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Grammy Award-winning artist Ashanti will sing the National Anthem at the 2018 Major League Soccer All-Star game Aug. 1, the league announced Wednesday. Ashanti replaces rapper T-Pain, who pulled out of the performance to rest his vocal chords after feeling “under the weather.”
The MLS All-Stars will face Serie A legend Juventus. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The match will be televised in more than 170 countries across the world.
Ashanti, 37, is a multi-platinum singer/songwriter, actor and author. She first rose to fame in 2002 with her self-titled debut album, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 and R&B album charts, sold more than 500,000 copies in the first week and won a Grammy Award for Best Contemporary R&B Album in 2003.
She also made history by becoming the first woman to hold the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time with her songs “Always on Time” and “What’s Luv?” at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. She was the second artist, behind the Beatles, to have their first three chart entries in the top 10 simultaneously.
Ashanti frequently collaborated with rapper Ja Rule. The duo reunited for three sold-out United States tours, one European tour and an Australia/New Zealand tour in 2016-17. They are traveling throughout the U.S. again this year.
Most recently, Ashanti released a new single, “Say Less,” in April through her record label, Written Entertainment.
She is also executive producer of a musical film called “Stuck,” which will be released Oct. 26. Her other film credits include “Coach Carter,” “John Tucker Must Die,” “Resident Evil Extinction,” and “Mothers & Daughters.”