Ari Lennox Clears the Air on J. Cole & Dreamville Exit: “Cole Was Never the Issue”

Ari Lennox is setting the record straight about her departure from J. Cole’s label Dreamville Records.

Full story below…

During a recent appearance on ‘The Breakfast Club,’ the singer reflected on her journey with the label and made it clear that her relationship with J. Cole remains positive. She told the radio hosts that:

“J. Cole was the greatest co-sign I could’ve ever had…He changed my life.”

Despite her exit, the ‘Pressure’ singer made it clear that her exit from the label was not to do with Cole, but there were other factors at play, sharing:

“Cole was never the issue… it was just a marketing thing.”

The songstress explained that she decided to leave Dreamville after her 2024 single ‘Smoke’ dropped with little promotional backing, which made her feel her music wasn’t being supported, and called out the label in a lengthy Instagram post.

Lennox was signed to Dreamville for nearly a decade before recently moving on to Interscope Records and has since released her third album, ‘Vacancy’, at the beginning of this year.

Watch a clip from the interview below:

Ari Lennox speaks on J. Cole and leaving Dreamville:

“J. Cole was the greatest co-sign I could’ve ever had…He changed my life.

Cole was never the issue…It was just a marketing thing.”

On behalf of Cole fans, we love you Ari pic.twitter.com/f9jqeKi2Cj

— Joey (@gothamhiphop) March 6, 2026