Lil Tjay Essentials

With singsong flows, unsparing street raps and emotional transparency, Lil Tjay is a face of modern New York hip-hop. The Bronx rhymer began recording seriously after spending time in a youth detention centre, and by 2019—when he was still in his late teens—he was already rapping about how sudden fame had altered his daily life (“One Take”). His output since then has swung comfortably between hard-bitten drill (2020’s “Zoo York” with Fivio Foreign and Pop Smoke) and softly lamenting love songs (2021’s blockbuster hit “Calling My Phone” with 6LACK). After being shot in the summer of 2022, Tjay recorded “Beat the Odds” from his hospital bed, reaffirming his instincts to render life experiences through pained melodies. He’s honest in discussing his personal path because he knows it’s what makes him him, and the young MC is increasingly open to exploring not just his chequered childhood but the heartbreak and trauma he has experienced since. That makes him a relative rarity in his city’s rap scene today, but that growing sincerity ensures that his complex feelings always ring true with fans.