Lil Tjay turns the worst day of his life into one of his best albums to date with “222.”

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TOP 5

Honorable Mention. Stressed (Ft. Summer Walker)

I didn’t expect to hear a Lil Tjay and Summer Walker duet on this album…

It’s not half-bad, though. While I wish Tjay’s style meshed with Summer’s style a little cleaner, at the end of the day, I can get jiggy with the song’s pleasant/uptempo R&B beat, Lil Tjay’s highly infectious hook, and the vulnerable lyrics that we get out of both Tjay and Summer.

Honestly, this sounds like a generic 2023 R&B song (I mean this in both a good and bad way).

 

 

Honorable Mention. Bla Bla (Ft. Fivio Foreign)

This is easily the hardest track on this album.

Lil Tjay and Fivio Foreign’s chemistry is as good as it’s ever been. In “Bla Bla,” they sound great together. Throughout the song, which is powered by this action-packed drill beat, Tjay and Fivio hit us with frantic flows, aggressive deliveries, and lyrics that indicate that they are in love with revenge. If I were to guess, it was Fivio that made Tjay return to his demonic ways.

 

 

5. Someone Who Cares

You always have to remember this one important thing: Thugs need love too.

“Someone Who Cares” sounds and feels like an unadulterated, authentic, and unfiltered love song. In it, you get perhaps TJay’s softest vocals and his most nurturing lyrics. As someone who has probably evaluated everything and everyone around him these past couple of months, I don’t blame him for making this s**t.

If you simply enjoy music, there’s no way you can walk away from this song not moved by the soulful production and Tjay’s infectious melodies. If you are someone who tries to act tough, you have to appreciate how he methodically inserts gritty raps into the equation.

 

 

4. Hole In My Heart (Ft. Jadakiss)

Who said that new ninjas and old ninjas couldn’t make good music together?

I love that we get the epitome of new New York and old New York in “Hole In My Heart.” I also rock with the song’s powerful topic (Tjay and Jadakiss call out backstabbing individuals in the song), Lil Tjay’s hella intoxicating melodies, and Jadakiss’ gritty-ass verse. All in all, I feel like this is one of the most authentically dramatic tracks on the album.

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3. Scared 2 Be Lonely

Who the f**k is cutting onions at 1 AM?

“Scared 2 Be Lonely” tried to jump my f**king soul. The emotional trap R&B beat grabbed its legs, Lil Tjay’s soothing/infectious hook punched it in the face, and his reflective lyrics repeatedly punched it in the stomach. Don’t let it fool you, though, the song isn’t completely sweet. There are moments in which Tjay lets his enemies know that he’s ready to take them out like Miami did Milwaulkee

 

 

2. June 22nd

On June 22, 2022, Lil Tjay almost lost his life…

I feel like Lil Tjay’s comeback story is truly miraculous. Just to remind you, about a year ago, he was reportedly shot seven times during an attempted robbery. At a certain point during his recovery, I didn’t think he would make it. Not only is Tjay alive and well, but he’s practically returned to the same spot he was in before everything went down. In “June 22nd,” the New York rapper reflects on the day he almost died.

It’s crazy how vivid Lil Tjay’s verses are in this song. Throughout “June 22nd,” he talks about the people he met that day, the chains he wore, and what he planned to do in the coming weeks. He also describes how everything went down that night. Though the production we get in the track is dramatic as hell, Tjay raps with a level of coldness that tells

 

 

1. Project Walls

This is a really cool collaboration.

“Project Walls” fits both Tjay’s and YoungBoy’s styles perfectly. The song is powered by this emotional, piano-driven drill beat that makes the two artists’ dramatic melodic raps jump off the page. Content-wise, you get lyrics that highlight their rough childhoods and unique come-ups. Of course, they also do a little threatening here and there. While I think Tjay sets the tone for the song, NBA definitely dropped 45 on it.

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SONG BY SONG BREAKDOWN

1. Nightshift (4/5)

2. June 22nd (4.5/5)

3. Nobody (3.5/5)

4. Scared 2 Be Lonely (4/5)

5. Stressed (Ft. Summer Walker) (4/5)

6. 2 Grown (Ft. The Kid LAROI) (4/5)

7. Heart Felt Soul (4/5)

8. Bla Bla (Ft. Fivio Foreign) (4/5)

9. Someone Who Cares (4/5)

10. Forgot I Was The 1? (4/5)

11. Hole In My Heart (Ft. Jadakiss) (4/5)

12. Project Walls (Ft. NBA YoungBoy) (5/5)

13. Beat The Odds Pt 2 (Ft. Polo G) (3.5/5)

14. Foster Baby (4/5)

15. Grateful (Ft. Coco Jones) (4/5)

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RGM RATING

(B)

 

This sounds like an album from someone that got as close to the light as you can get.

Lil Tjay has always been an artist that relies on melodies, so I’m not surprised that a good chunk of this 222 album features a lot of singing. What I do think is interesting is how emotional it sounds as a whole. While listening to the project, I only heard one tough-ass beat and that was the one that powers “Bla Bla.” The rest would fit perfectly on the soundtrack to a hip-hop soap opera. Here’s what I think, though: It’s impossible to hate production that strikes a chord and moves your soul.

222 has some very interesting guest appearances, ay (In my Canadian voice. BTW, I am not Canadian)? You can’t tell me you expected Summer Walker, Jadakiss, The Kid LAROI, or to a lesser extent, NBA YoungBoy being on this album. While I think his chemistry with YoungBoy on “Project Walls” is excellent, I didn’t love his chemistry with the rest. What’s interesting is that I think The Kid LAROI and Summer Walker actually saved the songs they were on.

Only 50 Cent can picture taking as many shots as Lil Tjay and surviving. With that being said, I can’t tell him how to feel or approach this album. What I will say is this: I really like how he approached it. Throughout 222, I like that he mixes gutter lyrics with lyrics about needing peace and love. I also love that he tackled his shooting and all the emotions that came with that incident. At Tjay’s most vulnerable time of his life, he was truly an open book.

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