Welcome to The Sports Fan Journal’s latest series, In The Rotation. Music fans are always trying to find the latest tunes to spin and our editor Mya Melody, a.k.a. the playlist virtuoso, is here to help. Whether you need a weekend turn up anthem or a smooth jam for a kickback, this series will highlight the week’s hottest song to add in your collection. Vibe out and enjoy! #MelodyPutYouOn
If you're a music listener who believes real R&B died a long time ago, Ari Lennox is here to save the genre. After releasing a few singles over the past year, the J. Cole protégé is putting her sultry and svelte tone on full display with her debut album Shea Butter Baby. The 12-track project is filled with thoughts on intimacy, liberation, confidence, and "BMO" is one of the album's standout tracks.
Right when the beat drops, the production may sound familiar to hip-hop fans. If Busta Rhymes' "Woo Hah!! Got You All In Check" comes to mind, then you're right on the money. However, that classic Busta track and "BMO" both sample "Space" from composer Galt MacDermot. With a sample that is well-known in the hip-hop world, Lennox has a unique tone that can take a listener's mind to another dimension.
Following in the footsteps of artists such as Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, "BMO" shines bright with honesty, determination and pleasure. She keeps the sultry vibes at an all-time high as she pays homage to the classic LaBelle hit "Lady Marmalade" as she sings, "Break me off / And gitchi gitchi yaya when the lights is out." Lennox is unafraid to go after what she wants while keeping the vibe sensual and cool.
If this weekend calls for a night in with a bae, light some incense, pour some libations, put "BMO" in the rotation and check out this week's pertinent reading material:
Why All Eyes Are on Billie Eilish, the New Model for Streaming Era Success - Billboard
John Singleton: The Cinematic Voice Of The Hip-Hop Generation - VIBE
Ciara Is Living Her Best Life But Not Making Her Best Music - Stereogum
Nipsey Hussle had a plan to beat gentrification -- in South L.A. and across the U.S. - Los Angeles Times
Something in the Water: Virginia Is For Aliens - GQ
