Lil Tjay On His New Album, YNW Melly Friendship & Offset Drama

After his time with Columbia Records, Lil Tjay has made a transition to being an independent artist with the release of his new album, They Just Ain’t You, which is his first project under his own label, TrenchKid Records. The album, released on May 1, consists of 12 tracks that showcase his storytelling and melodic style set against compelling beats.

Prior to the album’s release, Tjay shared three teaser trailers that reflect on his difficult upbringing in the Bronx. He discusses his challenging childhood and acknowledges his mother’s commitment to maintaining street values, stating, “One thing about it is, my mom, she stands on being a gangsta.”

Tjay expresses a heightened sense of purpose with this new project. He mentioned, “But I didn’t super worry about it too much because I felt like I make good music. So, I was like, alright, I got something to prove but it can’t be wack. I didn’t feel like I had to dump. If I had something to prove for real, for real, I could have just let the whole clip go.”

Among the tracks, “Free the Bros” stands out to him as a tribute to those who are incarcerated. Tjay maintains a close friendship with YNW Melly, providing support as Melly continues to face legal challenges while in jail.

“I [speak] with Melly a great amount of time,” Tjay noted. “You know our birthdays are one day apart. And out of all the rappers, that’s one the closest [friends] I ever been to a rapper. That’s my other twin.”

While Tjay is supportive of Melly, he has also encountered some tension with Offset. In April, Tjay was arrested on disorderly conduct charges related to a shooting involving Offset outside the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In the interview, Tjay chose not to elaborate on this incident and asserted that he has no conflicts with anyone. He is focused on his future projects, including the release of another album, which he credits to the support of his fans.

“I got to actually tell y’all out there, I know I’m nothing without y’all backing me,” he stated. “All my [confidence] come from y’all. So I appreciate y’all the most.”

Listeners can find out more about Lil Tjay’s insights on his new project, his background, and other topics in his interview with Naijahomeland.