Ari Lennox

Courtney Shanade Salter, born April 26, 1991, also known professionally under the surname Ari Lennox, hails from Washington, D.C. and is the debut female to be signed by J. Cole's Dreamville Records label. Her first single was released with the label on October 21st of 2016 with the title Pho. It was then that she started to gain recognition. Shea Butter Baby is her debut album. It came out in May of 2019. Ari Lennox began uploading songs on the internet in 2012 after she dropped her first mixtape, Five Finger Discount, and her debut EP Ariography in 2013. Her uploads continued songs online throughout 2014 and released her own single Bound. In July of 2015, she was featured on Omen's album Elephant Eyes in the song Sweat It Out. J. Cole asked her to work with him on Rihanna's music references. Later in the year, her music circulated through Dreamville. Her contract was signed officially with Dreamville Records on 8 December. On the release album Revenge of the Dreamers II, she appeared on the song Backseat along with Cozz. On the 21st of October in 2016, she debuted her first EP named Pho. Ari Lennox then appeared as the opening artist for J. Cole on his song Change in 2017, and was a part of the 4 Your Eyez Only Tour. She also appeared in two songs, with the EarthGang's Nothing but the Best song as well as Bas' Icarus. The 16th of July, 2018, Ari Lennox released the first single Whipped Cream on her first album Shea Butter Baby with an accompanying music video which debuted on September 5. She released her second single Grampa on the 9th November. In November, she released 13 two brand new singles, titled The No One and pedigree. Shea Butter Baby was released in her debut single the 26th of February in 2019, for her album Creed II. Shea Butter Baby made an appearance with Cole as part of her Creed II sound track on November 16. On February 20, 2019 an official music video made available for the song. It already has 3 million viewers on YouTube within its first week. In December of 2018, she was a supporting act on the From East Atlanta With Love Tour with 6LACK.