In just a matter of two months, Dallas singer 4Batz went from an underground artist to one of this year’s most-anticipated new acts. He achieved that with just two songs available for his growing fan base to listen to. Released as “acts,” 4Batz kicked things off with “Act I: Stickerz “99”” which he released in June 2023 and six months later he returned with “Act II: Date @ 8.”
The latter record is one that swiftly pushed 4Batz into the spotlight. “Act II: Date @ 8” sits at over 34 million listens on Spotify, much of which can be credited to the 4Batz’s From The Block performance of the song going viral, a video that was posted just five days after the song was released. “Act I: Stickerz “99”” is nearing 13 million views while 4Batz’s Spotify page boasts 6 million monthly listens.
So what makes 4Batz so popular? One might say it’s the singer’s juxtaposing music videos that capture him and friends in dark clothing and ski masks as he belts out lyrics about love that are equally juxtaposing. For example, take well-intentioned yet coldly-delivered bars like “I’ll come and slide by 8 PM / And send a text to your DM / Five hunnid for your f*ckin’ hair / Two hunnid for your f*ckin’ nails” on “Act II: Date @ 8.”
Maybe its his pitched-up vocals that are raised just enough to catch the ear, but not too much to recall trauma from the endless TikToks with the chipmunk voice filter. It could also be his blunt and moderately toxic approach to love with lines like “You hate I’m stuck up in my way / But love it when I’m playin’ games” on “Act I: Stickerz “99”” and “She like ‘boy go find someone, find someone you love’ / Girl, I can’t find no one, ‘cus you’re the one I love” on his upcoming track “Act III: On God?”
Personally, as boring as this answer might be, I think it’s a little bit of everything. It’s not the first time an artist has stepped into the scene like this (see: RMR), but make no mistake, this isn’t an act for 4Batz. That was clear after we spoke with him as a part of our Uproxx Music 20 series. Below you’ll learn about his start in music, favorite R&B artists, how he avoids feeling regret, and more.
What is your earliest memory of music?
[It] was when I used to write down verses of music in my old spiral [notebook], and I used to tell my grandma it was raps… and she would always take my notebooks and say these aren’t raps, these are poems. It’s funny cause even though it was negative she would always put it together in a positive way, I’m like, ‘Grandma I’m talking about killing this n****,’ but she would still call it a poem.
Who inspired you to take music seriously?
Nobody did. I did. I feel like the downfalls of my life inspired me to take music seriously.
Do you know how to play an instrument? If so, which one? If not, which instrument do you want to learn how to play?
Yeah, I play the guitar.
What was your first job?
My first job was at Burger King.
What is your most prized possession?
My Ruger-5.7.
What is your biggest fear?
Regretting. Regretting or missing the moment and not doing something, and regretting like damn I should of did that. So I try to put my life on the line and just stand on business.
Who is on your R&B Mt. Rushmore?
Sadé, Mint Condition, Miguel, Jodeci, andddd… Anita Baker.
You are throwing a music festival. Give us the dream lineup of 5 artists that will perform with you and the location where it would be held.
My festival would be held in Dallas, Texas; with Chief Keef, Tupac, Biggie, DMX, and 50 Cent.
You get 24 hours to yourself to do anything you want, with unlimited resources: What are you doing? And spare no details!
Mannn, I’m going to sleep. If I have all the resources in the world, it’s kind of boring in a way… the thrill is being told you can’t do something and doing it vs having everything in the world.
What are your three most used emojis?
5⃣
What’s a feature you need to secure before you die?
4Batz, cause he gone be the biggest in the world.
If you could appear in a future season of a current TV show, which one would it be and why?
Which celebrity do you admire or respect for their personality and why?
I respect NBA Youngboy. He’s one person I’ve seen in the industry that don’t wanna f*ck with everybody. And I kind of respect that, cause you see people true colors in this industry. Cause I’m like that, I don’t f*ck with nobody forreal so I respect that.
Share your opinion on something no one could ever change your mind about.
When you walk through the street and you split the pole, that’s bad luck. You can’t split that muhf*ckin’ pole.
What is the best song you’ve ever heard in your life and what do you love about it?
Sadé’s “Kiss of Life.” Cause on that song, she didn’t say a lot of words but she said a lot of things without having to. She’s the one that showed me you don’t have to put all these words in a song, music is a feeling.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform, and what’s a city you’re excited to perform in for the first time?
I haven’t performed yet but I’m excited to perform in Paris.
What would you be doing now if it weren’t for music?
Trappin’.
If you could see five years into the future or go five years into the past, which one would you pick and why?
Five years in the future, because my past was really crazy, like I don’t even want to think about it. I’d rather extend the future because lately my life been going good.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
I’d tell myself to keep pushing [and] keep grinding. Like if I woulda went harder I would probably be somewhere else.
It’s 2050. The world hasn’t ended, and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
I would like to be remembered as, the biggest artist in the world and one of the most humble people in the world who gave back and inspired people, and who you know was talented.