Ari Lennox began uploading her music on the internet in 2012 as she released her debut mixtape, Five Finger Discount, and debut EP, Ariography, in 2013. In 2014, she continued to release her music on the internet including her independently released single "Bound". On July 21, 2015, she was featured on Omen's album Elephant Eyes on the track "Sweat it Out". Later that year, her music was circulating around the Dreamville team, as J. Cole wanted her to work with him on some references for Rihanna.
On December 8, it was announced that she was signed to Dreamville Records. She made an appearance on the collaborative album Revenge of the Dreamers II, on the track "Backseat" with Cozz. On October 21, 2016, she released her debut EP titled Pho. Ari Lennox later appeared on J. Cole's song "Change", and performed as an opening act on the 4 Your Eyez Only Tour in 2017.
In 2018, she went on to guest feature on two songs with her label-mates: EarthGang on "Nothing but the Best", and Bas on "Icarus". On July 16, 2018, Ari Lennox released the first single, "Whipped Cream", from her debut album, Shea Butter Baby with an accompanied music video on September 5. On November 9, she released two more singles called "40 Shades of Choke" and "Grampa". On November 13, she then released two more singles called "No One" and "Pedigree". She then appeared on the Creed II soundtrack with Cole on a track entitled "Shea Butter Baby" on November 16, and released as a single on February 26, 2019, for her debut album of the same name. The track was accompanied by a music video on February 20, 2019, and surpassed 3 million views via YouTube within the first week. In December 2018, she was a supporting act on the From East Atlanta With Love Tour with 6LACK.
On March 27, 2019, she announced her first headlining tour, with the first leg beginning on May 12 and ending on June 14 in her hometown Washington, D.C. Her debut album, Shea Butter Baby was released on May 7, 2019. Several times on this tour she was opened by Baby Rose and Mikhala JenΓ©. She also went on the road with Lizzo on the Cuz I Love You Too Tour from July to October. The second leg of her headlining tour was in Europe, in December 2019. In February 2020, Ari Lennox was placed on BET's "Future 40" list, which is a list of "40 of the most inspiring and innovative vanguards who are redefining what it means to be unapologetically young, gifted & black". She released multiple singles in 2020 including "Bussit", "Chocolate Pomegranate", and a cover of "If You Want Me to Stay", as well as guest appearances and collaborations with Kiana LedΓ©, Skip Marley, 6LACK, and Spillage Village, among others.
charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, her first Radio No. 1 single, and reached number 3 on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. On March 31, 2022, she appeared on the Dreamville compilation D-Day: A Gangsta Grillz Mixtape, on the songs "Coming Down" and "Blackberry Sap". On August 12, Ari Lennox released her second single, "Hoodie", and announced the title and release date for her second studio album, Age/Sex/Location. On August 31, she released the surprise EP Away Message, including the single "Queen Space" featuring Summer Walker.
Ari Lennox describes her own voice as "vulnerable but soulful; imperfect but pretty". Her voice has been compared to Erykah Badu. Referencing her artistry, she explains: "Sometimes women are put in this box where we're only supposed to talk about certain things, I want to be braver and riskier. I think people want to hear that kind of honesty and frankness." Ari Lennox said in multiple interviews that she is inspired by 90s and 2000s R&B singers such as Mariah Carey, Erykah Badu, D'Angelo, Bilal, Whitney Houston, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, Amerie, Ciara, SWV, Mary J Blige, among many others, and soul singer Minnie Riperton. In an interview with The Fader, she also mentioned her admiration of Kanye West and how she found multiple other artists through him. The Gateway described Ari Lennox's sound as "successfully blends individual slices of classic Motown, modern R&B, and new-age soul into one seamless product."
Backwood
Ari Lennox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He gon' get me lit, he my everyday smoke
Baby let it fall right through me
Give me one more hit of that everyday nasty, so nasty
Light me up, till my problems straight past me
And baby let it fall right through me
I said me and my backwood
(Aha, aha, aha)
I roll it like sushi, such a beautiful tease
(Aha, aha, aha)
He gon' when I count to three
Said papa gon' get your money
I know they need a hit of that everyday smoke
I know you'll bring it right back to me
Just to get me lit
I can't take it no reckless, so reckless
Light me up like barbeque in Texas
Said baby let it fall right through me
I said me and my backwood
Ooh we be vibing so good
(Aha, aha, aha)
I roll he like sushi, such a beautiful tease
(Aha, aha, aha)
He gone when I count to three
I know you can't stay
Sweet bliss when I'm breathing you
I said I know you can't stay
Count to tres, we be back to blue
You got me feeling some type of way
Tell me what is a girl to do till you back my way
The lyrics of Ari Lennox's song 'Backwood' revolve around a relationship between two individuals who share a passion for smoking weed. The singer is smoking with her 'papa' who helps her to get lit every day by rolling her a joint. The smoke helps her to forget her problems as the song mentions, "Light me up, till my problems straight past me."
The song describes the relationship between the singer and her 'backwood,' a type of cigar that is primarily used to smoke marijuana. She describes how the two of them vibe so well, "Me and my backwood, ooh we be vibing so good." The singer compares the joint to sushi, as rolling it is a beautiful tease that culminates in a satisfying smoking experience.
As the song progresses, the singer mentions that although she knows the joint will not stay forever, smoking it gives her sweet bliss. She waits for her papa to roll her another joint until he is back her way. The lyrics reveal that the singer uses smoking as an escape that helps her to find temporary peace from her troubles.
Line by Line Meaning
Said papa gon' roll one for me
Father figure or male companion will roll a joint for the singer
He gon' get me lit, he my everyday smoke
The singer's companion will help her get high and they smoke together regularly
Baby let it fall right through me
The singer wants the smoke to go deep inside her and affect her deeply
Give me one more hit of that everyday nasty, so nasty
The artist wants another hit of the strong and potent smoke that they regularly smoke
Light me up, till my problems straight past me
The artist wants the smoke to help her forget or escape from her problems
I said me and my backwood, Ooh we be vibing so good
The singer enjoys smoking the backwood cigar and it gives her a good feeling
I roll it like sushi, such a beautiful tease
The singer makes the cigar look appealing and aesthetically pleasing
He gon' when I count to three
The artist's companion will leave or finish the joint when she counts to three
Said papa gon' get your money, I know they need a hit of that everyday smoke
The artist's companion is selling the marijuana and people need to buy it because it is popular
I know you'll bring it right back to me, Just to get me lit
The artist's companion will return with more marijuana to make the artist happy
I can't take it no reckless, so reckless
The singer can't handle anything too risky or dangerous
Light me up like barbeque in Texas
The artist wants to be lit up in a big and intense way, like a big barbeque in Texas
Sweet bliss when I'm breathing you
The singer enjoys inhaling the smoke and it brings a positive feeling
Count to tres, we be back to blue
The singer will count to three and then once the smoke is gone, she will feel blue and normal again
You got me feeling some type of way, Tell me what is a girl to do till you back my way
The singer is missing her companion and doesn't know how to cope without him until he returns
Lyrics Β© Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Courtney Shanade Salter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@deannabanana0110
[Verse 1]
Said papa gon' roll one for me
He gon' get me lit, he my everyday smoke
Baby let it fall right through me
Give me one more hit of that everyday nasty, so nasty
Light me up, till my problems straight past me
And baby let it fall right through me
[Chorus]
I said me and my backwood
Ooh we be vibing so good
(Aha, aha, aha)
I roll he like sushi, such a beautiful tease
(Aha, aha, aha)
He gon' when I count to three
[Verse 2]
Said papa gon' get your money
I know they need a hit of that everyday smoke
I know you'll bring it right back to me
Just to get me lit
I can't take it no reckless, so reckless
Light me up like barbeque in Texas
Said baby let it fall right through me
[Chorus]
I said me and my backwood
Ooh we be vibing so good
(Aha, aha, aha)
I roll he like sushi, such a beautiful tease
(Aha, aha, aha)
He gone when I count to three
I know you can't stay
[Outro]
Sweet bliss when I'm breathing you
I said I know you can't stay
Count to tres, we back to blue
You got me feeling some type of way
Tell me what is a girl to do till you back my way
@Kpower
I'm so mad I just discovered this beauty this year. Ari Lennox is the singer I never knew I needed. Thanks to JCole for signing her.
@maxdondada
K-power Same here, I thought Backwoods just came out.
@motherhoney3863
Same
@Blemished_Babe
Same here! We've been blessed. π
@nolasownuptown808
K-power me too
@RileyDawnOfficial
K-power preach
@jeronwhite3113
My wife and I sat on the deck and sipped wine to this
@alexisfrancine4545
No backwood with the wine?
@caya_shavon2125
Goals πβ€οΈ
@ThisIsChiChiTV
Jeron White thatβs vibes