Tory Lanez: 10 Albums That Changed My Life

Tory says: "Because it was a special time in my life. It was the peak of my life, when my family was still all together, my mom was still alive, and we were all living in one house. I took in that album the last year she was alive, and it reminds me of all the memories of her last moments. My mom passed away when I was 11, due to a rare disease that effects four in one million people every year. That album brings back the best moments of her in my mind."

Tory says: "I heard 'Through The Wire' the day of my Mom's funeral. Kanye's tragic ass accident and the way he survived and recovered, it gave me hope. His story was so crazy to me. It was a motivational slap in the face. It was like: 'Nigga get up off your ass, stop sobbing and do something.' Then 'Last Call,' that was the most inspirational, illest fuckin' story. It's the story of the underdog. I've been an underdog my whole life. I wasn't supposed to be here, doing interviews, but I got an incredible movement behind me and I'm so blessed to have the support of people like you guys. 'Last Call' helped to develop that hope. College Dropout as a concept–like yo, I'm a highschool dropout, I related to it. I'm not encouraging anyone to drop out or nothing like that, I'm just saying the shit wasn't for me. It's all a part of my story."

Tory says: "That shit just reminds me of all the Toronto nights. In the city, the lights of the city, I feel like I'm having a dream of Toronto. It was dope to see someone from my city make a classic. He set the bar for a new Toronto sound. It's funny because people try to tell me I sound like Drake because I rap and I sing and I'm from Toronto–but the fact is, I've listened to his music enough to know that I don't sound anything like him. However I'm honored to be mentioned in the same sentence when people talk about Toronto's music."

Tory says: "It's really tough for me to be impressed by one of my peers. But Chance is my age, and let's be honest, the dude is nice as fuck. When I met him he told me he had my music since my first mixtape, and that was crazy, because I had been bumping his shit that day."

Tory says: "I like the fact that he has a lot of God references in his tape and the fact that it played like a movie. It was a cohesive body of work. My dad is a preacher, and I myself am a God-fearing man. Also I related to records like "The Art Of Peer Pressure" and certain references that happened throughout the project that I'd rather keep to myself."

Tory says: "When I first really wanted to rap I was in third grade. I heard Stillmatic and it made me want to rap. It made me want to be a lyricist. It made me want to tell stories. I loved "You're The Man." That shit was crazy. "Second Childhood" was one of my favorite Nas songs of all time besides "Watch Dem Niggas." Stillmatic was significant because it made my older brothers pick up rap. I remember the day: I was in the room, and my older brother Brooks said to my brother Moses, "If I ever picked up a pen, I bet I'd be nicer than you." That was the first time my brother Brooks ever rapped. Listening to that album, his shit was hard. He still is. Stillmatic inspired my brothers, and of course inspired me."

Tory says: "That took water to the root of my singing side. Also, it showed me the difference between music that's for the time and music that is timeless."

Tory says: "Tupac told stories that weren't fit for normal conversation. There are certain stories in my life that I can't tell. Music gives me the outlet to explain certain things. It gave me the platform to share my life, my story, my perspective. Nobody did that better than Tupac."

Tory says: "At the time that it came out I was already a fan, but he was talking about shit that I was going through as a not-on-nigga. He brought the cool side, and it was motivational to see how far a mixtape could take him. To me, that was his best piece of work. The project was about giving a vibe. Kids were listening to "Up" and wanting to try the shit. It's funny, but it was a lifestyle thing."

Tory says: "I gotta be real—I've never bought an album. I told myself as a kid that the first album I'd ever buy was gonna be my own, and I stuck to that. I'm the youngest of six kids, so my brothers put me on to music. The first album I buy will be worth the wait."