Ashanti Has Tested Positive for COVID-19
"This serves as a lesson that this pandemic is very real."
On Saturday, December 12th, Ashanti took to Instagram to announce that she has tested positive for COVID-19. Her test results came back just hours before she was set to face off against Keyshia Cole in a live Verzuz episode, an Instagram webcast during which two powerhouses in the industry lyrically battle over a hip-hop track.
“Hey y’all I can’t believe I’m saying this but I tested positive for COVID-19,” Ashanti wrote in an Instagram text post on the 12th. “I’m ok and not in any pain. I’m actually down to do the verzuz from my house…we’re trying to figure it out!!!”
The Verzuz battle was ultimately postponed until January 9th, as Ashanti announced in a separate Instagram video.
“It’s very, very crazy. Never in a million years did I think I would get COVID,” Ashanti said in a followup video. “I’m super bummed.”
“We all go through lessons in life… and hopefully this serves as a lesson that this pandemic is very real…” she wrote in the caption of the video, thanking her fans for the support they’ve been sending her. “Much love to @keyshiacole ❤️ and we’ll see y’all on January 9th!!! 2021 Women Empowerment.”
Ashanti continued to state in a separate post that she is usually one who goes on with the show, stating that she’s performed concerts while suffering through the flu and pneumonia as well as while recovering from foot surgery. But this time is much different, and she agreed with the Verzuz team that it would be best to postpone.
She then confirmed that she contracted COVID from a family member. “I didn’t know he was positive, he didn’t know he was positive,” she said, explaining that the family member informed her he tested positive, which led her to get tested the night before the Verzuz battle.
Keyshia Cole then joined Ashanti on Instagram to give fans a taste of the reunion they were waiting for.
We, and Ashanti’s entire comments section, are sending the “Foolish” singer love and well wishes during her COVID-19 recovery. And as she stated in her Instagram caption, the pandemic is very real and therefore we must continued to take all precautions as we move into the year ahead.
