The R&B singer took to Twitter to express her disappointment in walking home empty-handed from the award show.
The 2019 BET Soul Train Awards aired live Sunday night, with big winners like Lizzo, Chris Brown, and Drake taking home multiple awards. However, the evening turned a bit of a let-down for one artist in particular. Though she was nominated for Best R&B/Soul Female Artist, Album/Mixtape of the Year, and Best Collaboration Performance, Ari Lennox lost to H.E.R., Lizzo, and Chris Brown featuring Drake, respectively.
In a series of tweets following the show early Monday morning, Ari said that her debut album, Shea Butter Baby, which was released this past May, “will always be special” and that she “made a soul album for black people.”
Many fans translated her sentiments as shade toward Lizzo who most would consider more of a pop artist than R&B soul. “I just don’t understand. At all actually. But cool,” another Ari Lennox tweet read. “I want this sh*t way more than it wants me. I’m learning I have to stop caring. Soul album.” Ari went on to say that her feelings were hurt and she’s “not built” for these parts of the music business.
Although Lizzo’s album was far more successful in terms of numbers than Shea Butter Baby — which peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200 and number 38 on the R&B/Hip-Hop albums chart — it seems like Ari expected a different outcome from an awards ceremony that was set up specifically for her style of music. She went on to explain that she is just passionate about her work and wants to get the recognition she feels she deserves. “It’s not an ungrateful energy. It’s not ego. I’m sorry people view my tweets in that manner. I just really cared about this one. If ball players can get upset about losing so can I. This was simply something I’ve always wanted.”
You can catch her full rant below:
