Ari Lennox - Shea Butter Baby (Album Review)

In 2019, women stand on their own as a driving force in music. Whether it’s the topic of supporting and purchasing music related content, or the influence and stardom that female artists are reaching so quickly, there is no doubt about who moves the needle for this positive change in the music landscape. Look no further than the state of R&B today. A genre that was perceived to be “dying” just a few years ago, R&B has received a shot in the arm from a influx of young, talented artists who have gained support from their loyal fan bases who supported their music so much it reached mainstream airwaves. Just in the past year alone, artists such as Summer Walker, Kiana Ledè, Pink $weats, iyla, Ella Mai, Elhae and Jessie Reyez have seen their careers reach instant star status with the fan support of a single or project, despite them not being mainstream artists. That just shows how much love and appreciation fans have for the artists in the genre on a smaller scale. Now, picture one of those artists with that buzz, going 3 years between major releases, and just how eager their fans would be for their music. 

Insert Ari Lennox, who just happens to be one of the best R&B singers around today. And while she doesn’t have a huge catalog to display for a first time listener, one quick visit to her debut project PHO from 2016 will get you up to speed on just how dynamic her voice and versatile sound is; tracks like Backseat and Cold Outside are perfect examples of that sound. Although only seven songs in length, that project combined with several quality features on fellow Dreamville labelmates projects, including J. Cole, Bas and Cozz, generated a buzz clamoring for the Washington, D.C. singer to drop a full length album. After taking significant time to find inspiration and sound, Ari would make an anticipated return in 2018 with a collection of well-received tracks, including a pair of sensual singles in Pedigree and 40 Shades of Choke. These tracks created a much deserved buzz in anticipation for Lennox’s forthcoming project; for day one fans and supporters, this would be a long time coming for a talented artist that was one album away from stardom. Ari would come through in a major way. 

On May 7, 2019, Ari Lennox would release Shea Butter Baby, her full length debut under Interscope Records. Only 12 tracks and 44 minutes in length, there is an old school feel just glancing at the run time of the album, compared to many current day albums that seem to run for a hour at the least. From the lack of features to the aesthetic of Ari herself on the cover, the album projects a very personal and intimate feel, and that’s exactly what the listener gets. 

The album begins with a standout track, the jazzy and soulful Chicago Boy. Speaking from the perspective of a woman seeing an attractive man and fantasizing about being with him intimately in more ways than one. The music is soft yet powerful, and the hook gives the song instant replay value, highlighted by Lennox’s sultry and easygoing voice. The tempo picks up on the following track BMO, a very fun and honest track about sex and being unapologetic about when and how one wants it. The song gives a nostalgic feel to the mid 2000’s R&B sound where it was more about sexuality and less about sadness and personal struggle, a staple in current day R&B and music in general. Ari blends that sound with her own style in order to deliver on what should be a hit song for the summer. 

The first featured song on the album is a unique take on the concept of making the best of what you have and still enjoying it the best you can. Broke is another bouncy yet relaxing track in which the message is simple, but has layers to it. Ari sings about being broke financially as well as mentally and/or spiritually, which is relatable by many people who have struggled in one or both of those areas. Dreamville labelmate and rising hip-hop star J.I.D. provides a male perspective from the same status. A man who maybe can’t provide everything for a woman need financially, he boasts about the physical and mental things he can do better in a fun and lighthearted verse and is one of the best of 2019 so far.

Perhaps the most sensual song of the entire album, Up Late is as intimate and personal as R&B gets in this day in age. The bassline leads the way and the music goes hand in hand with the beautiful voice telling the listener just the way she wants to spend her night. She holds nothing back and fully expresses to her man what she desires and what’s in it for him. Unapologetic and in control, the tone and delivery is from a grown woman who is confident and knows she’s wanted. That approach makes this a clear standout track on the album. The same direct tone can be felt under a different subject in the open and honest Speak to Me. In this track, Ari sings to a significant other with whom she’s trying to save a relationship. She questions their communication and how things have changed between them, a major flag in many relationships. The topic is so relatable the song plays well with a male listener just as much as a female listener. It’s that ability to tap into a every day topic that gives the song a special appeal. 

The title track Shea Butter Baby, which originally released as a single on the Creed II Soundtrack, is a classic R&B/Hip-Hop mesh as Ari teams hip with labelmate and hip-hop superstar J. Cole for a song about falling in love and lust with a significant other. Being in a mindset where the time and place doesn’t matter, but the time spent with the person one cares about is the central theme of the track. J. Cole rhymes about the connection two people can develop through sex or simply just intimacy, and just how deep that bonds goes. From the scent of the woman on his sheets to wishing she finds peace, that bond plays back in his head and he realizes how special that once was, a connection many men can indentify with. The strong message gets somewhat covered up in how beautifully the song is constructed, which is only a compliment. There are some lighter moments on Shea Butter Baby that deserve recognition as well. The loose and free spirited New Apartment celebrates the independence of having a new place to oneself and choosing to do what a woman pleases in her own space, no rules or judgment needed. Facetime stands as the one track specific to this generation, as Ari sings beautifully about being addicted to her significant other and seeing them in hopes of spending some much needed quality time together. It’s an innocent and relatable song, which plays perfectly with the them of the album. Another standout track is the vulnerable and sobering Whipped Cream. Despite its positive and upbeat sound, it’s a song about trying to move on from a failed relationship. Probably the easiest track to relate to in general, Lennox tries her best to move forward and away from that past love to no success. For anyone who has been in a relationship with a deep connection, that process of moving forward is as difficult as it is, and tracks like this one are usually a form of therapy. It is a well written and performed track from an artist mature beyond her years. The album wraps up with Static, a clever song comparing a lover to old school electronics. Putting her significant other in the driver’s seat of the relationship is another vulnerable and emotional angle taken in project full of them. The outside noise of the world is blocked out and the focus is on love and who she loves, a perfect capper to an album that runs the spectrum of what loves looks like in this day in age. Some of the best albums have the ability to capture the mood and era it comes from perfectly. Some of those albums allow the listener to easily visualize the view of the artist performing the music. Ari Lennox has been able to do both with the composition and delivery of this stellar debut album. There is no need for gimmicks or filler on this project. The soulfulness and strong themes of love, sex, desire, vulnerability and growth allow any listener or any background to see the day by day of a young black woman’s world, and appreciate that process and beauty. Shea Butter Baby stands on its own as one of this decade’s best R&B albums and launches a star of an amazing young artist. Top 5 Songs: 1. Broke 2. Chicago Boy 3. Shea Butter Baby 4. Up Late 5. Whipped Cream