Rising star 4batz has just unveiled the remix of his hit track “act iv: fckin u again (18+),” featuring legendary R&B icon Usher. The original song, from 4batz’s debut mixtape u made me a st4r, released this past spring, skyrocketed to number 1 on Apple Music’s Top US Albums within 24 hours.
“act iv: fckin u again (18+)” is a smooth, sensual track that showcases 4batz’s distinct vocal style. The remix seamlessly transitions to Usher’s iconic voice, adding a timeless touch that complements the song perfectly. The track concludes with a brand new minute-long verse from 4batz, blending his modern sound with Usher’s classic R&B vibe.
This collaboration delivers a magnetic mix of contemporary and classic elements, creating an unforgettable listening experience. The remix is now available on all streaming platforms.
4batz’s career is still very fresh, but his current reputation is not that great it seems. Ever since “act ii: date @ 8” blew up, fans and critics alike have been harshly critiquing the Dallas, Texas native at every turn. The industry plant and one-hit wonder are labels that continue to be ways to describe his stature in the industry. Additionally, music reviewers were not fond of u made me a st4r, to say the least. Whether the backlash is fair or not, it certainly has not phased the R&B young buck. His resilient mindset has allowed him to work with some of the biggest stars on the planet. Drake and Kanye West had the first two cracks at it, as they assisted on renditions of two tracks from the debut. Now, USHER is getting in on the remix game with 4batz for “act iv”.
Overall, this new version is quite a departure from the original “act iv: fckin u (18+)”. 4batz recorded an entirely new verse that is also much longer. It certainly gives the song more of a backbone, and with the record having an extra minute’s worth of material, the instrumental is also more drawn out. USHER does a pretty solid job of getting into the groove, as he does find a pocket pretty early on. 4batz’s boy-ish vocals do still take time adjusting to, but “fckin u again” is arguably the best remix out of the three.
Roll with me, I’ll make you famous I wanna do what gets you in the mood I wanna memorize all your tattoos And maybe add one too I wanna f*** away your attitude You gotta show a lil’ gratitude (You gotta)
Rémy Martin proudly announces its sponsorship of the North American leg of Grammy award-winning superstar Usher’s highly-anticipated “Past Present Future” Tour. This dynamic partnership blends the rich heritage of Rémy Martin with Usher’s iconic music, celebrating the brand’s 300-year anniversary through an immersive collaboration that connects the past, present, and future.
To kick off the excitement, Rémy Martin is launching a nationwide sweepstakes offering fans the chance to win tickets to the tour. Starting August 12, fans can enter by visiting the sweepstakes website or scanning QR codes in stores and outdoor advertisements. The sweepstakes runs from July 17 to October 31, providing multiple opportunities to secure a coveted spot at one of Usher’s concerts.
In addition to the sweepstakes, Rémy Martin and Usher will host exclusive VIP fan experiences throughout the tour. Attendees will enjoy specialty cocktails featuring Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal, VSOP, and XO. Signature drinks include The Rémy La Pêche Noire, featuring Rémy Martin 1738 Accord Royal; The Coming Home, showcasing the luxury of Rémy Martin XO; and The Rhythm and Ginger, highlighting Rémy Martin VSOP.
This tour marks the continuation of a longstanding partnership between Usher and Rémy Martin, which began with the OMG World Tour over a decade ago. The collaboration has evolved through various campaigns, including the “Life Is A Melody” initiative and the innovative use of A.I. technology in 2022. The partnership celebrates a shared legacy of innovation and craftsmanship, blending the worlds of music and spirits to create unforgettable experiences.
For more details and to enter the sweepstakes, visit UsherTour.RemyMartin.com. Follow Rémy Martin on social media for updates: Instagram @RemyMartinUS, Twitter @RemyMartinUS, and Facebook RemyMartinUSA. Join the conversation with #RemyMartinxUsher.
Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson poked fun at her teammates for wanting photos with Usher after an upset loss to the Chicago Sky. Usher set up shop in Vegas for two and a half years. His residency reportedly netted him over $1 million per show. The shows were star-studded affairs. Celebrities from Kim Kardashian to Keke Palmer made the trip to see the R&B legend live. Wilson, the two-time WNBA MVP and two-time champion, hoped to see Usher at the parade after the team won their first title in 2022. It did not happen. After two years, Usher finally made it to an Aces game.
Unfortunately, it was not to see an Aces win. The Sky stunned Vegas on their home court, winning 93-85 behind 34 points from Chennedy Carter and another double-double for rookie Angel Reese. After the game, a live mic picked up Wilson’s remarks. “They ain’t did sh*t all day, but they want to take a motherf**king picture with Usher,” she said to teammate Sydney Colson.
A’ja Wilson Roasts Teammates For Wanting Photos With Usher
A’ja Wilson: “They ain’t did s*** all day, but they wanna take a motherf***ing picture with Usher” pic.twitter.com/1F1caeMi5z
At the end of the clip, A’ja Wilson also hugged Usher. She gave him a jersey and finally got the picture she hoped for two years ago. The Aces are one of the best teams in the WNBA, so one loss won’t get them down. Based on their social media antics, morale is high in the Vegas locker room. They can threepeat. If they do, they’d join the Houston Comets as the only teams in WNBA history to win three consecutive championships.
As for Wilson individually, she has had a great year. She’s getting her own signature sneaker with Nike, which is releasing in 2025. Wilson is also playing career-best basketball. She’s been the favorite for both Most Valuable Player and Defensive Player of the Year since the season started. In nine days, she will have the chance to add a second Olympic gold medal to a growing trophy case. After a rocky start, the Aces are 10-2 in their last 12 games and do not look like they’re slowing down any time soon. Now, they can also say they got their long-awaited photos with Usher.
Usher was the main focus of the BET Awards. He was given the Lifetime Achievement Award, and several of the musical performances throughout the ceremony were covers of his classic songs. Teyana Taylor and Victoria Monet teamed up for a cover of Usher’s “Bad Girl,” and promptly electrified the crowd. The performance was widely praised by fans online. But the biggest co-sign came from an unlikely source: Beyonce.
Queen Bey shared clips from the performance on her Instagram Story. It makes sense, once you consider the fact that Beyonce and Usher performed “Bad Girl” together on the Truth Tour in 2004. Taylor and Monet used the same exact choreography as their predecessor, turning in a stellar cover. However, neither artist could maintain their composure when they realized Beyonce reposted them. “Everything she saidddd,” Teyana Taylor wrote on her IG Story. “Bihhhhh I’m speechless. & DATS ON QUEEN BEYYYYYYYYYYYY, I’m GAGGGGINGGGGGGGI!!!!”
Victoria Monet was similarly blown away by the co-sign. She joined her collaborator Taylor in praising Beyonce for her shout-out. “OOOOH MYYYY GOD!!!!! na I AM SCREAMING!! WHATTTT,” she wrote in yet another IG Story. “CAN NOT GRASP AIR I AM UNWELL HOLY SH*T I did not expect to pass out today! GAGGEDD…completely. @beyonce WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!! THE ORIGINAL BAD GYAL I will forever honor you.” She even tagged Taylor add added: “WTFFFF PINCH ME.”
The performance by Taylor and Monet is even more impressive considering the time constraints they were under. In a separate post, Teyana Taylor revealed that she and Monet had less than 48 hours to get together and perfect the “Bad Girl” choreography. “We don’t regret one moment of it,” she asserted. “We had an assignment that needed to be OVERstood for one of the GOATS… We’d do it all over again and wouldn’t change a thing.” Taylor and Monet received praise from two GOATs that night. They have nothing to change.
Usher won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday, but his speech was so heavily edited that viewers watching at home weren’t able to make out what the “Confessions Part II” singer was saying. BET has since apologized for what a spokesperson called an “audio malfunction.”
“Celebrating global icon Usher on our stage with a star-studded tribute and having him accept his award with a heartfelt speech was an honor,” the spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter. “Due to an audio malfunction during the live telecast, portions of his speech were inadvertently muted. We extend our sincere apologies to Usher as we couldn’t be more grateful for his participation in culture’s biggest night. Fans can catch his full uninterrupted speech across BET platforms and tonight’s encore on BET.”
“We’ve got to be willing to forgive. We’ve got to be willing to be open,” he said. “I’m telling you, you’re standing before a man who had to forgive a man who never showed up ever. And look what I made with it. Look what I was able to ‘usher’ in. But that’s what’s real. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us women and men.” Let’s see if he forgives BET.
In case you didn’t see it, shortly after taking the stage to begin his speech, Usher used some colorful language while speaking about his absentee father — including a few of George Carlin’s infamous “Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television.” From that point on, the S&P watchdogs at BET — already pretty infamously touchy for a network that also aired the “Tip Drill” video (but only well after midnight) — leaned pretty heavily on the mute button, resulting in stretches of silence up to a few minutes long, just in case. So, just what did Usher say during his speech, and was it really all that bad?
Fortunately, thanks to fans in attendance posting the unedited speech online, we can hear it in full. In truth, Usher spent most of the speech talking about being motivated by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who presented his award. The salty language continued, but there was nothing conspiratorial, just a 45-year-old superstar enjoying his moment and talking his sh*t. You can check out the speech below.
The 2024 BET Awards took center stage as a grand celebration of Black culture, creativity, and excellence, drawing the biggest names in music, television, film, and sports. This year’s event honored outstanding accomplishments across various industries, shining a spotlight on the profound impact of Black culture globally. Viewers can catch the encore of this unforgettable night on Monday, July 1, at 8 PM ET/PT on BET.
Victoria Monét emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, securing the Video of the Year award and the BET Her Award. Her electrifying performances of “On My Mama” and her new single “Alright” received standing ovations, highlighting her as a dynamic force in the music industry. In her acceptance speech for the BET Her Award, Monét expressed gratitude to her mother and emphasized her desire to collaborate with more Black women.
Rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion kicked off the night with high-energy performances of her hits “Boa,” “Hiss,” and “Where Them Girls At.” Returning host Taraji P. Henson captivated the audience with her opening monologue and performance of “It’s About Us,” set to the tune of Kendrick Lamar’s popular track “They Not Like Us.”
Sexyy Red lit up the stage alongside The Stylistics, delivering her hit song “U My Everything” and her new single, “Get It Sexyy.” Fashion designers Shareef Mosby, Nia Thomas, Durrell Dupard, Larissa Huehleder, and Heart Roberts were honored with the Shine a Light award, presented by McDonald’s, for their exceptional contributions to fashion.
The new generation of performers also had their moment, with Heiress and Van Van delivering an inspiring performance of “Be You,” showcasing young talent. Will Smith, making his debut performance at the BET Awards, unveiled his new song “You Can Make It” alongside Kirk Franklin, Chandler Moore, and the Sunday Service Choir, adding a spiritual dimension to the night.
Country music had its spotlight with BET Amplified artist Tanner Adell performing “Buckle Bunny” and “Cowboy” on the BET Amplified stage, presented by NISSAN. GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion continued the high-energy vibe with performances of “Yeah Glo!,” “TGIF,” and “Wanna Be.” Shaboozey brought country flair with “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” and J-Kwon surprised the audience with his classic hit “Tipsy.”
Latto delivered a powerful performance of “Sunday Service” and “Big Mama,” while Tyla transported the audience to South Africa with a vibrant rendition of “Jump,” featuring Gunna and Skillibeng. Bronx rap star Ice Spice performed “Phat Butt” and “Think U The Shit (Fart),” adding her unique flavor to the night.
A major highlight was Usher being honored with this year’s Lifetime Achievement BET Award, recognizing his prolific 30-plus-year career. Usher’s tribute featured stellar performances by Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Summer Walker, Coco Jones, Marsha Ambrosius, Chlöe, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, Victoria Monét, and Latto. Each artist delivered renditions of Usher’s iconic hits, culminating in a vibrant celebration of his legacy. Usher’s emotional acceptance speech emphasized the importance of family, mentorship, and the significance of fathers standing up for their children. To further honor his contributions, Walmart announced a $100,000 grant to Usher’s charity, New Look.
The night concluded with a special performance by Ms. Lauryn Hill and YG Marley, performing “Praise Jah in the Moonlight,” followed by a surprise reunion with her former Fugees bandmate, Wyclef Jean, leaving the audience in awe.
Amidst the celebrations, BET underscored the importance of civic engagement with the launch of its “We V.O.T.E.” campaign, aimed at encouraging high voter turnout in the 2024 election cycle. This initiative highlights key issues affecting the Black community and the crucial role of voting in driving change at local, state, and federal levels.
The 2024 BET Awards not only honored the past and present achievements of Black artists and creators but also inspired future generations to continue the legacy of Black excellence.
Tonight (June 30), the 2024 BET Awards was about giving entertainers their flowers. The most notable honorary of the evening was Usher. As the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, several other musicians joined in on the celebration.
Uproxx cover star Chlöe, Childish Gambino, Keke Palmer, Coco Jones, Tinashe, Teyana Taylor, and more paid tribute to Usher with special performances of his greatest hits. Despite the jammed-packed lineup, following the set, users online shared their mixed reviews of what they witnessed.
The biggest gripe folks had on Twitter was the actual acts selected to take the stage. Continue below to read a few of their responses.
“Hopefully Usher gets a better tribute at the #GRAMMYs cause this wasn’t it. #BETAwards,” wrote one user.
“Soooo Luke James, Tank, Vedo, Eric Bellinger, Trevor Jackson, Baby Face, Tevin Campbell, Miguel, etc weren’t available for this Usher tribute?,” added another.
Soooo Luke James, Tank, Vedo, Eric Bellinger, Trevor Jackson, Baby Face, Tevin Campbell, Miguel, etc. weren’t available for this @Usher tribute? #BETAwardspic.twitter.com/4MTTjJE3K9
Yall keep forgetting that Usher dances! He performs! The R&B boys of today are NOT that. Let them honor a ballad singer!! The women gave him a proper tribute! Not that one mic/ one body open mic bullshit. #BETAwards
Luke James. Lucky Daye. Tevin Campbell. Omarion. Mario. Durand Bernarr. Kevin Ross. Tank. Even Jon B/Justin Timberlake if you wanna go that route And Christopher Maurice Brown.
just a FEW men who should’ve been front & center to give Usher his 10s. #BETAwards
Usher has had one hell of a 2024. He’s got a new album, he’s headed on tour, he performed at the Super Bowl, and now, he’s been honored with a BET Lifetime Achievement Award. However, we aren’t sure how he feels about it, because BET’s infamously touchy censor weighed in pretty heavily during Usher’s acceptance speech after he let some colorful language fly in reference to his absentee father. The speech ended up sounding a bit like the radio edit of Snoop Dogg’s “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None),” only without the fly instrumental. Fans were quick to let their own commentary off the chain on Twitter.
— Toney! Toni! Toné! (@the_notorious_) July 1, 2024
They really cut Usher’s whole damn speech. Cannot believe we really waited around for Usher to FINALLY get on the damn mic and #BETAwards really cut the whole damn thing other than 4 words and claps. That’s that BS, Gelado!! pic.twitter.com/hRWrgwlkQT
Despite this, the mics were indeed on during the tribute performance honoring Usher, which featured an all-star roster of nearly all women singers covering hits from across Usher’s near-30-year run of hits. Included in the performance were Childish Gambino (“U Don’t Have To Call”), Keke Palmer (“You Make Me Wanna”), Summer Walker (“Good Good”), Coco Jones (“There Goes My Baby”), Marsha Ambrosius (“Confessions Pt.2”), Chlöe (“Good Kisser”), Tinashe (“Nice & Slow”), Teyana Taylor & Victoria Monét (“Bad Girl”), and Latto (“Yeah!”).
Y’all ain’t really miss too much from Usher’s speech, it was just a lotttta F bombs. He def didn’t talk about Diddy, and you can allude that he might have been talking about Keke Palmer’s mom, but he def didn’t say her name or anyone else’s
This isn’t the first time the BET Awards have had censor issues — it’s a tradition going back decades at this point. Nor is this the first time this month Usher has had technical difficulties on the mic, after Latto had to help save his performance at her Birthday Bash in Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. Check out his speech… in all its censored glory… above.
(@Kameron_Hay) 
(@allaboutCHELE) 
(@JaytMusiq)