4Batz jokingly asked Kendrick Lamar to take a break from dissing Drake so that his debut project for OVO, U Made Me A St4r, could have some time in the spotlight. The new signee to the imprint made the request in a post on Twitter, Saturday. He wrote: “yo @kendricklamar I just dropped my tape my n***a can I get 24hrs at least [crying laughing emojis].” Shortly afterward, he deleted the tweet from the platform, prompting fans to theorize that Drake made the call. 4Batz dropped his new album on Friday, featuring a remix of his hit song, “Act II: Date @ 8,” which now includes a verse from Drake.
He isn’t the only one upset at Kendrick dropping. His fans have also been complaining on social media. “I know the spotlight is on Kendrick & Drake rn, but this 4batz album is surprisingly really good,” one user tweeted over the weekend. Another remarked: “Kendrick doing all this to stop 4batz from gaining traction.”
ATLANTA, GA – NOVEMBER 18: Singer Trey Songz and Drake perform onstage during the Final Stop of ‘Aubrey & The three Amigos Tour’ at State Farm Arena on November 18, 2018, in Atlanta, Georgia.(Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Despite Lamar stealing some of the spotlight, Denzel Curry made sure to promote 4Batz’s new project. He also retweeted the rapper’s since-deleted post about Kendrick’s diss tracks. “4Batz Dropped Btw y’all should bump his tape,” Curry wrote on Twitter. Check out that post below.
Drake isn’t the only popular rapper to co-sign 4Batz in recent months. Back in January, Kanye West described the up-and-comer as one of his favorite artists. West ended up working on a remix of “Act III: On God? (She Like).” His song, ”act v: there goes another vase,” appeared on this week’s edition of HNHH’s “R&B Season” playlist. Be on the lookout for further updates on 4Batz on HotNewHipHop.
JT says her debut solo mixtape, which appears to be titled, City Cinderella, is coming soon. She made the announcement by rocking a t-shirt that displayed the information during the opening night of her ongoing headlining tour. She kicked things off with a show in Houston on Saturday night. Over the course of the next month, she’ll also be performing in Dallas, Jacksonville, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Miami, Baltimore, Charlotte, New York, Cleveland, Milwaukee and Kansas City.
After the show, fans asked whether they could purchase the “City Cinderella coming soon” t-shirts. JT revealed on Twitter that fans will have the opportunity to buy them at her shows. She also agreed with a fan who remarked that her new mixtape will “change the game.”
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – JULY 09: JT of City Girls performs during the Wireless Festival at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) on July 9, 2022 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Katja Ogrin/Redferns)
JT previously discussed her upcoming project in a statement after the release of her single, “Sideways.” “I’m excited about dropping solo music because I can focus more on my creativity,” she said at the time. “I love everything about being an artist! I just want to chill, look good, and drop pretty, cocky b**ch music. I’m the City Cinderella!” Check out the t-shirt JT rocked during her opening night show as well as a tweet she made about the outfit afterward below.
Prior to the release of her upcoming mixtape, JT last dropped a project alongside her City Girls partner, Yung Miami, in 2023. That project was titled RAW and peaked at 117 on the Billboard 200. Be on the lookout for further updates on JT and her new music on HotNewHipHop.
Some of the most amazing Hip Hop breakthroughs are the ones that nobody saw coming from a mile away. Take Lil Baby, who is now one of the most recognizable faces in modern rap. However, before his meteoric rise to fame, becoming a rapper wasn’t even on his radar. Nonetheless, when he caught the musical bug, he caught it big. In his first year on the scene, a hungry Lil Baby released four mixtapes, kicking off his career with Perfect Timing. The rest, they say, is history.
A befitting title for the project, the mixtape set things in motion for the rapper quite seamlessly. Perfect Timing marked its sixth anniversary in April 2023, and over the years, it has grown on some fans. While it may not be Lil Baby’s best project as a solo act, it evidently marked the genesis of his career. For that alone, it is an important project in his discography. Why? Because without Perfect Timing, there would be no Lil Baby. While there’s some new music on the way, it’s necessary to travel back to the early days.
ATLANTA, GA – MAY 17: Pierre Thomas and Lil Baby attend Lil Baby “Harder Than Ever” Mixtape Release Event at Living Room Lounge on May 17, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia.(photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage)
Before recording his debut mixtape, Lil Baby invested some time in learning how to rap. His label boss, Coach K, had told him he had the makings of a hip-hop star, but he had no prior experience rapping. As such, he had to get into the flow and build himself up in the art of rapping. He famously sought out the help of fellow rappers Gunna and Young Thug to teach him. The two rappers mentored Lil Baby and helped him carve out his unique style.
Evidently, Baby was a natural, and grew at an incredible pace, learning and catching up in no time. Fresh out of prison in 2017 after spending two years for drug and weapons charges, Baby was ready to transition from the streets to the booth. He released Perfect Timing on April 14, 2017. On the reason for the title, he shared that he got out of prison at “the perfect time.”
Overcoming Challenges & Capturing The ATL Lifestyle
On Perfect Timing, Lil Baby recruited several renowned Hip Hop producers to handle the album’s sonic direction. 808 Mafia, Earl The Pearll, and OG Parker, among others, shaped the production and emphasized the gritty sound that became synonymous with Lil Baby’s early catalog. Moreover, Earl The Pearll had the most production credits on the mixtape, appearing on three tracks: “Rider,” “Grindin,” and “Racks In.”
Furthermore, on Perfect Timing, Lil Baby featured an impressive lineup of rappers. Gunna, Young Thug, Skull-E, Lil Yachty, Yogi, Duke, and Young Scooter all had guest appearances on the mixtape. Some standout tracks on Perfect Timing are “100 Round,” ft. Lil Yachty, “Rider,” ft. Young Thug, and “Our Year,” ft. Gunna.
Although his message sometimes doesn’t cut through as clearly as his later works, Lil Baby showcased honesty and vulnerability on this project. He rapped earnestly about his challenges, fears, and lifestyle, relating to his audience and gaining their trust. Overall, Perfect Timing has heart and set the stage for Lil Baby’s rise to stardom.
Even though it was raw, Perfect Timing was apathetically received. The production earned praise but still, he was gaining his footing in the rap game. Comparatively, the rapper’s flow, lyrics, and delivery were still considered shaky and self-doubting. Nonetheless, the mixtape helped to push him into the public’s consciousness and garner some buzz along the way. Thankfully, he capitalized on this and continued to improve through a prolific mixtape run which morphed him into the mainstream star he is today.
Presently, Lil Baby is widely considered one of the most influential voices in contemporary Hip Hop. The release of Perfect Timing was a turning point for the rapper and set his life and career on a very bright path. Six years after its release, one can agree that the rapper is miles ahead in terms of artistry today. However, while Perfect Timing has its flaws, for Lil Baby, it certainly dropped at the right time.
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