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Ari Lennox

Biography

Courtney Shanade Salter, professionally known as Ari Lennox, was born on March 26, 1991, in Washington, D.C.[1] She grew up in the nation's capital, attending Wilson High School and the Duke Ellington School of the Arts, where she developed her artistic talents.[2] From an early age, Lennox showed a natural inclination toward music; her grandmother told her at age 3 that she had "the voice of an angel," and her father encouraged her to sing while driving around listening to music.[3] However, Lennox struggled to focus on traditional education, finding that singing was the only pursuit that truly captured her attention and consistency. She worked various jobs—including positions at Wendy's, Papa John's, and driving for Uber—while pursuing her musical dreams.[4]

Lennox began her professional music journey in 2009 by uploading covers to YouTube, gaining significant traction with renditions of Frank Ocean's "Thinking About You" and Beyoncé's "Drunk in Love."[4] She released her debut mixtape, Five Finger Discount, in 2012, followed by her debut EP, Ariography, in 2013.[2] Her independent single "Bound" (2014) and a feature on Omen's album Elephant Eyes (2015) caught the attention of J. Cole's Dreamville Records team, leading to her signing in December 2015.[1] She became the first female artist signed to the label, releasing her debut EP Pho in October 2016.[1] Her breakthrough came with her debut studio album Shea Butter Baby (May 2019), which received critical acclaim and established her as a rising force in alternative R&B and neo-soul.[1]

Lennox's career has been marked by consistent growth and recognition within the Dreamville ecosystem and beyond. She appeared on the collaborative albums Revenge of the Dreamers II (2015) and Revenge of the Dreamers III (2019), with the latter reaching number one on the Billboard charts and earning a Grammy nomination.[2] Her 2021 single "Pressure" became her first Billboard Hot 100 charting single and her first Radio No. 1 single, reaching number 3 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay.[1] She released her second album, Age/Sex/Location, in 2022.[2] Her musical style blends alternative R&B with neo-soul influences, characterized by smooth vocals and introspective lyricism.

Fun Facts

  • Ari Lennox chose her stage name from Mary Lennox, the protagonist of the 1993 film adaptation of The Secret Garden.[2]
  • Lennox has joked about fabricating stories about how she met J. Cole because the question became so frequent that she started making up different versions for entertainment.[3]
  • Before pursuing music full-time, Lennox obtained a certified nursing assistant certificate but never used it, as her heart wasn't in the profession.[3]
  • She performed as an opening act on J. Cole's 4 Your Eyez Only Tour in 2017, marking a significant early career milestone.[1]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

  • J. Cole - Label founder and mentor who signed Lennox to Dreamville Records and collaborated with her on music ("Change" (J. Cole song featuring Ari Lennox), 4 Your Eyez Only Tour (opened as performer)) [2015-present]

Key Collaborators

  • Omen - Featured Lennox on his album, which led to her discovery by Dreamville Records (Elephant Eyes album - "Sweat it Out") [2015]
  • Cozz - Dreamville label-mate collaboration (Revenge of the Dreamers II - "Backseat") [2015]
  • EarthGang - Dreamville label-mate collaboration ("Nothing but the Best") [2018]
  • Bas - Dreamville label-mate collaboration ("Icarus") [2018]

Connection Network

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Discography

Albums

Title Release Date Type
Shea Butter Baby 2019-05-07 Album
The Big Day 2019-07-26 Album

Top Tracks

  1. Shea Butter Baby (with J. Cole) (Shea Butter Baby)
  2. JUST LIKE THAT (with Ari Lennox)
  3. Pricey (feat. Ari Lennox, Young Dro & Gucci Mane) (Might Delete Later)
  4. Unloyal (with Ari Lennox) (Still Over It)
  5. Can’t Make U Change (feat. Ari Lennox) (The Forever Story (Extended Version))
  6. Soft Girl Era
  7. Pressure
  8. Night Drive
  9. STUCK.
  10. Up Late (Shea Butter Baby)

Tags: #r&b

Heard on WWOZ

Ari Lennox has been played 1 time on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.

DateTimeTitleShowSpotify
Nov 27, 202500:08Blackberry Sapfrom D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz MixtapeDraw Fow/ Slangston Hughes & Thelonious Kryptonite