Ashanti announced on Saturday evening — just hours before her highly anticipated VERZUZ battle with Keyshia Cole was supposed to happen, that she contracted COVID-19 — and the battle was canceled.
The singer — who has been traveling quite a lot lately, told fans, “To be very, very, very clear: Yes I’ve been traveling, yes I went to Nairobi, I had an amazing time. No I did not get Covid from traveling, no I did not get Covid from being in Africa….Everyone that I went on a trip with has tested negative. They went from country to country, they went to Uganda so they have to continue to get tested. No one tested positive, I did not get it from traveling. “
She continued, “I actually got it from a family member when I came home. I came home and I hugged a family member who ended up being positive. I didn’t know he was positive, he didn’t know he was positive so when he went to get tested, I was like, ‘Oh, f**k’.”
Keyshia joined Ashanti's live to give her support, saying, “I told you last night I want to give you a hug, I want to love on you. I want to sing your songs in front of you, I want you to be there and do the same….I want you to enjoy your flowers… and I want us to be united as one, there’s too much separation and division in this business as women.”
The R&B vets will go head to head on January 9th, 2021.
Ashanti says she didn’t COVID from traveling :
Keyshia Cole supports Ashanti :