Nearly a year after its release, Ari Lennox's debut album Shea Butter Baby continues to be the gift that keeps on giving. After delivering us Black Girl Magic via singles like "Whipped Cream," the album's title track, "Up Late" and "BMO," she surprised fans earlier this week when she announced that the Shea Butter Baby Remix EP would be dropping March 27th. Promptly at midnight, she made true on her word by dropping the short-but-sweet EP on all digital platforms.
Rather than tackle the entire album, Lennox only focuses on three tracks from her debut including "BMO," "I Been" and "Facetime." Though Lennox herself does little to stray away from the original songs, the addition of verses by the likes of Doja Cat, Smino and Durand Bernarr breathes new life into these cuts. Doja's spitfire delivery and saucy content is a perfect match for the spicy original verses on "BMO." Meanwhile, Smino matches the original's raw, emotional delivery on "I Been," providing a male perspective to Lennox's post-breakup tale. Bernarr's vocal presence adds additional layers of richness to "Facetime" as he flexes his range. His piercing falsetto takes center stage towards the song's end.
While we would have loved for Shea Butter Baby Remix EP to have included more songs from its predecessor, Lennox still takes fans on a fun, 10-minute ride, reminding us all why we fell in love with her debut in the first place.
Ari Lennox Shea Butter Baby Remix EP [Amazon][iTunes][Google Play]
