Honestly, if you were outside in late 2015, you remember the absolute chokehold Tory Lanez had on the holiday season. It was Christmas Day. While most people were opening socks or arguing over dinner, Tory decided to drop a double header: The New Toronto and Chixtape 3.
One was for the streets. The other? Pure, unadulterated nostalgia for the 90s and 2000s R&B heads.
Looking back, Chixtape 3 wasn't just another mixtape in a long line of Soundcloud era releases. It was the moment Tory Lanez solidified a specific "swavey" sound that basically dictated the next five years of melodic rap. He wasn't just rapping; he was reimagining the soundtracks of our middle school dances.
The Art of the Flip: Why the Samples Hit Different
We’ve all heard artists try to sample classic R&B and fail miserably. It usually feels lazy—like they’re just leaning on a better song to carry their lack of talent. But what Tory and his right-hand producer, Play Picasso, did on this project was different. They didn't just loop a beat. They chopped, pitched, and stretched these legendary tracks until they felt like brand-new fever dreams.
Take "N.A.M.E." for instance.
Most producers would be terrified to touch Alicia Keys’ "You Don't Know My Name." It’s sacred ground. But on Chixtape 3, they flipped it into something dark, moody, and almost desperate. It’s a 5-minute journey where Tory’s vocals actually compete with the sample rather than hiding behind it.
Then you’ve got "S M N," which obviously tackles Destiny’s Child’s "Say My Name." It’s probably the most "Toronto" sounding track on the tape—heavy bass, spacious atmosphere, and that specific late-night-drive-through-the-city energy.
The Real Tracklist Standouts
If you haven't revisited the tape in a while, here’s a quick refresher on what actually made it a classic:
- "Came 4 Me": The intro that set the tone. Short, sweet, and incredibly smooth.
- "Juvenile (Freestyle)": This is arguably the fan favorite. Flipping "Slow Motion" was a bold move, and Tory’s flow on this is probably some of his best rapping from that era.
- "You Got It Worse...": A direct nod to Usher. It’s peak heartbreak music.
- "Save It" (feat. Ed Sheeran): This was a massive "wait, what?" moment in 2015. Ed Sheeran on a Tory Lanez mixtape? It worked because it sampled Ed's own cover of Tory's "Say It." Meta, right?
The Drama of the Skits
You can’t talk about Chixtape 3 without mentioning the skits. Love them or hate them, they’re the glue. They tell the story of Keisha and Jalissa, and honestly, they’re kinda toxic.
But that’s the point.
The skits gave the mixtape a cinematic feel. It wasn't just a collection of songs; it was a narrative. It felt like you were eavesdropping on a messy relationship in a Brampton apartment complex. It gave the music a "real world" context that made the songs feel more personal.
Critics at the time, including some harsh takes on Reddit and Pitchfork, often pointed out that the lyrics could be "dehumanizing" or "crude." And yeah, looking back with 2026 eyes, some of the dialogue in those skits is definitely a product of its time. It’s aggressive. It’s messy. But it also represented a very specific era of R&B that wasn't trying to be "politically correct"—it was trying to be "raw."
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Why It’s Finally on Streaming (Technically)
For years, the biggest gripe fans had was that they couldn't listen to Chixtape 3 on Spotify or Apple Music without some local files wizardry. Because of the heavy sampling, clearing the rights was a legal nightmare.
Fast forward to late 2025, and things changed. A "Trilogy" version of the Chixtapes finally hit official platforms. It was a huge win for the fans who grew up on Audiomack and DatPiff. It also reminded everyone that before the legal drama and the headlines, Tory’s main contribution to the game was this specific R&B-fusion DNA.
The Play Picasso Factor
We need to give Play Picasso his flowers. Without him, there is no Chixtape 3.
His production style—the "swavey" sound—is defined by its texture. It’s grainy but polished. It uses vocal chops as instruments. If you listen to modern R&B artists like Brent Faiyaz or even some of Drake’s more atmospheric cuts, you can hear the echoes of what Picasso and Tory were doing in 2015.
They weren't the first to sample the 90s, but they were the first to make it feel like a "genre" rather than a gimmick.
Actionable Insights for Music Nerds
If you’re a producer or an aspiring artist looking at this project as a case study, here’s what you should take away:
- Don't just sample; reinvent. If you're going to use a classic, you have to add a new emotional layer to it. If the original song is happy, try making your version melancholic.
- World-building matters. The skits on Chixtape 3 created a world. People didn't just listen to the tape; they lived in it for 36 minutes.
- Vary your delivery. Tory’s ability to switch from a high-pitched falsetto to a gritty rap flow within the same song is why he stayed relevant for so long.
- Know your history. You can't flip what you don't understand. The success of this tape came from a deep, genuine love for the source material—the 112s, the Ushers, and the Ginuwines of the world.
Whether you're a day-one fan or someone just discovering the "Old Tory," this mixtape remains the gold standard for the series. It’s the bridge between the underground and the mainstream.
If you want to understand why people still argue about Tory's place in R&B history, go back to the 2015 Christmas release. The answers are all in the samples.
Your Next Steps:
- Check out the Chixtape Trilogy on streaming services to hear the remastered versions of these tracks.
- Compare the production on "Juvenile Freestyle" to the original "Slow Motion" by Juvenile to see exactly how Play Picasso manipulated the tempo and mood.
- Listen to The New Toronto (released the same day) immediately after to see the duality of Tory's artistry at his peak.