D.C. singer Ari Lennox has been working on her debut album ever since the release of 2016’s PHO, and today, the Dreamville Records First Lady delivers Shea Butter Baby. The 12-track project was preceded by a trio of singles: “Whipped Cream,” “Shea Butter Baby” with J. Cole, and her recent single “Up Late.” It also includes a feature from JID, while production is handled by the likes of Elite, Hollywood JB, Ron Gilmore, Christo, and more.
In a recent interview with Billboard, Ari Lennox’s longtime manager, Justin LaMotte explains the wait for Lennox’s debut album, which was originally slated to release last year. “R&B just takes some time to bubble. Ari’s on a hip-hop label, but she doesn’t need to release music as rapidly as her labelmates.” Elsewhere in the interview, Lennox talks about being able to finally release her album: “I just want the world to hear them. And then, finally, I can exhale.”
Several other singles were released ahead of the album’s debut, including “Grandpa,” “40 Shades of Choke,” “No One,” and “Pedigree.” However, none of the songs appear on the project’s final tracklist.
Check out Ari Lennox’s debut album ‘Shea Butter Baby’ below:
