LIL TJAY - Canada Tour

The first show of 2023 is off to a great start with Brooklyn rapper Lil Tjay. Admittedly, we still needed to listen to Tjay's music apart from his chart-topping hit tracks, and before the concert, we did a deep dive into Tjay's discography listening through several singles and albums.

One of the standout tracks we found was, 'Beat the Odds.' The music video displays Tjay in a hospital gown during recovery from being shot seven times in an attempted robbery. The song is dark and hopeful, balancing reflections on senseless street violence with Tjay's love for his family. Diving deeper into the lyrics, you can see Tjay grappling with the existential realities of premature death with bars like…

'And trust me, I don't lie, can't fuck up, I'm a star right now.
If I wasn't quick to blow, I would be in the stars right now.'

Aspects of the music video appear to allude to this, with scenes shot inside a church, with the warm glow of a divine light back-lighting Tjay (1:53).

This should be unstated, but returning after an incident like that would be beyond challenging for anyone. Since, Tjay has performed at several live shows, most notably Rolling Loud NY 2022. The show we attended kicked off the first leg of Tjay's 'Born 2 Be Great Tour,' set across Canada and Europe.

Tjay's set was fantastic, and his stage presence was strong. Onstage, Tjay was energetic, seamlessly flowing through his hits while making sure to interact with the crowd. Seeing so many shows, it's easy to tell when an artist is disinterested or uncomfortable during a performance, none of which can be said about Tjay's set. Overall it was a great experience, and wish Tjay health and happiness in his future creative pursuits.

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