Ari Lennox has landed new certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Her 2019 single “BMO,” which stands for ‘break me off,’ has been crowned platinum for selling over one million equivalent units in the U.S. The Omen-produced track marks Lennox’s second platinum-selling single, following “Shea Butter Baby” with J. Cole.
Meanwhile, the nocturnal “Up Late” has been declared gold with 500,000 equivalent units sold.
Both “BMO” and “Up Late” appear on Lennox’s debut album, Shea Butter Baby. The gold-selling album also spawned the gold-certified single “Whipped Cream.”
Here’s a comprehensive overview of all the RIAA certifications from Shea Butter Baby:
- “Shea Butter Baby” featuring J. Cole, certified platinum (as of Feb. 2021)
- “Whipped Cream,” certified gold (as of March 2022)
- Shea Butter Baby, the album, certified gold (as of Oct. 2022)
- “BMO,” certified platinum (as of May 2025)
- “Up Late,” certified gold (as of May 2025)
Lennox’s two new awards align with the album’s sixth anniversary. Released May 7, 2019, via Dreamville/Interscope Records, Shea Butter Baby peaked at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums chart. It was ranked No. 1 on Rated R&B’s 30 Best R&B Albums of 2019 list.
“While the project did not receive many accolades during its run, it remains a staple piece of the late 2010s, sealing Lennox’s status as one of R&B’s reigning princesses,” wrote Anders J. Hare.
In 2020, Lennox released her Shea Butter Baby Remix EP, which included remixes of “BMO” (featuring Doja Cat), “I Been” (with Smino) and “Facetime” (with Durand Bernarr).
In other news, Lennox celebrated her 34th birthday (March 26) with the release of her latest single “Soft Girl Era.” The self-empowering anthem was produced by hitmakers Bryan-Michael Cox and Jermaine Dupri, who also helmed her hit single “Pressure.”
“Soft Girl Era” marks Lennox’s first single since departing from Dreamville Records. She is now directly signed to Interscope Records.
The vibrant video was directed by the legendary Chris Robinson, whose extensive resumé includes Brandy‘s “Full Moon,” Alicia Keys‘ “You Don’t Know My Name,” Amerie‘s “1 Thing,” and Jay-Z and Beyoncé‘s “’03 Bonnie & Clyde,” among many others.
Revisit Ari Lennox’s “BMO” and “Up Late” below.
