Check out this video performance of Ashanti’s rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”

The couple managed to keep their romance under wraps until Nelly confirmed that the pair were dating last November, but now the twosome has split amid claims that the rapper wasn’t ready to settle down with Ashanti.

According to The New York Daily News, Nelly has been nursing his broken heart by spending time with Canadian video model Melyssa Ford.

Broadway’s newest star, R&B singer Ashanti, performed the classic song “Home,” from the musical The Wiz, in a live performance on Regis & Kelly Tuesday, June 23.

Theater critics in New York City are easing on down the road for Grammy-winning singing star Ashanti’s revival of the Broadway musical, The Wiz. Featuring lively costumes and an outstanding score that helped make a star out R&B diva Stephanie Mills, was the most successful Black Broadway productions of the 1970s.

The show’s popularity even resulted in a film, starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.

Variety has compiled a list of reviews for the urban reworking of L. Frank Baum’s classic fairy tale, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, starring Ashanti as Dorothy and Orlando Jones as the man himself.

Check out what they the experts are saying about the show:

• “A fantasy bereft of magic” was how Variety‘s David Rooney described the musical. “There’s not enough imagination on tap here to make this ‘Good Times’-era artifact anything but a gaudy kids’ pantomime with quaint, jive-flavored sitcom dialogue.”

• The AP’s Peter Santilli gave one of the few unequivocally positive reviews, calling the musical a “lavish, well-balanced production” and thoroughly praising Ashanti’s performance: “With wide-eyed charm and a can’t-miss voice, Ashanti makes the role her own while distinguishing herself among a skilled troupe of singers and dancers.”

Feast your eyes on what you’ll get a taste of if you check out Grammy-winning singer Ashanti on Broadway this summer.

Here’s a video clip of the once self-proclaimed “Princess of R&B” performing “Home” — a song made famous by legendary powerhouses Diana Ross and Stephanie Mills — from the musical The Wiz at a press junket in Manhattan last week.

The Wiz opens June 12 — Ashanti has been cast in the role of Dorothy for a three week limited engagement.

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Ashanti appeared on The TODAY Show Friday, where she promoted her buzzed-about Broadway debut in The Wiz, opening June 12.

Ashanti is about to be ass out at The Inc.

The Grammy Award-winning singer — who will appear in a new revival of Broadway’s The Wiz this summer — is about to be handed her walking papers from her boss — and alleged former lover — Irv Gotti.

“The relationship has run its course,” Irv explained earlier this week while visiting the MTV offices. “The chemistry of what’s needed — we’re in two totally different places. You’re talking to somebody that took her and shaped and molded her and put her out there for the world, and it blew up. We [hold the record] for the [fastest] selling debut by a female R&B artist — 503 [thousand]. We did it! My views and philosophies and her views and philosophies are not meeting up.”

Ashanti’s last LP, The Declaration, was released last June after being created with virtually no input from Gotti.

“I don’t think she can win. She needs some guidance with that,” Gotti — who appears on the VH1 reality series Gotti’s Way added. “But she’s not thinking like that. Really, I couldn’t tell you what she’s thinking. So that relationship has run its course and honestly, I’m gonna just drop her.”

Ashanti is easing on down the Yellow Brick Road to Oz.

The Grammy-winning singer-songwriter will make her theatrical debut as Dorothy in a revival of The Wiz, the urbanized version of the classic story, The Wizard of Oz.

The musical will run June 12 through July 5 at New York City Center as part of its “Encores! Summer Stars” series.

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After five years of low-profile dating, Nelly is ready to propose to Grammy Award-winning singer Ashanti. So what’s holding him back? Rumor has it it’s Ashanti’s mother, Tina Douglas.

“Tina sticks her nose in everything because she’s also Ashanti’s manager,” whispers one Star Magazine snitch. “She’s always pushing Ashanti to make more money, to always look great. It stresses her out, and Nelly doesn’t like that.’”

“Tina has such a strong personality that she’s kind of afraid of her,” adds the spy.

“Before he makes her his wife. Nelly wants to know that Ashanti can make decisions on her own.’”

Long Island’s own Ashanti is among the arsenal of celebs, including Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, in the GAP’s Holiday 2008 promotional campaign.