The Jasmine Brand caught up with Ashanti on the red carpet at the Soul Train Awards.  The songstress may have lost that top spot since her Murder Inc. days, bu she still remains relevant.  She’s gearing up to release new music (a single with Rick Ross) just in time for the holidays and was candid enough to speak about what’s upcoming for her and what she’s learned about herself through the years.

What is the biggest lesson you learned from an ex boyfriend about yourself?

I’m a strong woman and sometimes I have to be very careful about someone else because if you hurt somebody sometimes it’s very hard for that person to get over.

What’s the best piece of advice you learned about working in this industry?

It’s essential to have a great accountant, preferably a Jewish one [laughs].

Take a peep at the interview to find out more from Ashanti.