The State of Tory Lanez And What Memories Don't Die Will Do For His Career

Tory Lanez is gearing up for the release of his sophomore project Memories Don’t Die, expected to drop Friday. This had us thinking about both what we are expecting to see from the Toronto rapper, but also what we’d like to see as well. The Range King has released a variety of new music over the past year, but which sounds will make the cut? And what type of artist will the industry view Lanez as when it’s all said and done?

Let’s start with what we already have confirmed on the album. The tracklist comes in at 18 songs, with features from Future, Mansa, NAV, 50 Cent, Fabolous, Davo, Paloma Ford, and Wiz Khalifa. We’ve also got a preview of the album from four singles that he’s released over the past few months, “Shooters”, “Skrt Skrt”, “Real Thing” featuring Future, “B.I.D.”. We also find it necessary for the record to report that his song “I Sip” which was expected to be on the album, did not make the cut.

The lengthy tracklist gives hope that we’ll get to see a multitude of Tory Lanez’s voices, which he’s already previewed with each of these singles. “Shooters” is the type of song you play on the way to your away game and bump that shit. “Skrt Skrt” instantly sounded like it was meant for every club in America. “Real Thing” is definitely a sleeper with 2 solid verses from Tory along with a guest spot from Future, and “B.I.D.” got a big premiere spot on Beats 1 radio for the first time in his career.

Since the success of I Told You back in 2016, which catapulted Tory’s career with massive hits like “Flex” and “Say It”, the rapper has always kept his name in mainstream conversations. Last spring, he had Drake announce on the gram that the two had squashed their beef and called the reunitement “a big moment for music...” on Zane Lowe’s Beat’s 1 radio show. He’s also earned some notable guest spots such as “Litty” which released on Meek Mill’s Dreamchasers 4, and FOUR appearances on Mark Battles’ Day 2, all being highlight tracks on the album. To top off his 2017, he also joined Future and the star studded lineup for the Nobody Safe Tour.

What does all this attention mean for Fargo’s music though? If Skrt Skrt or B.I.D. are any indication, it is clear that Tory Lanez has been affected by the limelight. While the topic is not whether these songs are any good or not, they are definitely fit for the radio and the club scene and not typical songs for the everyday listen. “Shooters” and “Real Thing” on the other hand, show off more of the commanding Lanez that’s trying to claim his spot at the table.

It’s been an enjoyable journey watching Lanez progress as an artist over the years. Since his snub off the 2015 XXL Freshman list, it’s been clear that he’s made it his mission to prove himself in the industry. He went on to release New Toronto, arguably one of the best tapes to ever be released, later that year as well as start his Fargo Friday campaign that he ran on his SoundCloud. This weekly special has brought us some of his best work with his Swave Sessions, including remixes to popular songs such as DJ Khaled’s Shining, and Playboi Carti’s Magnolia. His Shining freestyle was also where he first announced that this album was complete, and judging by his outro on that track, it’s likely that we get a few songs that mimic the flow and style he uses throughout the song.

However, If Memories Don’t Die ends up sounding like the two club songs that he’s released off the album, it’s safe to assume that Tory lanez may be starting to move away from his rapping style and focus more on R&B and singing. While we hope this isn’t the case, we can definitely see him being a powerhouse in the hook game, up there in the conversation with the likes of Chris Brown and Travis Scott. Again though, we hope this isn’t the case.

Personally, I became a fan of Tory around the release of I Told You, along with his song “B.L.O.W.” which to date is still at the top of my list. What’s so great about these projects is

his diversity with every track. Each song is pure Tory Lanez, from the vocals, to the bars, to the storytelling. He’ll deliver a hook at the extreme of each end of the vocal range, then, he’ll transition right into either that catchy swave style tone of voice, or a verrucous set of bars that have the whole crowd bouncing at his shows. The creativity and flexibility with his music is what set Lanez apart from the rest and ultimately put him on the map.

It’s a shame that “The Process” from his Champs commercial with Joel Embiid didn’t make the cut on this tracklist, but it still gives hope that something similar will make its way to the album. Lanez is very good with making sure that he pleases all of his fans, as he did at the beginning of 2017 with the release of two mixtapes, New Toronto 2 and Chixtape 4. Our official projection: we see a mix of both split right down the middle. Half of what we see will most likely be songs fit for the radio and perfect for the club scene. However, his tracks that feature 50 Cent and Fabolous both prove to be very promising. If these deliver along with a few more gems that prove Fargo hasn’t lost his flow, it’s certain to excite any listener that tunes in on March 2nd.