Tory Lanez
I Told You
(Mad Love/Interscope Records)

I didn’t know much about Tory Lanez when he released his 2014 mixtape Lost Cause. The mixtape brought Tory a bunch of buzz and the single “Say It” rose up the charts and got everyone’ s attention. The song had a nostalgic sample of The Brownstones’ record and played on a plethora of urban radio stations. I heard a few other songs in passing and noticed his unique delivery. I discovered that Tory had traveled and lived in various places including Jamaica, Queens, NY.  I couldn’t place the sound, but it started making sense. I was finally able to sit down and listen. I Told You is an eclectic album of urban music. “Dirty Money” has a Young Thug-ish sound, which is the popular choice in radio right now. It sounds like a club choice. “Flex” is another song I could hear spinning loudly in the club circuit as well. I came to a personal conclusion that he creates a sub-genre of mood music. It may or may not cater to your taste personally, but it has its own place.

“Loners Blvd” is pretty cool. The intro led me to believe that the record would go in a totally different direction, but I was pleasantly surprised. It sounds like a musical autobiography; I discovered a little more about him with that song alone. I also discovered that his singing is a newly added skill to his musical abilities. (Rapping was first.) A few songs didn’t really hit home until “Guns and Roses.” I am a sucker for melodic songs. He’s also singing in falsetto, which isn’t heard from younger artists as often. I appreciate risk takers. A lot of songs on the project have a trap vibe, but Tory still maintains his own identity. I would call this a cruise album. If you’re into hip-hop and have an open mind, give it a shot.