Ari Lennox, whose real name is Courtney Shanade Salter, is an American R&B singer from Washington, D.C.
She became the first female artist to be signed to J. Cole’s Dreamville Records, which was a significant milestone in her career.
Her first EP, titled Pho, was released in 2016 and marked the beginning of her journey to stardom.
In the same year, she provided vocals for J. Cole’s song “Change” as an uncredited guest artist.
Lennox’s breakthrough moment came with the release of her debut studio album, Shea Butter Baby, in 2019, solidifying her position in the music industry.
REAL FACTS ABOUT ARI LENNOX
FULL NAME: Courtney Shanade Salter
DATE OF BIRTH: March 26, 1991
PLACE OF BIRTH: Washington DC, U.S
NATIONALITY: American
OCCUPATION(s): Singer, Songwriter
LABELS: Dreamville, Interscope
EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION
Courtney Shanade Salter, who was born on March 26, 1991, in Washington, D.C., is the daughter of Gloria and Shane Salter.
She grew up in the DMV area and developed her skills at Wilson High School and the renowned Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
Taking inspiration from the character Mary Lennox in the 1993 film adaptation of The Secret Garden, she decided to use the stage name Ari Lennox, which marked the start of her career as a gifted R&B singer.
CAREER
Ari Lennox started her music career in 2009 by sharing her music online. She released her first mixtape and EP in 2013, and her single “Bound” in 2014.
J. Cole discovered her in 2015, which led to a record deal and collaborations with him, EarthGang, and Bas.
In 2019, she released her debut album, Shea Butter Baby, and went on a headlining tour.
She also collaborated with 6LACK and Lizzo. In 2020, she was recognized as one of BET’s “Future 40” and released several successful singles, solidifying her status as an up-and-coming R&B star.
On September 10, 2021, Ari Lennox achieved a significant milestone with the release of her single “Pressure”, produced by Jermaine Dupri and Bryan-Michael Cox.
The song became her first solo entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, reached number one on the radio charts, and peaked at number three on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.
In 2022, Lennox contributed to the Dreamville compilation D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape, featuring on the tracks “Coming Down” and “Blackberry Sap”.
She then released her second single, “Hoodie”, on August 12, and announced her upcoming second studio album, Age/Sex/Location.
Just a few weeks later, on August 31, Lennox surprised her fans by releasing her EP Away Message, which included the single “Queen Space” featuring Summer Walker. These recent releases showcased her continuous growth and success in the music industry.
PERSONAL LIFE
Ari Lennox made a public announcement in 2022 about her romantic involvement with Keith Manley II, a reality TV star.
Unfortunately, their relationship didn’t last long. Merely a week after confirming their partnership, news emerged that they had already decided to part ways, bringing their brief time together to an end.
