Ever since Kanye West dropped 808s & Heartbreaks it seems as if the line between rapper and singer has become increasingly blurred. Guys who followed his lead, like Drake and Kid Cudi, only pushed the boundary further, influencing a whole generation of up and coming artists who now take inspiration from their examples. Similarly, the idea of a rapper-producer is no longer a foreign concept either. J. Cole and Big K.R.I.T. are two names that come to mind in that realm. Because of this, the whole idea of an artist becoming completely self sufficient is no longer entirely novel. Until now though, it can be argued we had never encountered anyone who was equally talented at all aspects of their craft. That’s where Tory Lanez comes in.
As a musician, Tory refuses to be classified. While all of the artists we mentioned are probably best known for one aspect of their skill sets, Tory prefers to be recognized for everything he does. Rather than being known as a rapper or a singer, for lack of a better term, Tory classifies his music as “Swavey,” which is basically the idea of fusing together all aspects of his art and striving to be the best at everything.
The Toronto native has been labeled “next” for quite awhile now. While that term is vague to begin with, there is no doubt that a certain level of expectation comes with the title. To his credit though, Tory never lets any of that get to his head. If you ever have the chance to watch him live, you’ll notice that he has undeniable charisma, and brings a raw energy to his performances, yet he still retains a certain sense of humility that keeps him grounded through it all. What’s even more special though is that Tory doesn’t draw a line between him and his fans, instead choosing to embrace them as family. After each show he’ll hold meet and greet session where he gives everybody the time of day–no rushed photographs, no quick autographs, no fake smiles. He will have legitimate conversations with every single person until he is essentially forced out of the venue.
Before his recent show in Chicago, we had a chance to catch up with Tory and discuss his upbringing, his mindset in the studio, and find out what truly separates him from the rest of the pack. If you have the opportunity to check out Tory live, we highly recommend it. His next show is this Sunday in Denver, but you can find the remaining dates for his Lost Cause tour on his official website.
TMN: This is basically the second leg of your Lost Cause tour, with the first ending last fall. How has the experience been so far, and what does it feel like to be headlining your own shows?
Tory Lanez: It feels amazing man. This is the second leg, so basically the second tour I’ve ever really headlined myself, and I’m just blessed to see fans–well, I should never call them fans, I always make that mistake. I’m so sorry to the SwaveNation for that. I call them citizens, and I’m glad to see citizens in every place. It shows me that this SwaveNation thing is really real, it’s really a nation. When I see so many different people in different spots, it’s like we’re really all a movement, so it’s just a blessing to be in my own setting, to inspire them and to lead them with direction when I go onstage.
