem surprising now, the two artists may be poised to come into direct competition once again. Both singers were hyped to release new albums this year: Beyonce with her yet untitled forthcoming fifth studio album and Ashanti with her continuously delayed "BraveHeart." As of yet, neither project has an official release date and both seem likely to finally see the light of day in early 2014.
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Beyonce, honorary chairwoman, arrives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala benefit in honor of the museum’s latest exhibit, “Punk: Chaos to Couture.” May 6, 2013 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Timothy A. CLARY
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 06: Beyonce attends the Costume Institute Gala for the 'PUNK: Chaos to Couture' exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 6, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Beyonce performs on her "Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013", on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beyonce is wearing a custom hand beaded peplum one-piece by Ralph & Russo with shoes by Stuart Wieztman. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision for Parkwood Entertainment/AP Images)
Beyonce performs on her "Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013", on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beyonce is wearing a coat and boots by Pucci. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision for Parkwood Entertainment/AP Images)
Beyonce performs with guitarist Bibi McGill, left, on her "Mrs. Carter Show World Tour 2013", on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Beyonce is wearing an outfit by designer Alon Livne with shoes by Giuseppe Zanotti. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Invision for Parkwood Entertainment/AP Images)
This April 4, 2013 file photo shows married musicians Beyonce, left, and rapper Jay-Z as they tour Old Havana, Cuba. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa, file)
This Feb. 10, 2013 file photo shows Beyonce at the 55th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, file)
Singer Beyonce, winner Best Traditional R&B Performance, poses in the press room at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
This undated promotional image released by H&M shows entertainer Beyonce in an ad for H&M's new summer advertising campaign. Beyonce will be featured on billboards, and in print ads and TV commercials. (AP Photo/H&M)
In this Feb. 12, 2013 photo, Beyonce Knowles attends the premiere of "Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream" at the Ziegfeld Theatre, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Beyonce sits courtside before the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 17, 2013, in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Singer Beyonce performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: (L-R) Singers Kelly Rowland, Beyonce and Michelle Williams perform during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Singer Beyonce performs during the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 31: Beyonce speaks onstage at the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show Press Conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on January 31, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 31: Beyonce speaks onstage at the Pepsi Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show Press Conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on January 31, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Singer Beyonce performs the National Anthem as U.S. President Barack Obama looks on during the public ceremonial inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: Jay-Z and Beyonce arrive at the presidential inauguration on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol January 21, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - DECEMBER 10: Jay Z and Beyonce Knowles watches a game between the Miami Heat and the Atlanta Hawks at American Airlines Arena on December 10, 2012 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 05: (L-R) Jay-Z, Beyonce, 2012 Sportsman of the Year LeBron James and Savannah Brinson attend the 2012 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year award presentation at Espace on December 5, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
A video from singer Beyonce is projected during the Global Citizen Festival, a mass music concert and event to urge world leaders to act towards ending extreme poverty, in Central Park in New York on September 29, 2012. AFP PHOTO/Emmanuel DUNAND
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 01: Beyonce accepts the award for Video Director of the Year onstage during the 2012 BET Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on July 1, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images For BET)
Beyonce attends the Costume Institute Benefit at The Metropolitan Museum of Art May 7, 2012, celebrating the opening of Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations. AFP PHOTO TIMOTHY A. CLARY
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Beyonce Knowles at The Launch Of House Of Dereon By Beyonce And Tina Knowles at Selfridges on September 17, 2011 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn McCormack/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 13: Beyonce and Solange Knowles pose backstage at the Vera Wang Spring 2012 fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at The Stage at Lincoln Center on September 13, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)
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