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Ari Lennox has voiced her frustrations regarding Dreamville Records and their collaboration with Interscope Records. On the evening of Tuesday (Oct. 29), the “Pressure” vocalist asserted that she had been “deceived and manipulated” by both companies.
“Interscope and Dreamville have been toying with me for weeks, and I’m utterly worn out. I am tired of being treated like a pity case and as if I represent the face of mental health,” Lennox expressed through her Instagram Story. “I’m perfectly fine and have never been happier. What I find unacceptable is being signed only to be misled and taken advantage of. Nobody at those labels has ever figured out how to market or safeguard me.”
“You all barely understand the reality of it. Constant disillusionment and disregard. This industry will never be suitable for me,” she concluded her message. The frustrations appeared to arise from the insufficient promotion for Lennox’s latest single, “Smoke,” which released on Oct. 18.
The Shea Butter Baby creator went live on Instagram Live, further discussing her grievances with Interscope. During the session, she disclosed that the music video for “Smoke” had been unveiled without her consent. “You cannot expect an artist to thrive without proper advertising,” she stated, adding that she has been funding the track’s Google Ads herself.
“I simply want my release, and it’s just that straightforward, and I’m done being polite,” the Washington D.C. native clarified. “I was aiming to handle everything appropriately, but now I’m furious. This was my last straw.”
Lennox was recognized as Dreamville’s first leading lady, alongside other artists such as Cozz, Omen, Bas, JID, EARTHGANG, and Lute.
The songstress’s most recent album was 2022’s age/sex/location. This 12-track project featured collaborations with Lucky Daye, Summer Walker, and Chlöe. It made its debut on the Billboard 200 chart at No. 69, selling 12,000 album-equivalent units.