Ari Lennox Responds To Backlash After Ghana Trip, Taking Social Media Break

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Ari Lennox recently announced that she was taking a break from social via Twitter late last week. The decision was made after the Dreamville star returned from a trip to Ghana and the subsequent reactions from outside observers.

On January 7,  Lennox tweeted, “My heart hasn’t changed. Nobody can take the peace I felt away from me. I do not like twitter. Or SM rather. So I’m giving my passwords to my label. Hopefully this will last. Love you all and thanks for the kindness.”

The “Shea Butter Baby” singer traveled to Ghana in December 2021 to perform at the Afrochella concert, which was hosted in Accra, per Yahoo. After Lennox performed, she used the rest of her trip to explore Accra, and the experiences really resonated with her.

“Wow it’s a rare and good feeling to consistently wake up with peace and happiness. I really owe that to Ghana,” Lennox said in a now-deleted tweet thread. Lennox shared photos of Ghana, calling it “the most beautiful country,” and even inquired about buying a home there.

“Depression and anxiety is not fun. It’s truly nice to get a break from it,” Lennox added. “I’ll never forget suddenly crying the first time going to a beach in Ghana. It was so triggering. And I didn’t feel alone. My heart ached/aches for my ancestors. It was a surreal experience.”

Even though this experience sounded really dope and enlightening, some people on social media didn’t feel the same way Lennox felt. One Twitter user decided to mock Lennox’s tweets by saying “Just went to Ghana and connected with my ancestors @AriLennox I am now flowing with black panther energy wakanda forever.”

Another Twitter user quote tweeted “What is this nonsense? Can y’all just have a normal vacation without being weird or exploitive or WEIRD?!”

However, many came to the defense of Lennox and felt that others were being too harsh on her.

“Can’t lie, how people cooking Ari Lennox and her Ghana experience is not cute. We as Africans can never relate or understand that kind of experience and it’s unfair for us to mock someone feeling connected to their roots,” one Twitter user said.

Another Twitter user believes Lennox shouldn’t apologize for her positive experience in Ghana. “But why should Ari Lennox delete her experiences and opinions about Ghana. It was her experience, her feeling, her intimacy with the country. If that’s how she felt about the country no one or any comments should coerce her into deleting those experiences,” they said.

Adding to the discourse, this Twitter user saw valid points within both sides of the discourse brewing around Lennox’s trip. “I feel like this Ari Lennox convo should have a bit more nuance. Yes going to a resort in Ghana is exploitative to Black folks. Yes going to Ghana can be a powerful moment for Black folks from the diaspora. Both can be true,” they tweeted.

Before Lennox gave up the keys to her Twitter kingdom, she responded to one final tweet that said “Africans shaded/ shamed her into deleting her reflection.”

“Not Africans babe, trolls. In the real world, I was welcomed and loved on and embraced,” Lennox tweeted reassuringly. “Can’t wait to go back to Ghana!!! And many other countries too.”

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Photo: Getty