Tory Lanez Is In Scary Territory

What’s poppin y’all,

So Tory Lanez really just pulled off the impossible. I was only able to listen to the first track, and right away, it sounded a bit off from the audio quality. Keep in mind—I’m not an audio snob whatsoever. I usually can’t tell the difference between different mixes, I just don’t have that ear, and I don’t have the expertise either. It’s probably something I could develop, but that’s a topic for another day.

After hearing the first song, it was a good song, and I told myself I’d come back to check the rest later. But the thing that immediately stood out? It sounded like he recorded it in jail. And then I started seeing all the headlines, the quotes, and the people he went at—and suddenly, this felt like the perfect follow-up to Daystar, his original album.

Tory is going at everybody.

Now, one thing I personally don’t think is a great idea? Going at Jay-Z. Some people will say, "Oh, well, Tory’s got nothing to lose. He’s already in prison, serving a long sentence. If Jay was part of the reason he’s in that position, then let him call it out." And I get that logic. But at the same time, Jay-Z operates on a completely different level.

Think about it—can you even name one of Jay-Z’s vices? Exactly. He’s untouchable in a way that most other rappers aren’t. For most artists, we can name their weaknesses, their controversies, their downfalls. Jay? He’s above all of that.

Not to mention, Tory is still going to need the legal system if he ever wants a shot at staying in America after his sentence. And when he gets out? If he wants a career again, he’s going to need some level of industry support. And who’s beloved by the industry? Jay-Z.

So musically, of course I enjoy it. But strategically? I don’t think this was the right move. I want to see Tory win, because I do think he’s authentic, but he’s playing a dangerous game.

I’ll give you guys more thoughts once I finish listening to the full project, but this was one of the biggest highlights I felt like I needed to tackle. Stay tuned.

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