Foolish (Ashanti song)

"Foolish"
"Foolish"
Single by Ashanti
from the album Ashanti
Released	February 11, 2002
Studio	Crackhouse (New York City)
Genre	R&B
Length	3:47
Label	Def Jam; AJM; Murder Inc.;
Songwriter(s)	Ashanti Douglas; Mark DeBarge; Etterlene Jordan; Irving Lorenzo; 7 Aurelius;
Producer(s)	Irv Gotti
Ashanti singles chronology
Audio sample
	"Foolish" file; help;
Music video
	"Foolish" on YouTube

"Foolish" is the debut solo single by American singer Ashanti. It was released as the lead single from her self-titled debut album (2002) by Def Jam Recordings, AJM, and Irv Gotti's Murder Inc. Records on February 11, 2002. It was written by Ashanti, Etterlene Jordan, Mark DeBarge and Irv Gotti, while production was overseen by Gotti. The song heavily samples DeBarge's "Stay with Me". Due to the inclusion of the sample, Mark DeBarge and Etterlene Jordan are also credited as songwriters. A promotional version of the single called "Unfoolish" features a verse from The Notorious B.I.G. from his song "F--king You Tonight".

The song spent ten consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming Ashanti's second number one and third top ten on both charts. It is Ashanti's highest charting single as a lead artist. Elsewhere, "Foolish" became a top ten hit in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. The song was nominated for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 2003 Grammy Awards, and won the Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single – Female. In 2009, Billboard ranked it 19th on its Hot 100 Songs of the 2000s Decade.^[2]

Composition

The song is performed in the key of C major in common time with a tempo of 89 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Fmaj7–G, and Ashanti's vocals span from A₃ to C₆.^[3]^[4]

Commercial performance

"Foolish" spent 10 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard charts and a total of 17 weeks in the top 10. It would later get ranked the second-best-performing single of 2002, and listed as the 132nd-best-performing single.

Music video

The filming session of the video for the single took place during January 2002. It was directed by Irv Gotti. The video shows the viewer a relationship where a man, played by Terrence Howard, gets involved into some criminal acts after telling his girlfriend [Ashanti] that he is in construction and is unfaithful to Ashanti with Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta reality star Althea, which ends up in a break-up after some quarrel. As the song suggests, Ashanti feels that she still loves her ex and that she just can't seem to get over him and becomes frustrated since her heart and her mind force her to love him and hate him at the same time. The video is set in the fashion of the movie Goodfellas, with Ashanti in the role of Karen Hill and Terrence Howard in the role of Henry Hill. Irv Gotti and Ja Rule are also in the video appearing to take the roles of Jimmy Conway and Paulie Cicero. The video was a three-time nominee at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Female Video, Best R&B Video, and Best New Artist. Murder Inc. manager Ron Robinson and Murder Inc. artists Charli Baltimore, Vita, O1, and Jodie Mack make cameo appearances as well.

Track listings

European CD single

"Foolish" (radio edit) – 3:52
"Foolish" (instrumental) – 3:52

Australian and US maxi single

"Foolish" (radio edit) – 3:52
"Foolish" (album version) – 3:48
"Foolish" (instrumental) – 3:51
"Foolish" (video)

UK 5-inch CD single

"Foolish" (album version) – 3:48
"Unfoolish" (clean album version) – 3:15
"Foolish" (Topnotch Remix)
"Foolish" (video)

Credits and personnel

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of Ashanti.^[1]

Instrumentation – 7 Aurelius
Mixing – Supa Engineer Duro, Irv Gotti
Production – 7 Aurelius, Irv Gotti
Songwriting – 7 Aurelius, A. Douglas, E. Jordan, I. Lorenzo, M. DeBarge
Recording – Milwaukee Buck
Recording assistance – Terry "Murda Mac" Herbert

Charts

Weekly charts

Weekly chart performance for "Foolish" by Ashanti
Chart (2002)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[5]	6
Australian Urban (ARIA)^[6]	3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)^[7]	49
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[8]	49
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[9]	37
Canada CHR (Nielsen BDS)^[10]	1
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)^[11]	16
France (SNEP)^[12]	62
Germany (GfK)^[13]	26
Ireland (IRMA)^[14]	14
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[15]	8
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[16]	12
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[17]	8
Scotland (OCC)^[18]	11
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[19]	52
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[20]	15
UK Singles (OCC)^[21]	4
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)^[22]	1
US Billboard Hot 100^[23]	1
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[24]	1
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)^[25]	2
US Rhythmic (Billboard)^[26]	1

Year-end charts

Year-end chart performance for "Foolish" by Ashanti
Chart (2002)	Position
Australia (ARIA)^[27]	32
Australian Urban (ARIA)^[28]	4
Canada Radio (Nielsen BDS)^[29]	49
Ireland (IRMA)^[30]	91
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[31]	53
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[32]	65
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[33]	82
UK Singles (OCC)^[34]	72
UK Airplay (Music Week)^[35]	23
UK Urban (Music Week)^[36]	1
US Billboard Hot 100^[37]	2
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)^[38]	1
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)^[39]	18
US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)^[40]	1

Decade-end charts

Decade-end chart performance for "Foolish" by Ashanti
Chart (2000–2009)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100^[41]	19

All-time charts

All-time chart performance for "Foolish" by Ashanti
Chart (1958–2018)	Position
US Billboard Hot 100^[42]	132

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)^[43]	Platinum	70,000^{^}
New Zealand (RMNZ)^[44]	2× Platinum	60,000^‡
United Kingdom (BPI)^[46]	Platinum	454,000^[45]
United Kingdom (BPI)^[47] "Unfoolish"	Silver	200,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[48]	2× Platinum	2,000,000^‡
^{^} Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United States	February 11, 2002 (2002-02-11)	Rhythmic contemporary urban radio	Murder Inc. Def Jam	^[49]
United States	April 8, 2002 (2002-04-08)	Contemporary hit radio		^[50]
Australia	May 20, 2002 (2002-05-20)	CD		^[51]
United Kingdom	July 8, 2002 (2002-07-08)	12-inch vinyl CD cassette		^[52]

References

^ ^a ^b Ashanti (CD liner). Ashanti. Murder Inc., Def Jam Recordings. 2002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Billboard- Updated Album Charts from the most Trusted Music Magazine". Billboard. June 10, 2008. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
^ Lorenzo, Irving (July 10, 2002). "Ashanti "Foolish" Sheet Music in C Major – Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
^ "Key & BPM for Foolish by Ashanti | Tunebat". tunebat.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Issue 659" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Canadian Top 20 in 2002" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2005. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. July 27, 2002. p. 7. Retrieved June 3, 2018.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Foolish". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti – Foolish". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
^ "Ashanti Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Ashanti Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
^ "Ashanti Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2002". ARIA. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
^ "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Urban Singles 2002". ARIA. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
^ "Top 100 top played radio tracks in Canada in 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
^ "Top 100 Songs of 2002". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2002. Archived from the original on June 2, 2004. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
^ "Top 100−Jaaroverzicht van 2002". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2002" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved January 25, 2020.
^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2002". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved January 25, 2020.
^ "The Official UK Singles Chart 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Most Broadcast of 2002 — Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music Week. January 18, 2003. p. 31. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ "Top 40 Urban Tracks of 2002" (PDF). Music Week. January 18, 2003. p. 32. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
^ "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
^ "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2002". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2002" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 10. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
^ "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2002" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 20. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
^ ""The Decade-end Music Charts"" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
^ "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 25, 2017.
^ "New Zealand single certifications – Ashanti – Foolish". Radioscope. Retrieved January 11, 2025. Type Foolish in the "Search:" field.
^ Copsey, Rob (January 28, 2020). "Ashanti's Top 10 biggest hits on the Official UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2020.
^ "British single certifications – Ashanti – Foolish". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
^ "British single certifications – Ashanti – Unfoolish". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 3, 2023.
^ "American single certifications – Ashanti – Foolish". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1439. February 8, 2002. p. 30.
^ "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1447. April 5, 2002. p. 27.
^ "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 20th May 2002" (PDF). ARIA. May 20, 2002. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2002. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
^ "In-Store Next Week (from 8/7/02)". Music Week. July 6, 2002. p. 11.

[booklet-1] Ashanti (CD liner). Ashanti. Murder Inc., Def Jam Recordings. 2002.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[2] "Billboard- Updated Album Charts from the most Trusted Music Magazine". Billboard. June 10, 2008. Archived from the original on June 10, 2008. Retrieved February 6, 2025.

[3] Lorenzo, Irving (July 10, 2002). "Ashanti "Foolish" Sheet Music in C Major – Download & Print". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved October 21, 2018.

[4] "Key & BPM for Foolish by Ashanti | Tunebat". tunebat.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.

[sc_Australia_Ashanti-5] "Ashanti – Foolish". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Australiaurban_-6] "Issue 659" ARIA Top 40 Urban Singles. National Library of Australia. Retrieved February 27, 2022.

[sc_Austria_Ashanti-7] "Ashanti – Foolish" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Flanders_Ashanti-8] "Ashanti – Foolish" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Wallonia_Ashanti-9] "Ashanti – Foolish" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[10] "Canadian Top 20 in 2002" (PDF). Cross Canada Countdown. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2005. Retrieved November 13, 2023.

[11] "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. July 27, 2002. p. 7. Retrieved June 3, 2018.

[sc_France_Ashanti-12] "Ashanti – Foolish" (in French). Le classement de singles. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Germany_Ashanti-13] "Ashanti – Foolish" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Ireland2_Ashanti-14] "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Foolish". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 1, 2019.

[sc_Dutch40_-15] "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 26, 2002" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved December 27, 2017.

[sc_Dutch100_Ashanti-16] "Ashanti – Foolish" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_New_Zealand_Ashanti-17] "Ashanti – Foolish". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Scotland_-18] "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2017.

[sc_Sweden_Ashanti-19] "Ashanti – Foolish". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Switzerland_Ashanti-20] "Ashanti – Foolish". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_UK_-21] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_UKrandb_-22] "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 27, 2017.

[sc_Billboardhot100_Ashanti-23] "Ashanti Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Billboardrandbhiphop_Ashanti-24] "Ashanti Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[sc_Billboardpopsongs_Ashanti-25] "Ashanti Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2017.

[sc_Billboardrhythmic_Ashanti-26] "Ashanti Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved December 27, 2017.

[27] "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2002". ARIA. Retrieved January 25, 2020.

[28] "ARIA Charts – End of Year Charts – Urban Singles 2002". ARIA. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved March 8, 2024.

[29] "Top 100 top played radio tracks in Canada in 2002". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 12, 2004. Retrieved March 23, 2022.

[30] "Top 100 Songs of 2002". Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2002. Archived from the original on June 2, 2004. Retrieved March 16, 2022.

[31] "Top 100−Jaaroverzicht van 2002". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved January 25, 2020.

[32] "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2002" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved January 25, 2020.

[33] "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2002". hitparade.ch (in German). Retrieved January 25, 2020.

[34] "The Official UK Singles Chart 2002" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[35] "Most Broadcast of 2002 — Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music Week. January 18, 2003. p. 31. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[36] "Top 40 Urban Tracks of 2002" (PDF). Music Week. January 18, 2003. p. 32. Retrieved August 4, 2023.

[37] "Billboard Top 100 – 2002". Archived from the original on January 7, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2013.

[38] "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs: 2002". Billboard. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[39] "Most-Played Mainstream Top 40 Songs of 2002" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 10. Retrieved July 13, 2021.

[40] "Most-Played Rhythmic Top 40 Songs of 2002" (PDF). Airplay Monitor. Vol. 10, no. 51. December 20, 2002. p. 20. Retrieved July 13, 2021.

[41] ""The Decade-end Music Charts"" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved June 19, 2022.

[42] "Billboard Hot 100 60th Anniversary Interactive Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 10, 2018.

[AustraliasingleCertRef-43] "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2002 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved April 25, 2017.

[New_ZealandAshantiFoolishsingleCertRef-44] "New Zealand single certifications – Ashanti – Foolish". Radioscope. Retrieved January 11, 2025. Type Foolish in the "Search:" field.

[45] Copsey, Rob (January 28, 2020). "Ashanti's Top 10 biggest hits on the Official UK Chart". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 29, 2020.

[United_KingdomAshantiFoolishsingleCertRef-46] "British single certifications – Ashanti – Foolish". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 11, 2022.

[United_KingdomAshantiUnfoolishsingleCertRef-47] "British single certifications – Ashanti – Unfoolish". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 3, 2023.

[United_StatesAshantiFoolishsingleCertRef-48] "American single certifications – Ashanti – Foolish". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 20, 2021.

[49] "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1439. February 8, 2002. p. 30.

[50] "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1447. April 5, 2002. p. 27.

[51] "The ARIA Report: New Releases Singles – Week Commencing 20th May 2002" (PDF). ARIA. May 20, 2002. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 26, 2002. Retrieved November 22, 2021.

[52] "In-Store Next Week (from 8/7/02)". Music Week. July 6, 2002. p. 11.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[46]

[45]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]

v t e Ashanti
Discography Awards and nominations
Studio albums	Ashanti Chapter II Ashanti's Christmas Concrete Rose The Declaration Braveheart
Extended plays	7 Series Sampler: Ashanti A Wonderful Christmas with Ashanti
Compilation albums	Collectables by Ashanti Can't Stop The Vault
Singles	"Foolish" "Down 4 U" "Happy" "Baby" "Rock wit U (Awww Baby)" "Rain on Me" "Breakup 2 Makeup (Remix)" "Only U" "Don't Let Them" "Still on It" "The Way That I Love You" "Good Good" "The Woman You Love" "Say Less" "Baby"
Featured singles	"Always on Time" "What's Luv?" "Mesmerize" "Southside" "Wake Up Everybody" "Wonderful" "Pac's Life" "Put a Little Umph in It" "Body on Me" "Just Stand Up!" "Want It, Need It"
Other songs	"Into You" "Helpless"

Foolish (Ashanti song)

Hub talks

Foolish (Ashanti song)

Foolish (Ashanti song)

Foolish (Ashanti song)

Hub overview

Add your contribution

Inside this hub

Media Collections

Timelines

Articles

Notes collections

Notes

Days in Chronicle

Root Wikipedia Article

Foolish (Ashanti song)

Composition

Commercial performance

Music video

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Decade-end charts

All-time charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

References

Add your contribution

Related Hubs

Foolish (Ashanti song)

Hub talks

Welcome to #editors!