To begin, I would be lying if I said I completely let rapper and singer Tory Lanez slip out of my mind due to his lack of music- up until now. Lanez released his latest album “MEMORIES DON’T DIE” on March 7th which contains a blend of contemporary and upbeat rap, along with some smoother R&B. Lanez’s purpose behind his album is just like any other artist in the Hip-Hop/R&B genre; rendering a typical situation of music artists now-a-days into their own stylistic way; such as girls, parties, hardships, life, and of course, his underlying beef with fellow Canadian rap artist “Drake”.

The rapper’s fued with Drake comes out in a slower, but sort of hype you could say, “Hate to Say.” The song itself is decent, and the beat in the back does it even more justice. The only negative side to it is how repetitive the tone of his voice is. Lanez impersonates Drake in other songs, but the album is almost entirely Lanez’s personal problems.

Lanez takes on a new twist in his album by mashing what seems to be two different songs into one with “Happiness x Tell Me.” Personally, I cannot go more than 5 minutes listening to a song unless I am playing it to fall asleep, and with this track, he starts out by basically putting his listeners to sleep with a piano in the background, and him telling a story not by rapping or singing it- by telling it. A recipe for boredom.

The album’s more uplifting side includes songs such as the vibey “Hypnotizing,” a feature with Wiz Khalifa called “Hillside,” a bump with 50 cent titled “Pieces,” a sort of Spanish reggaeton feel with “Skrt Skrt,” and my personal favorite, WITH my personal favorite, “Dance For Me.”

Each song is vastly similar in the way Lanez portrays it, but all can agree that each rap album must include a few of what high schooler’s may consider “a banger,” meaning it gets everyone bopping. What has now even become a warm up song for the lacrosse team at McLean, “Shooters” is the most upbeat and most what you could say “fun” out of the entire album. This may be the one song I have listened to the most out of the album. Following it, “B.I.D.,” the track with the most downloads on Apple Music, creates that typical catchy song that everyone knows as soon as it comes on 95.5.

The remaining songs are mediocre, but my opinion may not be your own. Despite all negatives, I have always loved Tory Lanez’s voice and his style choice in the way he creates his music. With this album, his signature vibe is present, but he creates a whole new feel that successfully dragged me in as it may for you. Do listen if you are appealed to a J.Cole sort of scenario, or if you are a big fan of intimate but hyper Hip-Hop/R&B.

Final Verdict: B