4Batz first burst onto the R&B scene late last year with hits like “Act 1: Stickerz 99” and “Act 2: Date @ 8.” The singer quickly became a hit on platforms like TikTok, where his icy, soulful voice became the soundtrack to a series of viral videos. Despite only offering a few songs to the public, 4Batz still managed to gain the support of Drake and even signed an EP deal with Drake’s OVO label. After initially pushing back its original April release date, 4Batz premiered “u made me a st4r” on May 3, in a powerful beef with Drake and Kendrick Lamar.
While u made me a st4r, released via 4Batz/gamma, may have been overshadowed by the brutal opening weekend rap battles, fans online still had plenty to say about the project. Perhaps with the dust settled on Kendrick and Drake’s heated feud, more fans will have a chance to unwind with the laid-back smoker anthem on 4Batz’s debut EP. Without any further preamble, let’s dive into u made me a st4r’s tracklist and review the material within.
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slow start
Despite being 4Batz’s debut EP, “u” made me a st4r, the rising star hasn’t quite capitalized on the hype surrounding his chart-topping record. The project begins with a short introductory skit that humorously doesn’t shy away from 4Batz’s reputation as a potential industrial factory. Admittedly, this is a hard-to-avoid accusation for 4Batz, considering that it has an EP deal with OVO Sound and has received strong support from industry giants such as Timbaland, Drake and Kanye West. Still, the introduction, complete with a chirping smoke detector, shows that Butts isn’t afraid to face the criticism, as he considers himself “one of the greatest artists in the world.”
The EP then transitions continuously to “Act 1: stickerz 99” and “Act 2: date @ 8”. While these tracks clearly brought a lot of viral buzz to the album, it’s hard to say they added any new flavor to the mix. In fact, the huge amount of viral attention these songs (especially “date @ 8”) garnered somewhat diminished the project, which really could have thrived without these existing songs. These tracks are already great as singles and don’t need to take up any extra space on this release.
4Batz shows signs of growth
One of the major risks of achieving great success at a young age is learning as you go, and failing publicly in doing so. 4Batz is only 20 years old, so you made some major mistakes that made me st4r, which can be forgiven by the steep learning curve provided for such a young budding artist. Songs like “act iv: fckin u (18+)” and “act v: there gone another vase” are good examples of these mixers, with Batz taking on themes that need to be lighter than what he’s currently able to deliver style of.
“act iv: fckin u (18+)” is a painfully embarrassing sex ballad filled with crude sexual lyrics that sound more like misguided male bravado than sensuality and flow. While the track’s West Coast rhythm might make it a great choice for a late-night drive, it’s hard to imagine whipping something like this out in the open. Ultimately, the song doesn’t bring enough substance to the table to be considered for a sentimental playlist, and ends too abruptly to leave a lasting impact.
“Act 5: There’s Another Vase” is probably the biggest failure of 4Batz’s entire EP. Confusingly, the song is an anthem for domestic violence, disturbingly exacerbating toxic relationships that resort to physical abuse. In the song, Butts sings, “You’re gonna turn around and throw another vase/You almost hit me in the face/But if I hit you, then I’m gonna get a case.” These bars convey a regretful tone , which frankly sounds like Butts craving a guilt-free opportunity to beat up his partner after a nasty argument.
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Ends on a high note in a major key
Despite some serious choppy steps along the way, 4Batz ends his EP with two extremely catchy back-to-back tracks. That is, as long as you don’t consider that the awful “Third Act: God? (She Likes)” remixed with Kanye West is part of the regular tracklist. In “Act Seven: All We Do Is Argue, Argue,” 4Batz dives into another toxic anthem that illustrates a failed relationship better than “Another Vase Gone.” At no point does Butts mention the bizarre spectacle of domestic violence, instead outlining a relationship marred by deceit, disrespect, and heartache that neither he nor his partner can seem to escape.
4Batz follows up with another major highlight in “Act Eight: I Hate Being Alone.” The ending theme was an instant favorite among fans and seems to be the main highlight of the project so far. Butts’ breathy vocal cords are drowned in a reverberant waterfall of spacey rhythms, dragging the listener through a dizzying soundscape. Even if you don’t like 4Batz’s other music, this heartbreaking song is worth a listen before TikTok inevitably kills it.
