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Critics of soul-singer Ari Lennox are harassing her on Twitter over a series of tweets which they feel made the singer seem “entitled” after she vented about losing Album/Mixtape of the Year for her debut album, Shea Butter Baby, at the 2019 Soul Train Awards.
Ari was nominated for three awards on Sunday including, Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Album/Mixtape of the Year, and Best Collaboration Performance for the single “Shea Butter Baby” featuring her label boss, rapper J. Cole. H.E.R., Lizzo, and Chris Brown/Drake won in those respective categories.
Ari took to Twitter to voice her disappointment in specifically losing the Album/Mixtape of the Year award, after years spent grinding in the underground R&B scene until achieving mainstream success.
Shea Butter Baby will always be special.
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 18, 2019
“She Butter Baby will always be special,” she tweeted on Monday.
However, Ari’s admission riled up folks on social media who are now using her words as a weapon to criticize Lizzo, who won Album/Mixtape of the Year. On Tuesday Ari went further into why she’s no longer going to let the hype of award shows or outside validation rule her emotions.
You know what I realized? People who genuinely fuck with me understand my frustration. People who are self hating haters and clearly have never given my music a chance got the biggest problem with me always.
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 19, 2019
“It’s not just an award. It wasn’t any award show. It was the soul train awards. As you can see I’m big fan of soul music and huge fan of soul trains history,” Ari wrote. “Being snubbed was something I always expected and was definitely prepared for just not by them,” she continued. “My intent was to never shade other nominees. I’m hurt and I don’t expect soulless haters to understand that. Everytime I wrap my mind around it I just can’t accept it. It feels like a break up. I made a soulful album. I never ran from who I am. I just expected that one platform to understand that.”
Everytime I wrap my mind around it I just can’t accept it. It feels like a break up. I made a soulful album. I never ran from who I am. I just expected that one platform to understand that.
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 19, 2019
it takes a lot of energy to do these things and ultimately this was a hard loss for me.
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 19, 2019
Since sustaining a firestorm of Tweets directed at her, she stated that she’s pulling away from it all, something she’s hinted at before.
When a follower tweeted that they could see Ari doing a Christmas album she responded, “Naw I quit.”
She further voiced that she’s “not cool enough” or “trendy enough” to play industry politics.
It’s not just the awards. SBB was slept on in so many ways. Im too emotional to pretend like I can play this game.
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 19, 2019
Dear fake fans please unfollow. I’m not entitled. I’m hurt. There’s deeper things i would love to say but I just can’t. It’s not entitlement. It’s blatant disrespect https://t.co/SmCUsIG14t
— Ari Lennox (@AriLennox) November 19, 2019
When another follower Tweeted continued to berate her on social media, she responded, “You guys can’t scare me. I told ya’ll I’m out.”
