The Breakfast Club Interview with ARI LENNOX

0:00Tyler Reddick here from 2311 Racing. Victory Lane? Yeah, it's even better with Chamba by my side. Race to chambacacino.com, let's Chamba. Don't purchase necessary, VTW Group. Boy, we're prohibited by law. CTNCs, 21 plus sponsored by ChambaCacino. At the UPS store, re-insure your small viz stand out with a variety of high quality paper stock options, banners, posters, brochures, and more. Most locations are independently owned. Product services pricing and hours of operation may vary. See center for details. The UPS store, be unstoppable. Come into your local store today and get your print on. Vacancy is out right now. Yes, yes.

1:01Vacancy can mean a lot of things. OK. It can mean emptiness. Yeah. It can mean opportunity. What exactly became vacant in your life that allowed this version of our Linux to exist and create this project? I think it's just the repetitiveness of my dating life. Yeah, the album encompasses a void that needs to be filled. And that can be romantic. It can be platonic. It can mean, you know, in a business way, it's just a metaphor for whatever that means to you, you know. Is it played tonic? We got to, let's figure this out when I pull it out. We can't be platonic. Can we be platonic? It's a lot of those platonic, my whole life. Platonic. Biopic bite beat. Biopic. You still bite. I think those words depend on how you speak. Tomato tomato. Can't be having a thought he was saying the wrong word. Wait, what? How is it supposed to be supposed to be platonic? Platonic. Platonic. Platonic. Platonic. Yes. You're the second person that you had. All right. Well, all right. Thank you for playing. That's all right. Please, camera, a lot.

2:01A lot of people. That's lovely. So on this project, you go in and out of your space, whether it's your heart, your physical space, your mind, energy, being vacant, then being occupied, then not, it's all over the place, but it's a good journey. Thank you. Yes. So where are you in real life after this album in the dating world? What? I mean, I'm just... I'm just alone, but it is 34 years of romantic loneliness. But it's cool. No, it's all right. I'm doing great. I'd rather be by myself than anything toxic or unhealthy. So it is what it is. No, I'm okay. I think the club turned it up, though. I do turn up. Yeah. Which it is. Oh, my tea. On how sketch you said you'd be wanting it to be. And right here, I have this hot water. It's. I don't know if you had no damn tea in the club that night, but he'd be turning up. When you saw me. Years ago. Years ago. No, that was like when?

3:02Two years ago? A last year? She's a lot of time. It was recently. Oh, yeah, I had my hookah. Yeah. I stopped. I had to stop, though. Yeah. I made a pass. No, it's okay. It's okay. I mean, last year I wasn't singing, but this year I am. So we got a tour coming up. You know, the vacancy tour starts April 12th. So yeah, I want to be vocally prepared for it. So no more hookah for me. But you're still on your sobriety journey, right? Absolutely. You said you made a pack with a man. That's what made you stop the hookah. I made it. Yes. What happens to the man you said he was horrible? He was tripling. He had a secret girlfriend. Or he had a girlfriend. I guess I was the secret. And I had no idea. And I haven't spoke to him since. He told me. So. You don't like it. You never liked this game song. You're my little secret. You couldn't be a secret. You know, I love that song. I love escape. So yeah, I could not be a secret. No, but I do love that song. They were singing. Oh, somebody wanted to keep you a secret. Yeah. I think it just speaks to the state of dating out here.

4:04It's just incredibly depressing. I feel like for everybody, you know. So. That's what it is. Are there songs on this project about how I know that you've been working on this for some time? From. From the hell. Hell no. Okay. Yeah, that's a bit. Could be a big toxic. Yeah. That was someone else. Oh. That was one of my exes. And I don't even know if he counts as an ex. It was like a month long relationship. It counts though. It counts. Yeah. Really? Well, well, it depends. All right now. Do you feel that you had a concussion by Sean? Oh my God. Jesus. Like. Thank you. Fresh face. Thank you. Beautiful. In your air. Thank you. Don't look confused. Yeah. Thank you so much. No, that, that depends, right? Did you have a strong connection with him? Do you feel like you loved him? Because a month can, you know, month can be short to some people. Yeah. But that could mean a long time. It's not about the time. It's about how you connect it with him. How he made you feel. Yeah. No, I don't feel like I loved him. I don't think it was because I think in order to love someone,

5:04you have to accept them for all that they are. Yeah. And I feel like we did not accept each other for our truth. Our truth is ourselves. And for that reason, I don't believe it was love at all. Probably just infatuation, which I said is just that repetitive theme. I think there were a lot of secure energies that entered my life that I wasn't ready for. And now they're getting married. All these secure people that I, I like, I didn't under, I didn't recognize that safety. Like in them then. I think because there's so much chaos inside of me. But I'm working through it. I have my therapist. And I'm a lot more aware of it now. Those red flags and things of that nature. Do you love fast? I'm sorry. Do you love fast? Do you trust fast when it comes to dating? I do. I do. But I don't think it's love. I think it's like trauma or something. I think. Or a kink. Some type of like love kink. I think I have love. I think it's love. I think it's love. I think it's love. I think it's like trauma or something. I think. Or a kink. Some type of like love kink.

6:05I think I have that. Because I'll be quick to be like, oh, yeah, I love you. But it's like we're f***ing. So it's right. Like, of course I do right now. It's nice. The sex is really nice. And sometimes that can be just a little misleading, a little confusing. The emotions are high. And I think just in general, my emotions run extremely high. So I tend to romanticize and exaggerate things. Why can't you just love sector? Like if somebody flips you and folds you and puts you in the press. That's all. That's all. That's all. I love it. Thank you. Why can't you just love the physical act? Like why does it have to be anything else? Yeah, you're right. I can love it. But I think a part of sex for me is a very passionate thing. And it's just ironic because a lot of the times it isn't, or it hasn't been in my past very passionate. And like, yeah. Yeah. I think, yeah, all my relationships were kind of just surface. For real. Yeah. I mean, love clearly, right? I do.

7:05I do. Do you think you've ever been? No. No. I thought so. But no. I don't think I have. Now that I know what it means to be. Because it's a choice every day. I don't think I ever made that choice every day in those relationships. You're in therapy, right? Yeah. I go to therapy a lot as well. And your therapist will often tell you that your first class and best love is self-love. Like you can't love anybody else until you truly love yourself. Right. And the reason? Absolutely. My therapist is amazing. She has me doing these exercises every morning where I have to look at myself in the mirror. And that's like so hard. Like I'm speaking to myself. And I like, who am I? And so it's been helpful. But it's definitely been an exercise that I avoid. I think it's just, it's hard, honestly, to face myself. But I'm getting closer. And it's amazing how long therapy has happened. She's been telling me that I need to read this book called The Courage to Trust.

8:05And I've been avoiding it. And it's just, I know I could be so much farther in my journey. It's funny that I'm just prolonging healing in that way. But yeah, one day I'll read it. One day I'll be able to breathe through that mirror exercise. But yeah, so those are ways that I'm like practicing self-love slowly, facing myself and learning who I am. Alright, we got more with Ari Lennox when we come back. Don't move. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning.

9:29Yeah. Morning everybody. It's E.J. N.V. Just hilarious. Show me the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. We're still kicking with Ari Lennox. Our album vacancy is out right now. Jess. I feel like you learned something new about yourself and every relationship that you work with. Yes. Yes. My last one definitely taught me to figure out what the hell is going on inside of me. Like, I realize, oh, okay, I, I have an anxious attachment style. And then I realize, oh, I'm also avoidant. Like, this is, this has been this battle that I've been facing. And I think until I heal that more, I don't think I'll be able to dig deeper in a relationship. I think that's always going to be that block. Yeah. Yeah. That's so interesting because when I listen to your music, I hear a self-awareness. Right. I do. You know what I mean? At least, at least that you're comfortable with what it is that you're doing. You know what I mean? And who you're doing it with.

10:29That's what I get from it. Yes. What you mean? And so, you're confused about me having trust issues, are you saying? Yeah, because I feel like you got to trust yourself enough to even be able to even move like that. Yeah. Well, the music that you make. That's easy. The music that you make it like, it resonates with women like navigating self-worth and growth and love. So it is kind of hard to hear you say here and say like the opposite. No, like it's hard for you to find love or, you know, something like that. Or just everything that you feel like you said is inside of you. I don't feel it in your music. Oh, wow. I feel like, oh, you got it all together. This girl was, you make me want to go tell a f*** you. You know what I'm saying? Because you know your word. You know what you want and you know what you will stand for and what you want in a relationship. That's what I get from your music. That's me too. I know my word. And when it's time to go, I'm definitely, you know, I block and I, you know, delete that thread and cut people off.

11:32But yeah, I mean, yeah, I'm doing all right. And your press release for a vacancy, one of the lines I wrote down was, ARZ new album, Vacancy Signals. A sophisticated new chapter defined by creative, autonomy, confidence, and growth. And I feel like Shae Butterbaby was that. I feel like all of the projects are that. Thank you. So in this process took you three, it was three years before vacancy. Three years, yeah. And I didn't feel like it was done. So I'm sure I stressed out the label, my management, shout out to Jaha and Justin. I know I stressed them out, but I knew the album wasn't done. And thank God everyone dragged me for like my singles. It kind of encouraged me to let me get back to the studio, make some more soul music, make some more pop-leaning music. And just, yeah. And then I knew I was, I felt relief. I knew it was time. Okay, it's done. And I'm really proud. It's a good album. It's a great album. And it does feel like a, it feels like a reset, you know, musically and personally.

12:33Yeah. I also did leave in Dreamville, create that for you. Where you already evolve and just needed space to show it. Let me see. No, I feel like that's the beauty about Dreamville. They've always created that atmosphere of just like follow your heart. Do what you want to do. And so it was, it's always been beautiful. Like I've always had that creative freedom. And an inner scope is really amazing with supporting me in that too. Like they've never pushed me to do anything that I didn't want to do. Same thing with Dreamville. So it's always been like beautiful, really healthy, you know. When did you know it was time to leave Dreamville? We've heard you complain for years and how you wanted to be independent. Which you want to do it yourself. When did you know it was the right time? I think, you know, it's just a feeling. I think after when my song Smoke Dropped, it just felt like we weren't aligned. And it's not there for I don't know what happened.

13:33I think perhaps they didn't know like the date of it or something. And I think as it dropped, it was just I could feel like there was no marketing behind it. And I mean, that wasn't a feeling you were right. I vocally said that I never felt like they supported you. I do feel like they supported me overall. Like I don't believe that I would have gotten this far without them. Jay Cole was the greatest co-sign I could have ever had as a kneel soul artist. People sleep on our genre so incredibly. So he changed my life and introduced me to people that probably might not have received me the same. If they heard me outside of, you know, his camp. So the marketing overall, I like how is incredible. But honestly, I think they were in the middle of a deal separating Dreamville from Interscope. And I think that's what I was feeling at the time. And that's why they were unable to really hone in on what's going on. I think over the years also I have to take accountability with a lot of just my little things on the Internet

14:38with just speaking up about different things. I think probably created some tension for sure. When you asked me about the label. No, not even the label, just like just a little things like. Well, somebody would have a Martin fan and they didn't like your. No, not. I don't even think. So run a time that smoke drop. You posted online that you were exhausted by Dreamville that you were tired of people treating you. Like you were to face them into health. You're okay. You're happy. But they're not marketing you well. They're not protecting you. You wish labels knew how to do that. I felt that way about Interscope too. It wasn't just all Dreamville. They've really shown me a lot of love and support and things of that nature. I think it just was a really emotional time for me. And I think I was a... I have regretted honestly. I feel like I should have never taken it to the Internet. But like, you know, I do want to apologize to Jay Cole.

15:41I've been... I sent him a message on Instagram. I sent him a voice note. I'm a little afraid to give him a call. I do apologize. Yeah. Yeah, I love that. Hey, Cole, guys, something that none of those acts is good. Oh, you know, well, they don't deserve apology. But it was never, Cole. Cole was never the issue. I think it just was literally like a marketing thing. But it is what it is. See, for me, I'm sure you know. So you're right. So I guess just on the outside looking and you're like, well, Dan Cole, why don't you stand next to somebody like that more often? Well, regarding you little artists. I can help with marketing a lot. He, this man flew all the way to London for me. I was performing, I mean, it was beautiful time. Sold out two nights. I forgot the venue, but it was beautiful and it was massive. This man surprised me as I'm performing Shay Butter Baby and I cried like a baby. I sounded like a walrus. I could not get the words out because I was so shocked.

16:44Like that's how loving and selfless he is. So Cole himself, like I will always care and respect him. Because London across the pond for a little old me is like what? You know, like he was like to ride bikes and stuff. Yeah. Well, he didn't ride it by that fall. He didn't fly. You know, he hung. Oh my God. No. I don't think spirit goes there. Jess. How did you call him and tell him you wanted to? Do you remember that call? Did you speak to him directly? I sadly with my avoided nature. I sent him a voice note about it. And it's sad. I should have called him. You should have called. Yeah, for sure. I actually probably should have had a faith to face. We should have. Did you respond? I was. I wasn't ready to face like my own. My own ways. I wasn't ready to be accountable for myself. And then I don't believe. I was just scared about like.

17:44There's a lot of things that I wish I just talked to him about before taking it to the internet. So I really feel like those things created that tension. And respond. Yeah. And he did respond. He did respond. He did respond. And you still didn't call. Come on. Right. That's why that's why I apologize. If you want to share with it when he responded with it, he said because he's normally very like warm and confident when he talks about you. Yeah. And he said he wished I called him. So yeah. And we got more with Ari Lennox when we come back as the breakfast club. Good morning. Turn the music up. I need. I need. I need. I need that. No. Yeah. You can turn her up too. Baby, welcome to my house. Cold out. Hot cocoa on the couch. Lay it down. At a change so round with a sound. Maybe you can help out. Look around. Look around. Got some walls that need paint. Bring your range. See the legs on the table.

18:44Kind of shaking. Got some pipes that be sleek. Do you see it? You could stay for a week or two. Baby. Oh. Baby. I want you to build this fake and see. Come through. Oh. Baby. I want you to move in the space with me. Tonight. Oh. Baby. I want you to build this fake and see. Come through. Oh. Baby. I want you to move in the space with me. Tonight. Oh. I know. Tonight. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. Oh. One more time. Can you do it for us?

19:57She's like a club looking. to opinionated, yeah. There are things I wish I never opened up about online, but you know, you get one life and I hate to regret anything at 80, like I should have said this, should have did this, should have this person. Should have, I didn't always come back to this. No, because they can see my album is sexy as hell. It is, is she sexy? We're a man of fagging out. Yeah. And it's like, good sex, the best sex is all the part of that. Yeah, who's that at you? We're a man of fagging out. We love that. Because I ain't having sex. It's been three years. Oh, so you're selling it to me? Damn. So you're selling it to me as well? Yeah. Well, actually, I did have a, I shouldn't have said. I didn't want to lie. Well, it was almost three years. Okay. Well, no, it was three years. It could have been longer, but yeah. Well, you're a liar. No, I'm not a liar. That's why I have to. That's what you have to do. You have to. I don't want my mom to know. Oh, shit.

20:58Yeah. Yeah. It was just a little moment. So I want to ask you no more questions about it. Actually, it was all right. Huh? She said she want to ask you no more questions about it to me. No, you're kidding. Okay, great. So what? Because when people say that they've been selling it for like three years, five years, I'm like, how do you not run into like instances of just like the feeling of like wanting to masturbate at all? Oh, no. I do that every night. I mean, but she's not about telling people. Yeah, but I thought, but but because there are certain levels of celibacy, like I know people never have something to the point where they're not even trying to do. No, I could never go that long without doing that. And I feel like my whole down there would completely change. Like completely collapse. Like if I didn't make sure she was good. So what was the running you had that almost like messed it all up or kind of set you back? You said it was. Oh, I don't think it set me back. I feel like I needed to get that energy off me. I feel like I was really becoming the crap at a bit. And just I just was too. I just felt in my energy.

21:58My energy was exuding prudeness. And honestly, there's nothing wrong with that. And I feel like celibacy is a beautiful thing. But me personally, I just needed a nice restart. And so yeah, now we back. So. Yeah. What was the clock at now? With me in general. Once you reset. Oh. I was watching your mom was watching. Why do you want to answer that? I don't know. I don't know. You don't have to answer that. Now listen, every time that we've had conversations, you know, on this area, I'm like, she's such a nice person. Like she got such a personality, right? But if you just see what you do online, you think all she does is complain. Like we can't even watch Martin without her complaining. No, please watch Martin. Yes, we absolutely can. No, I can. Break down the Martin thing. Because people were. I responded to that.

22:59I know. And it meant the world to me because he was so gentle. And there's response. And. Oh, I didn't expect that. Actually, she didn't respond. She didn't respond. Oh, you cried when Martin responded. I did cry. Yeah. Yeah. Because I, you know, he didn't have to respond so beautifully the way that he did. And I, I didn't feel it was invalidating. You know what I'm saying? But he was also, you know, true to himself. And I respect that completely. As a big fan of him, it meant the world to me. Right. He's a legendary comedian. He could have dragged me to hell. Yeah. Along with the world. Exactly. It was heartbreaking. It was a heavy time for me because I felt like I isolated myself from every black person in the world. Like I, I was ruminating heavy. But luckily the album, like pulled me out of the dumps and therapy and things of that nature. Um, yeah. Did you talk to your therapist about it?

23:59Oh, yeah. Is she culturally competent enough to understand Martin? Oh, yeah. I'm sure she, she loves it. Yeah. Yeah. Do you have a black therapist? Yeah. I was like therapist. She's lovely, beautiful, beautiful, natural hair. She's great. Yeah. The most interesting thing that we're going to witness about you is how you get better with time. Absolutely. Like I can see it. Like your music is going to get better with time. Plus just you as a person. Like your levels of, I don't give a f*** are going to get better as you get older. Like you're going to be that rich auntie. You know what I mean? Who may decide to get married, may not decide to get married. May get married once or twice. Get the boys. But you go. Oh my god. I just see it. I can just see it. You know what I mean? Come on. I can just see it. You know, you're married six times. I have 10 kids. I don't know, but I don't know. I'm freaking husband is going to have a beautiful, freaky wife and we are going to be together for a happy year. Yeah. You're going to be driving a car? Yes. You're going to be driving a car. We're going to have a farm. 34. What? What?

24:59What? Cowards and llamas and camels. I know that. And kangaroo. Really? Yes. Oh my. Oh, my. Thank you. Oh my, thank you. Why is it like a little bit more than what I'm wearing? Yes. I would love to do it. Like, you're tall, you're like six, three feet. That's amazing. Are you being trifled? You're very nice. Both of them are very nice. I'm being trifled. Oh, yes. I'm so happy about you. I can't wait to see 44-year-old art. Oh, thank you. Not with a Mexican man, though. I was just going to do a black man. I would love a Mexican man. Or Mexican and black. Mexican and black. Or black, man. Yeah. I mean, but I'm down for it all. I think bad bunny is very handsome. I know he's putterie guy. He's putteriekin, but you know, no, not a butt, but I love putteriekins' respect. Yeah. Well, I just Latino people are very attractive. Have you enjoyed the super walls what you're trying to do? I did enjoy. OK, have you met him? Honestly, I didn't watch it. I lied. I'm sorry. I didn't even ask for DMB. They looked at my head, but no reason. I don't even know why.

25:59I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. I don't even know why. Because Ari Linux is the breakfast club. Good morning. Bubble Wall is here from 2311 Racing. You know what's slower than a pace car waiting at the car watch? That's when I fire up Chamba Casino. It turns those slow minutes into fast fun. With new games every week, you'll never get bored. Next time you're stuck in the slow lane, speed up with Chamba. Play now at chambacasino.com. Let's Chamba. Sponsored by Chamba Casino, no purchase necessary. VGW GroupFord, where prohibited by law, 21-plus terms and conditions apply.