Ari Lennox

Courtney Shanade Salter, better called Ari Lennox, is an American artist and performer born in Washington, D.C., who was the first female to sign with J. Cole's Dreamville Records record label. In October 2016 Ari Lennox dropped her Pho EP. The EP was where she received recognition. The album that she released as her debut album Shea Butter Baby was released on May 7, 2019. Ari Lennox started uploading her music onto the internet in 2012 as she dropped her first mixtape Five Finger Discount and debut EP Ariography in 2013. In 2014, Ari Lennox dropped her single Bound, as well as the mixtape she self-released, Five Finger Discount. Sweat It is included on Omen's Elephant Eyes album on July 21, 2015. J. Cole, who was part of the Dreamville crew back then was interested in having her create Rihanna references. On December 8 it was confirmed that she had been officially signed by Dreamville Records. Backseat, a track she recorded alongside Cozz for the Revenge of the Dreamers II collaborative album. The 21st of October, 2016, her EP Pho was released. Ari Lennox appeared in J. Cole's Change song and opened with the 4 Your Eyez Only Tour 2017. in 2018, the singer-songwriter performed on two tracks by EarthGang and EarthGang, on Nothing but the Best, as well as Bas On Icarus. Ari Lennox debuted her first single, Shea Butter Baby, Whipped Cream on 16 July 2018. The music video followed by a music video in September. Then on the 9th of November she dropped two additional singles titled 40 Shades of Choke (and Grampa). On November 13 she then came out with two additional singles, The No One or Pedigree. Shea Butter Baby is a song that she performed together with Cole on the soundtrack to Creed II on the 16th of November. The track was released as a single on its own in February 2019 to coincide with the release of her debut album. In February of 2019, the music video for the track debuted. It has had more than three million YouTube views within a week. In December 2018 she was performing as a support act on The From East Atlanta With Love Tour with 6LACK.