I Told You

 “Over-hyped”, “A poor man’s Drake” and “What the fuck is this shit?!” Just a selection of the shall we say mixed reactions when I first played a Tory Lanez track to people. 2 years on and Lanez has finally released his first major album – I Told You. After forcing us to nibble on a selection of mixtape entrees for 3 years, Lanez finally delivers the 28 track main course for us to dig our teeth into. My first reaction to reading “28 tracks” was “Fuck me, this is gonna take all day”, but on closer inspection it becomes apparent there are only 14 tracks on this album. The rest of the album is made up of “skits” and introductions to tracks which Lanez has become known for over the last few years – a pattern running through all of his previous mixtapes. Admittedly after hearing just 3 “skits” I felt the need to skip all the rest, I came to listen to hard hitting bangers, not some bloke jabbering on in pointless stories and monologues.

The “skits” and introductions aside, this album delivers in a big way. The album is full top to bottom with great beats and lyrical flow. Lanez delivers some alternative hip hop mixed in with some slower jams, embracing the new traphouse vibe of the last few years whilst keeping a chill old school feel – it’s good, it’s so so good! It’s hard to really pinpoint one genre for this album, but in truth that is the beauty of this album – it gives so much. Throughout the 14 tracks Lanez switches up his flow and goes from heavy tracks like “I Told You”, which catches you like a haymaker at the start of the album, to chill deeper tracks like “Guns And Roses” which lulls you into a rap fuelled trance. With tracks like “Cold Hard Love” and “Dirty Money”, Lanez showcases his deep soulful vocals before switching it back up and going back to the dark rap he was once famed for. Amazing lyrical flow, soulful vocals and hard hitting beats – this album delivers all the way through and doesn’t slip into any mediocre tracks. In particular the highlights of this album have to be for me “Friends With Benefits”, “Luv” and “To D.R.E.A.M”.

Whether you’re crying over your ex in your bedroom or blasting this out in your car, I promise you this album will not disappoint. There’s been a lot noise being made about Tory Lanez in the last couple of years but if “I Told You” is anything to go by, he is certainly worth all the hype.

Tory Lanez – I Told You – 9/10