Tory Lanez, born Daystar Shemuel Shua Peterson on July 27, 1992, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, is a Canadian singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He gained recognition with his mixtape Conflicts of My Soul: The 416 Story in 2013 and signed with Mad Love Records in 2015. His debut album, I Told You (2016), achieved commercial success, featuring hits like “Say It” and “Luv.” Lanez’s musical style blends R&B and hip-hop, often incorporating both singing and rapping with a frequent use of autotune. He describes his personal style as “Swavey,” a fusion of multiple genres. (Wikipedia)

In December 2022, Lanez was convicted of shooting Megan Thee Stallion in 2020, resulting in charges of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, carrying a loaded, unregistered firearm, and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison in August 2023 and is currently incarcerated at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi.

Despite his incarceration, Lanez has continued to release music. His eighth studio album, Peterson, was released on March 7, 2025. The album was recorded entirely while in prison, utilizing AI technology, and Lanez has described it as the “first ever in-real-time prison album.” It features guest appearances from artists like Davo, Jaquain, King Midas, Max B, Paul McKay, SOS, and various members of Lanez’s family, including his son Kai’Lon, his father Sonstar, and his siblings DSTNY, Yoko Gold, and Wolfgang. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number 25.

Attack on Tory Lanez

On May 12, 2025, Lanez was hospitalized after being attacked by another inmate at the California Correctional Institution. The incident occurred around 7:20 a.m., and Lanez was transported to a hospital in Bakersfield with non-life-threatening injuries. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is investigating the incident.