Words by: Ryan Nelson
One of the biggest names in music lately has been Torey Lanez. He has jumped onto the charts with an album that is an epic story of his rise from poverty due to following his dream. With many skits alongside his songs, you get a feel for this artist and his difficult rise to the top. Just as many artists struggle with the longevity of their careers, Tory Lanez is being faced with this same reality. As many critics are calling Tory Lanez the new Drake, there are others who wonder if he can match this fellow Canadian rapper’s legacy.
With nearly half a million followers on Soundcloud and over a million followers on Instagram, it is easy to say that Tory Lanez has the fans to back up some of these claims. For having just released his first full-length album in 2016, it is amazing to see the type of success that Tory Lanez has amassed in such a short period of time. A Grammy nomination for best R&B song is just a cherry on top of everything that has happened to Tory Lanez during this crazy year. With all of this momentum, Tory Lanez fans are hoping for a very long-lived career with many more hits to come. However, Drake fans and critics are skeptical if he will actually become the next Drake.
When Lanez is asked about whether or not he wants to be bigger than Drake he will reply saying, “It’s not about being better than anybody, I just have to reach these people.” Tory reached a point in his life during his teens where he knew music was it for him. Facing four court cases, a teenage Tory Lanez quickly knew that there was more out there for him. He didn’t like committing crimes, and he was ready for something so much more.
While Tory says that he isn’t concerned with being the next Drake, it sure seems like he is into taking stabs at him in his music. With the recent release of The New Toronto 2, Lanez has taken some lyrics from the Drake song, 5AM in Toronto. Following the borrowed lyrics he raps, “And I pray I never dress like y’all. Only bird on my shirt is when I press that raw.” For those who are familiar with Drake’s OVO owl logo, it is easy to see that Lanez is taking a shot at the fellow Toronto rapper.
Tory Lanez has always been known for his extreme confidence. Many believe that this is what has pushed him to be so successful so quickly in the industry. Lanez has a unique style of writing where he will freestyle 3 or 4 lines at a time instead of writing anything down. This style of writing has helped many other very famous rappers like Lil’ Wayne become hit successes in the music industry. It will be hard to say how far Tory Lanez can go, but it will be very exciting to see his ascent as it continues.
Check out the two surprise mixtapes Lanez just dropped for New Years below – available for free stream and download from DatPiff.com