Last updated: July 19, 2026
Searches for how is Tory Lanez releasing music from prison are surging right now, and the reason is simple: on Friday, July 17, 2026, the incarcerated rapper dropped a brand-new 23-track double album, Made You Think I Was Gone …But — recorded while serving a 10-year sentence in a California state prison. Here is exactly how he is doing it, whether it is legal, and where his case stands today.
Who Is Tory Lanez and Why Is He in Prison?
Tory Lanez (real name Daystar Peterson) is a Canadian rapper and singer who was convicted in December 2022 of three felonies for shooting Megan Thee Stallion in the feet after a Hollywood Hills party in July 2020. In August 2023 he was sentenced to 10 years in California state prison. For the full background on the case, see our article on why Tory Lanez is in jail and our breakdown of his 10-year sentence.
In November 2025, a California appeals court upheld his conviction. His legal team has said it will take the fight to the California Supreme Court and has also asked Governor Gavin Newsom for a pardon, but as of July 2026 neither effort has changed his status.
Why Is Tory Lanez Releasing Music From Prison Trending Now?
The current spike in searches comes from the release of Made You Think I Was Gone …But, a double album that arrived on streaming services on July 17, 2026. The project is split into two discs — one rap, one R&B — and runs 23 tracks, with guest appearances from HollywoodSos and VV$ Ken. Days before release, two unreleased tracks leaked online, and his team confirmed they were authentic, fuelling even more interest in how a man in state prison keeps putting out full albums.
This is not his first release from behind bars. Lanez previously put out the Prison Tapes series — halted when correctional officers confiscated recording equipment from his cell — and the 2025 album Peterson, also assembled while incarcerated.
How Does Tory Lanez Actually Record Music Behind Bars?
According to Lanez and his team, the core method is surprisingly low-tech: he records vocals over monitored prison phone calls. His engineers on the outside capture the audio from those calls, then clean, mix and master the vocals in a professional studio, layering them over beats produced outside the prison. Some material may also have been recorded before his incarceration and finished later by his team.
Inmates in California state prisons are not permitted to possess cell phones or personal recording devices, which is why his earlier attempt to record with equipment in his cell ended with the gear being confiscated. Phone-call recording, by contrast, uses the prison’s own approved communication system — the same approach Drakeo the Ruler famously used to record an entire acclaimed album, Thank You for Using GTL, from a Los Angeles jail in 2020.
Is It Legal for Inmates to Release Music From Prison?
Generally, yes. There is no blanket US law preventing a prisoner from writing or releasing music. Prison phone calls are recorded and monitored, and both parties consent to that recording, but nothing in most state rules stops the person on the outside from preserving the inmate’s side of a call and turning it into a song. What is prohibited is possessing contraband recording devices or cell phones inside the facility — that can lead to disciplinary action, loss of privileges, or loss of good-conduct credits.
The US prison system is split between federal prisons, run by the Bureau of Prisons, and state systems like the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), which holds Lanez. Each system sets its own rules on phone privileges, property and discipline, and some facilities even operate supervised music programs for well-behaved inmates. To learn more about how US prisons operate day to day, browse our full list of US prisons or our guide to looking up prison records online.
Where Is Tory Lanez Now and When Could He Be Released?
Lanez is currently held at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo County, after being transferred from the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. The move followed a violent May 2025 incident in which he was stabbed 16 times by a fellow inmate — an attack that led him to file a $100 million lawsuit against the CDCR in April 2026. We covered that case in detail in our article on Tory Lanez suing the prison system.
His projected release date is 2033, though he becomes eligible for parole in November 2029, and good-conduct credits could move his earliest possible release into the early 2030s. Unless his California Supreme Court appeal or a governor’s pardon succeeds, fans should expect more albums made the same way: one phone call at a time.
FAQ
How does Tory Lanez record music in prison?
He records vocals over monitored prison phone calls to his engineers, who then mix and master the audio in a studio outside. Personal recording equipment is not allowed in his cell, and gear he previously used was confiscated.
What is Tory Lanez’s new album called?
The new project is a double album titled Made You Think I Was Gone …But, released on July 17, 2026. It contains 23 tracks split across a rap disc and an R&B disc.
Is it illegal for prisoners to release music?
No. Releasing music is generally legal, provided the inmate does not use contraband devices such as smuggled phones or recorders. Recording over official, monitored prison phone lines is the common legal route.
Is Tory Lanez still in prison in 2026?
Yes. He remains in California state custody at the California Men’s Colony in San Luis Obispo County, serving the 10-year sentence imposed in August 2023 after his conviction for shooting Megan Thee Stallion.
When will Tory Lanez get out of prison?
His projected release date is 2033. He becomes eligible for parole in November 2029, and good-conduct credits could bring his earliest release into the early 2030s, unless an appeal or pardon changes the outcome sooner.