In episode 1, Tory and Nick talk about his childhood growing up in Toronto and coming back there after moving around a lot because his dad was a missionary preacher. Tory shares his first musical memory and how he first started writing raps after his cousin kept beating him in Madden. So angry that he couldn’t beat him, Tory went outside and wrote something down dissing him as a way vent. Rapping became even more therapeutic when Tory’s Mom passed away because writing was one of the only outlets Tory felt he could express himself. Tory got his name Lanez because he would play chicken with oncoming traffic running in between lanes and Tory was short for Notorious (after the rapper Notorious BIG) which his friends didn’t want to call him, so he went for the shorten version with Tory. Tory said that although Biggie was was one of the top rappers, Tory was more influence by Tupac. He also learned how to project his voice by studying Pac. Tory started recording raps early at a small studio where he would self record, running back and forth between pressing record and running in the mic both. At that time he was sleeping in the floor of the small studio. Around 14-15 years old, Tory’s grandma told his dad that Tory couldn’t stay with them any more because he was being too reckless. Tory went to live with 3 young men he didn’t really know and shares story of getting into fights with them. He also recalls one of them taking him to buy underwear and undershirts when he didn’t have money to. Struggling to survive Tory was selling mixtapes at the mall to anyone that would stop and listen to him rap, which included Toronto model Winnie Harlow. He also resorted to shoplifting at the mall and sticking people up. Tory looks back and says that at that time if he wanted something he was going to take it, which got him in a lot of trouble.
Speak On It!