Once in a while, an artist comes along who totally flips the Hip Hop game on its head. These artists come along with a sound that’s totally unlike what everyone else is doing. Typically, these artists have a polarizing effect on the industry. There are a lot of older fans of Hip Hop who will push back on this new sound, but ultimately, the young fans who are attracted to it will help it flourish and eventually become a staple in Hip Hop music. Recent artists who fit this mold are Yeat, Ken Carson, and even Ice Spice. All three of them had a style of music that was different from what everyone else was doing, and although they got a lot of flack when they first came out, they are now serving as an influence for a lot of younger artists who were enthralled by their sounds. Someone who emerged about halfway through 2023 and fits this description perfectly is 4batz. He originally went viral on TikTok during the summer of last year; almost immediately after releasing his debut single, ‘act i: stickerz “99,”’ he took the internet by storm and started to become a household name. As well as his debut single, 4batz’s next single, ‘act ii: date @ 8,’ was even more successful. This track ended up garnering hundreds of millions of streams, and it even ended up getting remixed by Drake. Drake has been known for being great at hopping onto new trends in Hip Hop that ended up taking over the industry very early, so this was a glowing endorsement for 4batz. All of this success led to him being signed by Drake’s OVO Sound; it also garnered him a ton of love from other titans in Hip Hop like Kanye West. It is not tough at all to see why 4batz is captivating the Hip Hop industry like this. Everything about his sound and style is interesting and individualistic; there is no one doing it like him. 4batz makes R&B Trap music with a super gentle sound. Not only does this style of music stand out for its atmospheric qualities, but 4batz himself stands out because of how much his look and demeanor contrast the kind of music he makes. Frankly, 4batz looks like he would make intense, hard-hitting Drill music. The fact he makes what is almost the complete Hip Hop opposite makes him so intriguing. 4barz recently released his debut project, titled u made me a st4r. If this project pops off in the way his debut singles did, 4batz can cement himself as a rising hitmaker in R&B that has the potential to go a very long way. With that being said, here is how I feel about 4batz’s u made me a st4r. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from this project from 4batz, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
This project starts with a 40-second introduction track where 4batz sort of addresses the fact that people think he could be an industry plant because of how abruptly he blew up out of nowhere. The track starts with a couple of audio clips of popular DJs speculating how he became this famous, and then 4batz himself comes onto the track, stating that he has no idea how this happened. He states that one moment he is going through heartbreak and decides to make heartbreak-inspired music and the next, he is a worldwide phenomenon. The fact that he got so big is just as baffling to him as it is to anyone else. This intro track goes in the 4batz aforementioned debut single, ‘act i: stickerz “99.”’ This is a brief and sweet R&B track with such a lovely and soothing sound. The melody for this track(at least in the first half of the song) sounds like it comes from a pitched-up version of some super pleasant R&B song from the 1990s. The energy of this sample that drives the melody makes me think of artists like SWV or Brownstone. This melody is put on top of a punchy yet tranquil R&B beat that has a lot of bass but still feels pretty easygoing. 4batz vocal performance in ‘act i: stickerz “99,”’ is just as mesmerizing as the instrumental. The way he rides this instrumental is so comforting and welcoming to the ear. As I mentioned, the first half of the song is pitched up. The second half, however, is pitched down and slowed down/chopped up a bit. Even though this is the case, the song does not lose its charm at all. Even though it feels a lot lower, it is just as passive as the first half. In ‘act i: stickerz “99,”’ 4batz is singing about having struggles trying to keep a relationship going with a long-distance partner. The space between them is putting a strain on their relationship. 4batz other single, ‘act ii: date @ 8,’ comes next on the album. The instrumental for this song feels a bit more energetic and bigger than the one on the opening track. The melody for this track has a different kind of old-school R&B feeling. Instead of feeling inspired by the 1990s, this one gives me late 1970s or early 1980s. When I hear this melody, I think of artists like Marvin Gaye or Al Green because of how funky and smooth it is. The beat for ‘act ii: date @ 8’ is more modern than the one on the previous track. This track has a bouncy R&B Trap sound, which adds the level of emphasis it has. 4batz’s vocal performance on ‘act ii: date @ 8’ is a bit more lively; it goes super well with the energy of the instrumental. I love how he slides so effortlessly over this track with his crispy flow. The second outro of this song is pitched down as well. This seems to be a recurring theme with 4batz’s music. Unlike the song before it, the energy of the second half of ‘act ii: date @ 8’ is drastically different than the first half. When this song gets pitched down, it feels deeper and heavier. In ‘act ii: date @ 8,’ 4batz is singing about pampering his lady and trying to buy her everything she wants for a special date between them.
‘act iii: on god? (she like)’ is the third and final single released in anticipation of this record. This one was definitely the least viral of the three. I think that this is a shame, because in my opinion it may be the best one(although ‘act ii’ is pretty cool too, I am not going to lie). The energy on ‘act iii: on god? (she like)’ is a lot darker than it is on the other two singles. Whereas those tracks feel positive and inviting, this one feels cold and melancholy. I like the way the guitar-driven melody of this track is mixed a lot. The filters on it make it feel extra metallic, which is so gripping. The beat for ‘act iii: on god? (she like)’ is very low-key; the focus of the instrumental is very much on the melody, and the beat just slowly pushes the song along. The agony that 4batz is feeling while singing this song is palpable through his vocals. 4batz vocal performance on ‘act iii: on god? (she like)’ is so compelling and gets the message of the song across noticeably. In ‘act iii: on god? (she like),’ 4batz is singing about his girl telling him to go find someone else. She is stating she can not give him what he wants and that he needs to get over her. ‘get out yo feelings ho’ is a 40-second interlude where 4batz begins to vent about the situation he is addressing in the previous song. About 20 seconds into the track, his friend bursts in telling him to get over himself and to forget that girl because it is over. This brief interlude is quirky and engaging. I like how it immediately cuts to him literally talking about the topic of the last track, as it feels like the fourth wall is briefly breaking. ‘get out yo feelings ho’ is a cool little interlude with substance I appreciate. ‘act iv: fckin u(18+)’ is the first dud of the project for me. It is not a good sign that it is the first actual song that was not a single. To be honest, I do not have a ton to say about this track. To be frank, it kind of feels like a knock off Brent Faiyaz track. Everything about this one makes me think of Brent Faiyaz. Like ‘act i: stickerz “99,”’ the soulful 1990s influence is very evident on this one(which is a sound Brent Faiyaz incorporates in his music a bunch as well). For me, it just is not as engaging on this one for me though. Everything about ‘act iv: fckin u(18+)’ is okay and unmemorable for me, from the melody to the vocals. I am not going to say it is bad by any means, but it also does not pull me in. The title of ‘act iv: fckin u(18+)’ does a pretty good job describing what this song is about. I do not think I have to say anything else. The magic returns for 4batz in my opinion with ‘act v: there goes another vase.’ This track feels inspired by another kind of 1990s R&B music. The people who I thought of immediately when I first listened to this one are Mariah Carey and Monica. This song has a soft and lowkey melody and beat that are so balmy and charming. The melody has a sparking quality, and the drum pattern matches this shimmery feeling. The best thing by far about ‘act v: there goes another vase’ is the vocal performance from 4batz. I think this is easily the best vocal performance of the record to this point, which is saying a lot. The emotion in 4batz’s voice can be felt, his flow is so engrossing, and the range he sings with is very nice. ‘act v: there goes another vase’ is another song with a pitched down outro. I did not mind it on the previous tracks where this happens, but I have to say I do not feel the pitch down on this one. It changes up the energy of the track too much and does not add anything that helps it. In ‘act v: there goes another vase,’ 4batz is singing about a very tumultuous and toxic relationship that is chaotic and passionate in the worst way.
I would say that ‘act vi: mad man’ is the song with a sound that fits the most seamlessly into the R&B Trap landscape of today. In other words, it is probably the most basic song of the album to this point. The instrumental for this one is very similar to what I would expect to hear from artists like Don Toliver or Gunna. It has a Cloudy Melodic Trap sound that makes me feel like I am floating through space when I hear it. With that being said, I have to say 4batz does his thing. Even though it is kind of cookie-cutter, that does not mean it is not decent for what it is. In fact, I could actually see this one getting big because 4batz does a decent job. It does feel a bit out of place, however; it has viral capabilities, but also does not fit into the sound of this record. ‘act vi: mad man’ has a very similar lyrical tone to the song ‘act iv: fckin u(18+).’ Whereas ‘act vi: mad man’ may be the least interesting instrumental of the record, ‘act vii: all we do is argue, argue’ may have the most engaging one. This is another track that feels inspired by 1970s Funk music. Instead of a Marvin Gaye feeling, I actually get a bit more Funkadelic from this one. The riff that drives this melody is so groovy. It is heavily saturated, giving it a feeling that makes it as if I am floating through space when I listen to it. This riff is complemented by luscious synths and weird sound effects that add to the extremely vast feeling of the melody. The drum pattern on ‘act vii: all we do is argue, argue’ has an off-kilter Trap sound that sticks out among the other instrumentals on the record. This drum pattern has a futuristic quality to it that really makes it pop. 4batz vocal performance on ‘act vii: all we do is argue, argue’ is so soothing and catchy. This song is an earworm that can get stuck in anyone’s head immediately when it comes on. In ‘act vii: all we do is argue, argue’ continues to describe his very toxic relationship, where he goes back and forth between hating and loving his partner. We have already come to the unofficial ending of u made me a st4r with the track ‘act viii: i hate to be alone.’ There is technically one song after this, but it is a remix of a previous one. Sonically, ‘act viii: i hate to be alone’ definitely feels like the ending of this record. ‘act viii: i hate to be alone’ has a very climactic sound to it; the melody for this one has the tone of a track that would play at the end of a romance movie. This melody is triumphant and joyous, giving a feeling of euphoria. It has a tone that once again makes me think of artists like Mariah Carey or Monica. 4batz vocals on ‘act viii: i hate to be alone’ are just as jolly and bright as the instrumental. He really helps give this track an all-encompassing feeling with his vocal performance, adding to its epic nature. In ‘act viii: i hate to be alone,’ 4batz is pleading to his girl to take him back, as he would rather deal with the wildness of their relationship than deal with having no one. The official final track of this project is a Kanye West remix to ‘act iii: on god? (she like).’ To be honest, although this remix is not the worst thing, I wish it was left off of the project because of how great the last song would have worked out as the actual closer. Kanye does not drag down ‘act iii: on god? (she like),’ but he also does not add much at all. Regrettably, this lacklust remix sort of sends u made me a st4r off on a sour note.
4batz has been getting a lot of flack from haters online about how his meteoric rise to stardom may be too good to be true. Many people have been trying to say he is an industry plant; in other words, he is an artist created and promoted by a major record label whose sound and style are not genuine. I personally have not leaned into this theory. I think it is just as likely that he is just some dude who came up with a fun idea on his own that ended up going insanely viral as it is that some major label created and pushed his image. Even if his career was jump-started by the industry, one can not deny he has a ton of talent. u made me a st4r shows that this is an artist with a sound that can appeal to the masses. He proves he has enough range on this project to make a variety of different types of R&B well. Sonically, this is not very boundary-pushing at all, but that is okay. 4batz easily proves he has a ton of potential on this project. u made me a st4r is a cool mixtape from one of R&B’s biggest new stars, and it should be the start of a fruitful career for 4batz.
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