Ashanti fights ex-manager in Manhattan court

Ashanti has given evidence at a New York City court to defend herself against the former manager attempting to sue her for $2m (€1.6m) claiming he launched her career.

Lawyers for Genard Parker claim a contract she signed in 1996, when she was 15, proves she owes him a $2.3m (€1.8m) share in the six million copies of her first three albums sold.

A jury last year determined Ashanti broke her contract with Parker and awarded him $50,000 (€39,400), but Parker is seeking a much bigger cut, claiming he was not given his last paycheck or thanked for his help.

Ashanti, 25, told the court on Monday she was just a teenager following her dream when she signed with Parker.

She claims she and her mother went to his home to work on some songs to launch her career. Her attorney claims Parker "couldn't deliver for her" and signed a release permitting her to go to another record company.

Lawyer Alan Cominsky claims the deal between the pair, whereby Ashanti paid Parker some money from the sales of her first three records with the next record company, became invalidated because the company rejected her.

Cominsky insists Parker should receive no more than the $50,000.