Ari Lennox has called out Rod Wave for not coming to her defense after she experienced “evil” and “racist” treatment while opening for him on tour.
The Dreamville singer was reacting to a video of Flo Milli flipping out after being hit with a shoe from the crowd while performing on Gunna‘s Bittersweet Tour in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend.
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“Flo Milli I’m sorry this happened to you,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories, lending support to the 24-year-old rapper. “You are a beautiful and incredibly talented woman. Some of these people can be so damn cruel.”
Lennox then revisited her own traumatic time on Rod Wave’s 2023 Nostalgia Tour, which culminated in her being pelted with a bottle from the audience during a show, and called out the SoulFly star for failing to speak up for her.
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“Maybe I could’ve gotten over some of Rod Wave’s evil, racist and demonic fans, but what made it even worse is Rod saying nothing in my defense. Privately or publicly,” she said. “The only reason we met was because we ran into each in a Hotel Lobby after constant efforts of me trying to share my gratefulness for the opportunity.
“I never had issues with fans being violent or evil towards me while opening up for legendary singers and legendary hip hop acts. Those were some of the best tours of my life and really taught me how to sing better. I’m use[d] to men rarely defending me publicly, but it was a triggering experiencing nonetheless.”
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After acknowledging that her “abandonment issues” means she “take[s] rejection a lot harder than the usual person,” the R&B star continued: “I was so blessed to be protected and spoiled by Dreamville on those tours. I didn’t know how easy I had it. And I’m also aware that half of the mess I end up in I’m solely responsible for. Doesn’t make the disrespect feel good or valid.
“To protect my peace I will never open up for a soul again. STOP disrespecting openers. STOP creating excuses as to why these openers get violated on stage ‘maybe she shouldn’t have been on that tour’? This makes the disrespect and violence to Black women valid? Headliners, protect your openers.”
Ari Lennox previously opened up about the ordeal in January, describing it as “lonely” and “heavy on my soul.”
“I was never comfortable. I just remember every show, just racing to get off stage, racing to get through my set,” she admitted during a vulnerable Instagram Live broadcast.
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She also clarified that her issues weren’t with Rod Wave himself but his fans.
“I started trying to communicate with the audience and then I realized they were getting angry at me affirming them. You’re getting angry that I’m affirming you? This is not my crowd. And it’ll never be. And that’s alright,” she continued.
“It was tough and it was heavy on my soul, especially the day when the bottle happened because that side of the stage, like, I felt the energy … It was just all darkness — that was literally the energy that was coming from the left side.”
Elsewhere, she added: “I was on that stage and would people would have shit on their screens saying ‘Next,’ and I can’t deal with shit like that … What is this aggression? You’re that pissed?
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“It was a lot for two and a half months, like, getting my wardrobe stolen. It was just a very hard two and a half fucking months. Very lonely too. But I thought it would be a good idea.”
Rod Wave has yet to publicly address Lennox’s comments.
