[1] Her 2021 single, "Pressure", marked her first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded her second album, Age/Sex/Location (2022), while her guest appearance on Summer Walker's song, "Unloyal", peaked within the chart's top 50 that same year.

Later that year, her music began circulating the Dreamville Records team, as its founder J. Cole wanted her to work with him on references for Rihanna.

[7] She signed with the label in December 2015, and guest performed on their compilation album Revenge of the Dreamers II that same month—on the track "Backseat" with Cozz.

On July 16, 2018,[12] Ari Lennox released the first single, "Whipped Cream", from her debut album, Shea Butter Baby with an accompanied music video on September 5.

She then appeared on the Creed II soundtrack with J. 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.

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.[15] Her debut album, Shea Butter Baby was released on May 7, 2019.

[19] 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 Ledé, Skip Marley, 6lack, and Spillage Village, among others.

[27][28] 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.