4Batz first exploded onto the R&B scene late last year with viral sensations such as “act I: stickerz 99” and “act ii: date @ 8.” The crooner quickly picked up steam on platforms such as TikTok, with his chill soulful sound serving as the backing music to a wide array of viral videos. Despite only having a few songs available to the public, 4Batz managed to land a Drake feature and even inked a deal with Drake’s OVO label for 1 EP. After initially pushing back its initial April release date, 4Batz premiered u made me a st4r on May 3, amidst the ground-shattering Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.
While u made me a st4r, released via 4Batz/gamma, may have been overshadowed by the brutal rap feud on its opening weekend, fans across the web still had plenty to say about the project. Perhaps as the dust settles on Kendrick and Drake’s intense back-and-forth, more fans will have an opportunity to relax with the laid-back smoker anthems present on 4Batz’s first-ever EP. Without any further preamble, let’s dive into the tracklist of u made me a st4r, and review the material therein.
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A Slow Start
Despite u made me a st4r serving as 4Batz’ debut EP, the rising star does little to capitalize on his hype at the top of the record. The project begins with a brief intro skit, which humorously doesn’t shy away from 4Batz’s reputation as a potential industry plant. Admittedly, it would be a difficult allegation for 4Batz to duck, considering he has an EP deal with OVO Sound and major endorsements from industry giants like Timbaland, Drake, and Kanye West. Still, this intro, complete with a chirping smoke detector, establishes that Batz isn’t afraid to face these criticisms, as he considers himself “one of the biggest artists in the world.”
The EP then transitions into “act I: stickerz 99” and “act ii: date @ 8” back to back. While these tracks obviously lend a lot of viral weight to the release, it’s hard to say that they add any new flavors to the mix. In fact, the massive viral attention garnered by these songs, especially “date @ 8,” subtracts a bit from the project, which really could have shined without these existing songs. These tracks were already great as singles, and didn’t need to take up any extra space on this release.
4Batz Shows Signs Of Growth
One of the major hazards of reaching massive success at a young age is learning as you go, and failing publicly while doing so. 4Batz is only 20 years old, so some of the major missteps on u made me a st4r can be excused by the steep learning curve offered to such a young budding artist. Tracks like “act iv: fckin u (18+)” and “act v: there goes another vase” are great examples of these blenders, with Batz taking on subject matter that requires a much lighter touch than he’s currently capable of offering.
“act iv: fckin u (18+)” is a painfully awkward sex ballad, complete with vulgar sexual lyrics that come off more as misguided male bravado than they do sensual and smooth. While the track’s thumping West Coast beat may have otherwise made it an excellent candidate for a late-night drive, it’s tough to imagine blasting something like this in your whip publicly. Ultimately, the song doesn’t quite bring enough to the table to be considered for a sensual playlist and ends too abruptly to leave a lasting impact.
“act v: there goes another vase” is probably 4Batz’ biggest dud on the entire EP. The track is, confusingly, a domestic violence anthem, which disturbingly aggrandizes toxic relationships that resort to physical abuse. On this song, Batz sings “You gon’ turn around and throw another vase/ You damn near hit me in my face/ But if I punch on you, then I’ma get a case.” These bars are delivered in a regretful tone which, candidly, makes it sound like Batz is longing for a guilt-free opportunity to beat up his partner after a nasty argument.
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Ending On A Major High Note
Despite hitting some major stutter steps along the way, 4Batz ends his EP strong, with two highly catchy back-to-back tracks. That is, as long as you don’t consider the abysmal “act iii: on god? (she like)” remix with Kanye West part of the regular tracklist. On “act vii: all we do is argue, argue” 4Batz dives into another toxic anthem that is a much better example of a failing relationship than “there goes another vase.” Without alluding to bizarre visions of domestic violence at any point, Batz outlines a relationship that suffers from cheating, disrespect, and heartache, that neither he nor his partner can seem to shake.
4Batz follows this up with another major highlight in “act viii: I hate to be alone.” The closing track is an instant favorite for fans, and seems to be the major standout on the project so far. Batz’ breathy vocal passages drown in waterfalls of reverb over a spacey beat, dragging the listener across a head-bobbing soundscape. Even if you’re not a fan of the rest of 4Batz’ music, this heartbreak anthem is worth catching before TikTok inevitably plays it to death.
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