Hangtime is developing a feature-length documentary about American rap star Lil Tjay‘s chart-topping rise to fame.
Lil Tjay’s songs have been streamed more than 17 billion times worldwide; he has received 29 RIAA gold and platinum certifications; and has toured the globe multiple times, selling out Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center and London’s O2 Arena. He has over 14 million monthly listeners on Spotify and more than 22 million followers across all social media platforms.
Hangtime is headed by co-CEOs Frank Murray and Frida Torresblanco. The as-yet-untitled documentary will be a collaboration with Standard Projects. Alongside Torresblanco and Murray, producers on the project include Clayton Barmore, Deon Douglas and Heather L. Boucher.
Born Tione Jayden Merritt, Lil Tjay grew up in the Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx. He was raised by a single mother, and has described himself as a “problematic child” who got in fights and committed robberies. In 2016, the then 15-year-old Lil Tjay’s life changed when his best friend was fatally stabbed 14 times. Months later, Tjay was arrested for robbery and sentenced to a year in a youth detention center. During his incarceration, he discovered his passion for music. He would later honor his childhood friend in a number of his songs, referencing his nickname, “Smelly.”
Lil Tjay hit the rap scene in 2018, generating multiplatinum-selling singles and a debut album, “True 2 Myself,” which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. In 2022, Lil Tjay was shot seven times in the chest during an attempted armed robbery. Months later, Tjay released his single “Beat the Odds,” which referenced his recovery and brush with death. The documentary will include performances by Lil Tjay, along with his reflections on stardom and his turbulent past.
“Witnessing a young man transform pain into purpose is what moved me to begin the journey to tell Lil Tjay’s story,” Torresblanco said in a statement. “He is a wounded poet whose resilience speaks to an entire generation. This documentary is about more than music; it’s about strength, growth and the quiet wisdom that can only come from living through what most of us will never have to experience. His voice shows young people that beauty can arise from hardship, and his legacy reminds us that even the most difficult struggles can inspire hope.”
Hangtime will introduce the project at Cannes. A director for the project will also be announced in the coming weeks. S: Variety
