Dear Tory,
I’m really, truly sorry. I feel you, man. A diligent work ethic and grind are staples in the rap community and you perpetuate this notion. You’ve put your life at risk multiple times to support your music career. 13-mixtapes, seven-years of non-stop recording, unfair “you’ll never be Drake” comparisons, more couches slept on than Rick James fucked up and countless sleepless nights comprise your tireless music pursuit. I respect your iron-plated persistence.
All this hard work culminated in your August 19th debut LP, I Told You—a 28-track look into your Toronto adolescence and relentless fight to get to this point. 28 tracks. Some people thought you were crazy for putting that many songs on an album. Fuck them. You deserve I Told You. You deserve a 28-track LP. Biggie isn’t the only one who has a story to tell. You utilized this one-hour and nineteen-minute project to effectively tell yours and I don’t think a minute was wasted—skits included. Songs like “I Told You/Another One”, “Guns and Roses”, “To D.R.E.A.M.”, “Friend With Benefits” and “Loners Blvd” craft your tale. You seamlessly intertwined rapping and singing to produce a catalogue of hits, laid over a bed of gripping production. But unfortunately, you weren’t the only one to release a project last weekend.
Frank Ocean. Oh Frank, you motherfucker. You gifted us one of the most challenging and beautiful albums in your 2012 Channel Orange release. You then ostensibly evaporated into an abyss of nothingness for four years. FOUR YEARS, FRANK! You toyed with our emotions. Your gaggle of empty promises for a follow-up album made me think that maybe you never actually existed—a mythical creature of sorts. But then you picked last weekend to absolutely stun the music world and remind us why we put up with your bullshit. After a four-year Frank drought, you gave us two projects: Endless and Blond released on 8/19 and 8/20, respectively. Once again, you blew me away. “White Ferrari” is serene and has been on repeat since its release. You invoked one of 2016’s best verses in Andre’s “Solo (Reprise)”. I want to hate you, but I can’t—you’re a special talent. But why Frank? Why did you have to steal this weekend from Tory?
Tory, I’m really, truly sorry. This was supposed to be your moment. I’m sorry that Frank eclipsed your release with his heavily anticipated return. You don’t deserve that; no one does. But I think this is just another test for you; another hurdle to overcome and deepen your rich story. Good music doesn’t fade away and I’m confident that you will get yours. Sometimes, timing can just be a bitch.
Best wishes,
Zach Hurwitz