Tory Lanez has come a long way in the last 4 years. LoVE me NOw, his second album in 2018 alone, is the culmination of an interesting journey for the rapper-singer. The energetic, upbeat collection of party hits is certainly characteristic of Lanez’s repertoire, but given all that has happened in his career as of late, it wasn’t clear if he would ever be able to sit back and produce an album that was more fun than feisty. LoVE me NOw confirms that he can and will, and that multi-dimensional may not even be suitable anymore in describing him as an artist.
Originally known for his consistent mixtapes and EPs, he garnered mainstream attention in the Summer of 2015 after his smash hit “Say It” and a big feature on Meek Mill‘s Dreams Worth More Than Money intro “Lord Knows”. From there, he sampled Tanto Metro and Devonte‘s “Everyone Falls In Love” on his other big hit “LUV” before working with Meek Mill again on “Litty.”
Around this time Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, got entangled in a brief rap beef with fellow Toronto native Drake regarding who runs the city. After his remix of “Controlla” was argued to have been better than the original, the two continued to fire shots which contributed to Tory’s dark, arrogant approach to the industry and ultimately his debut album ‘I Told You.’
A diverse set of music with no features, Lanez received criticism for his incessant use of sampling and the overwhelming presence of skits. So then he came with ‘Memories Don’t Die’ and tried to tell his story in a different way, bringing along Future, 50 Cent, Fabolous and others who are known for the way they weave narratives into their music. MDD was received better than ITY, and Lanez was content with establishing who he is to the world.
Now, he can have fun with his music and that’s exactly what LoVE me NOw is. Heavy use of autotune, melodies and a guest list with representation from all over the music spectrum allow the 26-year-old to fully tap into his creative side on this 15-song project. Features from the likes of A Boogie, 2 Chainz, Chris Brown twice, Meek Mill, Trippie Redd, Lil Baby, PNB Rock, Trey Songz and more serve to expand his appeal across various generations as well as show that he can stand toe to toe with the best of them.
Singles “KeeP IN tOUcH” featuring Bryson Tiller, “TAlk tO Me” alongside Rich The Kid, “DrIP DrIp Drip” with Meek, and “MiAMi” featuring Gunna were received positive recognition, and fit well within the overall scheme of the album. The first half is bass-heavy, but he does throw a few pensive, B Side type records in toward the end.
It’s very possible the paranoia that leads to his negative perception in the industry still exists within him. This album, however, is not reflective of that. It’s all about celebrating life, success, flexing, and having a ball in Miami. Lanez, like many other rappers, has adopted Miami as his hometown and this project feels like the ideal South Beach party music.
An interesting note, the narrative conveyed throughout his album titles when combined shows that he still very much so has a deeper message to get across even if not told explicitly through the music. “I told you, memories don’t die, love me now.” Perhaps he recognizes that the negativity will forever be salient in people’s minds even after he is gone, so he’s looking to reframe the narrative by simply being happier and promoting that side of himself.
Check out the video for “DrIP DrIp Drip” below, along with the entire LoVE me NOw album available everywhere.