Raphael Ashanti

Raphael Ashanti is an accomplished, multi-disciplinary Actor, Poet, and Singer-Songwriter with more than two decades of national performance experience. A U.S. Navy veteran born in Fulton County, Kentucky, and raised throughout the Midwest (Gary and Michigan City, Indiana; Chicago, Illinois; and Milwaukee, Wisconsin), Raphael holds a degree in Occupational Music from the Milwaukee Area Technical College. He is an alumnus of Florida A&M University (FAMU), where he majored in African American History, studied theatrical performance under the direction of Dr. Ronald O. Davis, and served as a founding member of the acclaimed acting and musical touring group, the FAMU Connection. His foundational training includes elite mentorship under jazz vocal icon Jessie Hauck and child prodigy jazz pianist Tony King.

Raphael further developed his vocal artistry within FAMU's renowned gospel and concert choirs. Upon relocating, he lent his talents to several prominent male choruses in Pensacola, Florida, culminating in a steady three-year tenure with the gospel quartet The God Squad (alongside Joey Brewer, Jerry Hill, and Bill Simon). Later rebranding as The Christian Disciples, the group went on to cut their debut professional a cappella recording.

In 2003, Raphael launched his first independent record label, Day*Star Music Group, LLC, signing a dynamic trio consisting of himself, Norris Gurganious, and Rodney “Doc C” Goldsmith under the name The Priest, The Prophet & The Poet. Managed by Keefer Cotton, the group secured a deal with Quad City Sounds, a division of former undisputed heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield’s Real Deal Records. Over a prolific six-year run encompassing six professional recordings, the trio graced major national platforms. Their notable appearances included Pastor Donnie McClurkin's annual Back To Holiness conference, Teresa Harriston's Gospel Heritage Festival, Pensacola’s annual Gospel Songwriters Workshop, and a memorable opening ministry for Gospel Hall of Fame legend Dottie Peoples at the Dothan, Alabama Civic Center, before parting ways in 2009.

As a solo artist and writer, Raphael's work has consistently demanded national industry attention. In 2010, his acclaimed single "Inside My Tears" earned the distinct honor of being officially solicited for a Grammy Award submission. Building on this success, he released his highly anticipated urban-soul project, Love & Life, on August 10, 2014. The record achieved rapid commercial momentum as an independent release, successfully scaling the national airplay charts to secure:

• #7 on the National Top 50 Independent Chart
• #11 on the Top 50 Hip Hop and R&B Chart
• #45 on the National Airplay Top 50 Pop Chart
• #111 on the National Airplay Top 200 Chart

Shifting into high gear, Raphael’s latest release marks an ambitious, high-stakes career rollout with the southern-fried with hot sauce on the side-anthem, "Life Is A Gamble." The heavy-hitting single features R&B powerhouse Urban Mystic alongside current 2026 indie rap chart-topper Dirty Dankk, and is actively impacting radio nationwide. When not commanding the studio or the stage, the multi-hyphenate creator enjoys singing background and leading songs with the male gospel chorus ‘The Mighty Men of Zion’ at his tabernacle of worship Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. continues to impact the literary community as an active Poet-at-Large member of both the Florida State Poets Association and the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS).