Ari Lennox is reflecting on her departure from Dreamville Records while also giving credit to J. Cole for helping shape her career.
During an appearance on The Breakfast Club on Friday (Mar. 6), Lennox spoke candidly about the emotions surrounding her exit from the label and admitted she regrets how she handled some of her frustrations publicly.
Lennox first signed to Dreamville in 2015, becoming the label’s first female artist and quickly emerging as one of its standout voices in the R&B and neo-soul space. Over the years, she built a loyal fanbase through projects like Shea Butter Baby and collaborations with artists across the Dreamville roster.
Looking back, Lennox said the tension that ultimately led to her departure began around the release of her song “Smoke,” when she felt there was a disconnect regarding promotion.
“It’s just a feeling,” Lennox explained. “After my song ‘Smoke’ dropped, it felt like we weren’t aligned. And it’s not their fault. I don’t know what happened. Maybe they didn’t know the date of it or something, but when it dropped, it just felt like there was no marketing behind it.”
Despite the frustrations, Lennox emphasized that Dreamville played a major role in her success and that Cole’s support was instrumental in helping her reach wider audiences.
“I don’t believe I would have gotten this far without them,” she said. “J. Cole was the greatest co-sign I could have ever had as a neo-soul artist. People sleep on our genre so incredibly.”
According to Lennox, Cole helped introduce her music to listeners who may not have discovered her otherwise.
“He changed my life and introduced me to people that probably might not have received me the same if they heard me outside of his camp,” she said.
The singer also acknowledged she regrets taking her frustrations to social media and revealed she later reached out to Cole privately to apologize. Lennox said she sent him a voice note rather than calling directly.
“I feel like I should have never taken it to the internet,” she said.
Throughout the interview, Lennox spoke warmly about Cole, in particular recalling a moment that highlighted the support he showed throughout her career. She remembered when the rapper surprised her onstage in London during a performance of “Shea Butter Baby,” a moment that left her overwhelmed with emotion.
“That’s how loving and selfless he is,” Lennox said. “I’ll always care and respect him.”