J Cole Leaves Ari Lennox Shocked At London Concert

Ari Lennox is taking over Europe for the age/sex/location tour but her concert in London was something else, thanks to a surprise guest. Lennox hosted two concerts at the Eventim Apollo in London this week. As she closed out the second night, she was joined by the Dreamville head honcho, J. Cole. The K.O.D rapper creeped out from backstage and apparently, didn’t give Ari much of a notice. As Ari Lennox dove into “Shea Butter Baby,” J Cole jumped on stage to help her perform the song.

As you could imagine, the fans loved the moment. The surprise cameo from Cole clearly caught her off-guard, in the best way possible. In a video shared on her Instagram page, Ari Lennox covers her mouth in shock as J Cole, with a grin from ear-to-ear, comes through to perform his verse on the song. “I can’t believe @realcoleworld and @dreamville surprised me at my London show like this,” she captioned the post which included a video of the special moment. “I love y’all so much.” 

J. Cole’s On A Roll

J. Cole’s surprise appearance at Ari Lennox’s concert comes just after he announced a deluxe edition of Born Sinner for the 10-year anniversary. The rapper announced that a gold vinyl of the project will be available to celebrate the milestone. “Born Sinner turns 10 next month!,” the caption reads. “@realcoleworld [Purple devil emoji] in celebration we’re releasing a gold deluxe vinyl edition available for preorder now!” Although many fans were undoubtedly excited about the new drop, many also reflected on how it’s been 10 years since the project dropped. 

Additionally, J Cole also recently came through with a stunning verse on Lil Durk’s latest single, “All My Life.” Serving as the lead song off of Almost Healed, J. Cole earned massive praise for his verse, especially as he tackles the concept of retirement and the rising number of deaths in the hip-hop community. Hopefully, we’ll get some news on It’s A Boy in the near future. For now, check out his appearance at Ari Lennox’s concert above and share your thoughts in the comments. 

What Is Ari Lennox’s Setlist Of Songs For The ‘Age/Sex/Location Tour?’

Ari Lennox’s Age/Sex/Location Tour kicked off a few days ago in Las Vegas, Nevada, and is receiving rave reviews from attendees. With this 27-city North American tour intentionally being her last full-length tour, fans are urged to know which of her songs will make the final setlist. The DMV-area native has a total of seven solo bodies of work in her discography, her latest being her sophomore album, Age/Sex/Location, which leaves her with dozens of songs to choose from.

Fellow sultry singer Alex Vaughn serves as the tour’s opener, setting the perfect mode for each show. One Twitter user shared the setlist from the show they attended online to prepare other ticket holders for the emotional roller coaster the live show would send them on thanks to songs like “Waste My Time” and “POF.”

Setlist.fm has listed the confirmed setlist. Take a look below, where you will also find the remaining tour dates, below.

1. “A/S/L (interlude)”
2. “POF”
3. “Waste My Time”
4. “Outside”
5. “Mean Mug”
6. “Boy Bye” feat. Lucky Daye
7. “All Night Long” (Mary Jane Girls Cover)
8. “New Apartment”
9. “Whipped Cream”
10. “I Been”
11. “BMO”
12. “Up Late”
13. “Unloyal” (Summer Walker song)
14. “Hoodie”
15. “Backseat”
16. “Leak It” feat. Chloë
17. “On It” (Jazmine Sullivan song)
18. “Blocking You”
19. “Queen Space” feat. Summer Walker
20. “Shea Butter Baby” feat. J. Cole
21. “Pressure”

02/07 — Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
02/09 — Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre
02/11 — Oakland, CA @ The Fox
02/14 — Denver, CO @ Summit
02/16 — San Antonio, TX @ Aztec Theatre
02/17 — Dallas, TX @ House Of Blues
02/19 — Houston, TX @ House Of Blues
02/21 — Austin, TX @ Emo’s Austin
02/22 — New Orleans, LA @ Fillmore New Orleans
02/24 — Orlando, FL @ House Of Blues
02/26 — Atlanta, GA @ Coca-Cola Roxy
02/27 — Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore Charlotte
03/02 — Nashville, TN @ Marathon Music Works
03/04 — Wallingford, CT @ Dome at Toyota Oakdale Theatre
03/05 — Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
03/07 — Toronto, ON @ HISTORY
03/08 — Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
03/14 — Minneapolis, MN @ Fillmore Minneapolis
03/16 — Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
03/18 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Fillmore Philadelphia
03/21 — New York, NY @ Terminal 5
03/25 — Silver Spring, MD @ The Fillmore Silver Spring
03/28 — Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre

Ari Lennox Unpacks Her Attractions In Her Steamy New Video For ‘Waste My Time’

Ari Lennox has shared a new visual from her acclaimed sophomore album, Age/Sex/Location. On the standout track, Lennox kills time with a man, while reminding him she’s in control.

“Waste my time, get on my line / ‘Cause I got the time to waste / Use that mouth blow this back out / Back up every word you say,” sings Lennox on the song’s chorus.

In the song’s accompanying visual, Lennox is seen in a therapy session, unpacking her attraction to men who aren’t good for her. She then quickly drifts off into a steamy fantasy, which sees her getting hot with a man, wading in a pool, and dancing in the clouds. As her fantasy ends, she gives her therapist the perfect answer to her question.

Today (January 26), Lennox kicked off her Age/Sex/Location tour. Fans can still purchase tickets for the tour here, and we would advise them to do so quickly. Back in December, Lennox took to Twitter and revealed that this tour would be her last.

“I love my genuine fans so much,” she said in a since-deleted tweet, “and can’t wait to give you my all every night!!

There’s no telling whether or not Lennox will change her mind on this.

But in the meantime, you can check out the video “Waste My Time” above.

Ari Lennox Shares “Waste My Time” Music Video As “age/sex/location” Tour Begins

Ari Lennox’s sophomore album was a long time coming, but when she did finally deliver, fans couldn’t thank her enough. Marking her first full-length release since 2019’s Shea Butter Baby, last year’s age/sex/location saw her working with Summer Walker, Chlöe, and Lucky Daye.

Prior to the 12-track project’s arrival, the Dreamville starlet shared an Away Message EP to set the tone for fans. After they were amazed by her latest studio effort, she quickly let them know of plans for her 2023 tour, which officially begins tonight.

Ari Lennox attends the 2022 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 20, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for dcp)

As UDiscoverMusic notes, Lennox will be forming her first show at Las Vegas’ House of Blues later tonight (January 26). To celebrate the kickoff of her time on the road, the 31-year-old is treating fans to a special surprise – the music video for “Waste My Time.”

The track quickly emerged as a fan favourite on age/sex/location and has since amassed upwards of three million streams on Spotify alone.

In her visual, Lennox looks as ethereal as ever. She sweetly croons her lyrics out in a golden bikini while sitting on a cloud. Before that, though, the clip begins with her chatting with a counsellor at Cold Outside University.

When the therapist asks the R&B diva why she keeps repeating the same patterns in her relationships, she ponders. While she thinks, the song begins with, “No d*ck makin’ me stupid / No funny Valentine lovin’ from Cupid.”

“Need someone to get to it / I see you beggin’ so there ain’t no choosin’,” Lennox’s lyrics continue.

While we’re certainly excited to see what her tour has in store, the Washington native previously made it known that this trip around the country will be her last.

Watch Ari Lennox’s “Waste My Time” music video on YouTube above. Afterward, revisit her sophomore age/sex/location album here.

[Via]

Ari Lennox Says Her “Age/Sex/Location” Tour Will Be Her Last

After announcing her “Age/Sex/Location” North America tour last month, Ari Lennox has revealed that it will be her last. Shouting out her supporters, she told her European fans that they won’t get to witness her solo tour “due to reasons out of my control.”

“Age Sex Location will be my last tour,” she wrote on Twitter Thursday. “I love my genuine fans so much and can’t  wait to give you my all every night!!”

The “Up Late” singer then added, “Europe I love you but unfortunately there will not be a tour due to reasons out of my control. Happy holidays. See you soon Vegas!”

Following up the success of 2019’s Shea Butter Baby, Lennox released her second studio album Age/Sex/Location this past September, featuring Summer Walker and Lucky Daye. 

READ MORE: Ari Lennox Gets Fans In The Christmas Mood With “My Favorite Things” Cover

Her upcoming 2023 tour is set to begin in January and will run until late March. Starting in Las Vegas, stops will also include New York, Detroit, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto, and Nashville.

The 31-year-old sat down with Billboard earlier this year and revealed that her hit song “Queen Space” was a collaborative effort with both Summer Walker and J. Cole, who founded her label Dreamville Records. 

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 16: Singer Ari Lennox performs onstage at El Rey Theatre on May 16, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

“Summer is an IT Girl. She is modern R&B and phenomenal. [She’s] literally leading and phenomenal at it. I’m just honored that she always showed me love,” she told the outlet in October. “We reached out to her, and ‘Queen Space’ felt incomplete until Summer sent that verse in. [It] changed my life.”

“Cole came in and helped me add a beautiful pre-chorus that wasn’t there and made me fall in love with the record all over again,” Lennox added.

Following Age/Sex/Location’s debut, the album secured the 69th spot on the Billboard 200 chart.

What are your thoughts on Lennox announcing her last tour? Sound off in the comments below.

[Via]

Ari Lennox Says The ‘Age Sex Location’ Tour Will Be Her Last

Ari Lennox says she is done with touring, and fans are not happy about it.

The singer recently released her second studio album, Age/Sex/Location, this past September. The project trekked through romance, heartbreak, and growth. A few months later, Lennox revealed that she would embark on a tour of the same name.

But in a shocking twist, the 31-year-old Dreamville singer announced on Twitter Thursday morning (December 22),” Age Sex Location will be my last tour.”

“I love my genuine fans so much and can’t wait to give you my all every night!!” she wrote. “Europe, I love you, but unfortunately, there will not be a tour due to reasons out of my control. Happy holidays. See you soon, Vegas!”

However, Lennox’s recent declaration didn’t go over too well with fans. The singer’s comment section was flooded with questions about her unfortunate decision.

Lennox, whose real name is Courtney Shanade Salter, had fans offering all kinds of advice, including suggesting she go independent.

“Courtney… please go independent or something,” one fan wrote.

Another fan jokingly said they would complain to the singer’s team about the matter.

“Last tour? I’m about to write a letter to the company because, girl, what the hell.”

Others offered the “Shea Butter Baby” singer well wishes and hope that, in time, she might change her decision.

Luckily, when it comes to new music, she’s been keeping busy — right on time for the holiday season, Lennox offered a sultry twist to Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Classic Holiday Song “My Favorite Things.”

The singer also performed at the 2022 American Music Awards in a tribute performance to Lionel Richie.

Her upcoming Age/Sex/Location Tour, produced by Live Nation Urban, kicks off at the House Of Blues in Las Vegas in January 2023, spanning several dates across the country before stopping in Lennox’s hometown of Washington, DC, at Howard Theatre at the end of March.

Ari Lennox Fans Now Have A Dream Job Opportunity: She’s Hiring A Personal Assistant To Tour With Her

Ari Lennox fans just might have a chance to fulfill a dream and join the R&B singer on an upcoming tour: She’s currently looking for a new personal assistant that’s based in DC, according to a new tweet from her today.

“Need a personal assistant I can take on tour with me. I’m a lot,” Lennox posted. “preferably someone DC based. Looking forward to meeting you.”

Fans immediately threw their names into the ring, with a range of experience working at Live Nation and as executive assistants. For those who missed it and might be interested, Lennox asks that all resumes are sent to [email protected].

Lennox’s post comes on the heels of Summer Walker’s social media search for an assistant as well. Unfortunately, the latter’s posts didn’t go over as well.

“Need a male assistant. $2,000 a month. Based in Atlanta. Have to have a car. How to know how to build stuff. Preferably white or gay,” Walker’s Instagram story read. “But fans need not apply as the singer was sure to include the following words: “And doesn’t give af about who I am or my music. Just need your to come to work.”

From the pay to the requirements, it seems that those who are experienced might be applying to Lennox’s job first.

Ari Lennox Delivers A Captivating Medley Of ‘POF’ And ‘Waste My Time’ On ‘The Tonight Show’

On the heels of her sophomore album, Age/Sex/Location, Ari Lennox stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to perform a medley of cuts from the record.

Joined a group of background singers, a cellist, a drummer, and a keyboardist, Lennox opened with the album’s opening track “POF.”

“What’s that they say / back in the day / ‘It’s plenty of fish in the sea’ / Will somebody explain / What’s with these lame / fish that be swimmin’ to me,” Lennox sings, sounding just as impeccable live as she does on the song’s studio version.

Lennox smoothly transitions into another Age/Sex/Location favorite, “Waste My Time,” a more sensual cut on which Lennox sings, “Waste my time, get on my line / ‘Cause I got the time to waste / Use that mouth / blow this back out / Back up every word you say.”

In an interview with The Breakfast Club, Lennox opened up about going to therapy, a decision she made earlier this year.

‘I was just tired of being a big ball of traumas,” Lennox said. “Just being unaware of what was going on inside. A lot of times, I can be so triggered, and it’s just like ‘Well, why?’…I’m starting to realize that it’s like a cycle, if you don’t realize you’re carrying all this weight, it comes out in different ways.”

Check out the performance above.

Age/Sex/Location is out now via Dreamville and Interscope. Stream it here.

Ari Lennox’s ‘Age/Sex/Location’ Signs In To A World Of Romance, Heartbreak, And Growth

The RX is Uproxx Music’s stamp of approval for the best albums, songs, and music stories throughout the year. Inclusion in this category is the highest distinction we can bestow and signals the most important music being released throughout the year. The RX is the music you need, right now.

If there’s one thing we know about Ari Lennox, it’s that holds on tight to her independence and freedom. The room to operate as she pleases and exist as she is has become a foundational aspect of the music she creates, and it’s received well by her listeners. “New Apartment,” from her debut album Shea Butter Baby, was championed by women all over because it perfectly encapsulated a fresh start and that moment of peak independence. Unlike the world beyond the four walls of this living space, everything that happens within them occurs at your discretion. Within them is a judgment-free zone. Ari’s quirky moments roam just as free as her soulful and confession moments.

On her second album Age/Sex/Location, Ari looks to build this same world for herself beyond those four walls. Prior to the album’s release, J. Cole shared a text message he received from Ari where she detailed what the project meant to her. In her lengthy response, she unveils her desire to block the negative she’s experienced in love and dating while allowing and accepting the positive that she very much deserves. While all of this is a working progress, something she refers to as the transitional phase to her current “eat pray love” journey, Age/Sex/Location puts those desires to work in what feels like a virtual testing ground of sorts, all before enacting them in the real world.

Right out the gate, Ari steps forth with an unforgiving authority on Age/Sex/Location. The intro track “POF,” which is sprinkled with background vocals from J. Cole, strikes as a tense and confrontational conversation over dinner at a dimly-lit fancy restaurant. Voices are low and anger is kept internally for the sake of not making a scene, but Ari’s words pierce like the knife that lays on the plate in front of her. “The audacity to lecture me about your Christianity / Then turn around and try to f*ck on me / Like it was gon’ be easy,” she sings with a dismissive layer wrapped around her words. Just a few songs later, on “Pressure,” the aforementioned tension is swapped for a gleeful double entendre that confidently instructs a man exactly what she wants. Ari yanks the tie of her love interest and pulls him close while daring him to boldly declare his bubbling desire for her.

Elsewhere on the 12-song project, she closes the door on love in some instances with the same conviction that she opens it in others. “Waste My Time” is driven by fun and lighthearted production that would be welcomed on a girl’s night out playlist. Once again, Ari dares her companion to put their words to action. “Use that mouth, blow this back out,” she quips on the record. While it’s similarly titled and contextually reminiscent of Brent Faiyaz and Drake’s “Wasting Time,” the male duo’s record lives in a bit of toxicity while Ari’s is seductive, inviting, and consenting of a no-strings-attached one-night affair.

Nonetheless, Ari isn’t a one-for-all woman and Lucky Daye is unfortunately the man who has to learn that. His slick-talk and player-esque lines on “Boy Bye” fail to do enough to earn him the same night that the individual on “Waste My Time” received. It’s not to say that Ari’s interest isn’t piqued as she gives an ear to the aftermath of Lucky’s initial cat calls, but she reads his approach as bland and formulaic. Whether it be his lack of authenticity or validity behind her claims of having a man, Ari leaves Lucky to accept that he came up short despite his efforts.

While many use the title track for their album as a moment to expand on the project’s central theme, Ari creates a skit that does just that in 37 seconds. “​​When you’re back in the game / That’s how you would greet someone, A-S-L,” she says calling back to the album’s title. “Playing on chatrooms, internet, meeting people / Like, this is dating.” Age/Sex/Location is Ari’s ideal forays into the dating world with each one beginning with the simple details of one’s age, sex, and location. While these forays can end in steamy, sweaty, and passionate bedroom magic, as detailed in “Leak It” with Chloe – a euphoric and dreamy duet that sees both singers ready to reveal (or leak) an unfiltered side of love that will only leave them leaking in satisfaction – its conclusion could also be one more aligned with “Blocking You.” Once that “a/s/l” prompt is answered, there’s no telling where things can go. With Age/Sex/Location, Ari hopes to leave with something with every roll of the dice.

On Age/Sex/Location, Ari Lennox signs into a virtual world that could easily be her reality. Where Shea Butter Baby begged and hoped for reciprocation by seeking an in-person connection as opposed to a digital one (“Facetime”), reassurance (“Speak To Me”), or a vow of continued love (“Pop”), Age/Sex/Location demands that reciprocation while promising a cease in communication and interaction without it. As she navigates the twists, turns, risky climbs, and unprotected freefalls of her current “eat pray love” journey, it’s with more discipline and increased wisdom from past missteps.

Age/Sex/Location is out now via Interscope and Dreamville. You can stream it here.

J. Cole Compares Ari Lennox’s New Album To Alicia Keys’ ‘Songs In A Minor’

Ari Lennox’s sophomore album Age/Sex/Location was officially released on Friday (September 9) to the excitement of many fans of hers and of the R&B genre in general. One person in particular who has been loud and proud about his approval of the album, before it was released and now, was none other than her Dreamville labelmate J. Cole. The “Middle Child” artist drew a major parallel when he promoted Age/Sex/Location on Friday morning.

In a tweet, the North Carolina rapper said “Ari Lennox album phenomenal Sh*t make me feel 14 again like when I heard songs in A minor” in reference to Alicia Keys’ 2001 debut album Songs In A Minor, highlighted by “Fallin’,” “A Woman’s Worth,” and “How Come You Don’t Call Me.” As the breakthrough LP for Keys, this is a major comparison to make for the Shea Butter Baby artist and time will tell if Age has a similar impact on her career.

Ahead of Age‘s release, a video surfaced on social media of Cole in the studio with Ari Lennox. He provided her ideas for song creation, sang background on a record, which ultimately became “POF,” and expressed how excited he was for the album to come out. Thus, such a statement comes as no surprise.

Check out J. Cole’s tweet above.

Age/Sex/Location is out now via Dreamville and Interscope. Listen here.