When Ari Lennox walks into a room, you can’t help but keep your eyes on her as she is one of many young Black women that naturally symbolize Black beauty. Whether it be through glamourous 70’s styled music videos, her authentic voice, or showcasing Black love, Lennox is a force in the music industry. With this power comes unnecessary negativity; however, Lennox continues to rise above it all. While social media trolls intend to keep her quiet, they’ll always fail for a plethora of reasons. The main reason is that Lennox speaks her mind and isn’t afraid to go against the crowd. She tells her truth, and although many poorly attempt to belittle her, she isn’t shrinking down. Since Ari Lennox is known for showing love, it’s time for her and her art to receive the appreciation they deserve. From “Pressure” to “Whipped Cream”, let’s get into her hits and her unapologetic exhibition of Black beauty.
Pressure
BUSSIT
If there’s one thing Lennox will do, it's show you how beautiful Black women are. The video for “BUSSIT” deserves to be inducted into a hall of fame for the way its beautiful, vibrant colors shined on Black skin. From the pink fur on Lennox’s brown skin to the bright blue, purple, and green shades on the background dancers, this video shows the importance of not limiting specific colors on Black skin. It also highlighted the beauty of black women of darker shades who often aren’t front and center.
Shea Butter Baby
There’s always room for Black love, and Lennox, along with J. Cole, shows the beauty of the love everyone desires. Shea Butter has always been an essential part of the Black experience and community, and with her modern soulful sound, Lennox sings about how it makes Black skin even more desirable. The production even portrayed a typical Black apartment in the 90s perfectly.
Whipped Cream
Ari Lennox dominates the image of a Black woman with natural hair and soft skin—the image Black women have been known for forever but has been recently unpopular. “Whipped Cream” is an imperative single from Shea Butter Baby because it shows the connection between Black women and men that aren’t usually seen. There are no cheating gimmicks, just beautiful, healthy Black love.
Ari Lennox is a crucial part of Black History because she showcases Black love and beauty positively that the Black community needs to see.
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Blavity U Ambassador Lashaunta Moore is a graduate student at Columbia College Chicago, studying entrepreneurship for creatives. Moore has a bachelor’s degree in media communication, and she’s also a freelance journalist and digital content producer
