"Act III: On God? (She Like)" Released: March 3, 2024
"Act V: There Goes Another Vase" Released: May 1, 2024
U Made Me a St4r is the debut mixtape by the American rapper/singer4Batz, released on May 3, 2024 by Gamma. He recorded the mixtape at his mother's house with a DIY studio set-up, using a $90 handheld microphone and instrumentals he found on YouTube. U Made Me a St4r is an R&B mixtape incorporating elements of hip-hop and pitched-shifted vocals. Its songs, presented as chronological "acts" detailing 4Batz's life, are centered on his relationship with his ex-partner Jada and discuss heartbreak, sex, relationships, and love.
U Made Me a St4r was promoted by four singles. The second, "Act II: Date @ 8", went viral on social media at the end of 2023 over a performance video which garnered 4Batz attention for the contrast between his drill-like visuals and musical style. It became his first charting song on the Billboard Hot 100, resulting in a major-label bidding war. In March 2024, he released a remix of "Act II: Date @ 8" with Drake, which reached number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. A remix of "Act III: On God? (She Like)" featuring Kanye West was featured as the mixtape's final track, whilst a remix of "Act IV: Fckin U (18+)" with Usher was released in July 2024.
U Made Me a St4r earned 21,800 album-equivalent units in its first week to debut at number 30 on the US Billboard 200 chart. Music critics found its material underdeveloped, though some considered it a promising debut. 4Batz embarked on the Thank You, Jada Tour in support of the mixtape in July and August 2024.
Background and recording
Neko Bennett a.k.a. 4Batz began recording music in 2023.[1] Raised in Dallas from a family of singers, Bennett said he decided to take music seriously following the death of his father and after his long-distance partner of three years, Jada, cheated on him with someone he knew.[1][2] He told Complex in a 2024 interview: "I'm like, 'What if I put all my shit in my music and just get in the fucking studio and talk about how much this girl was a bitch. But still make it sound good.'"[1] Bennett came up with his stage name by combining "4", in reference to South Dallas, with a nickname he was given.[1][2]
Bennett initially experimented with different instrumentals and styles, including drill and "emotional music".[2] After deciding to rap over an R&B beat on YouTube,[3] he recorded his first song, "Act I: Stickerz '99".[2] He decided to pitch up his vocals after his brother remarked that he "sound[ed] like a girl".[3] He ultimately decided to pursue the song's direction, which he said aligned with his influences from 112, Anita Baker, Chief Keef, DMX, Mint Condition, Sade and Tupac Shakur.[2] Bennett found all of the instrumentals featured on U Made Me a St4r as "type-beats" on YouTube.[1] He dedicated himself to recording three songs a night after working a twelve-hour job at a warehouse.[2][4] He used a DIY studio set-up his mother's house and a handheld Audio-Technica AT2020 microphone, covered by a sock.[1][5] Mr. Murrary, a teacher on Bennett's GED program, bought the microphone for him for $90 after he passed a test.[5]
Composition and lyrics
Billboard's Angel Diaz compared the sound of U Made Me a St4r to R&B from the 1990s such as Jodeci which blended in an influence of hip hop.[6] Sheldon Pearce of NPR highlighted that, despite being an R&B release, U Made Me a St4r was primarily produced by rap producers. Comparing him to Drake, Pearce believed that Bennett was aiming for "dualism" between both R&B and hip hop and to "be both a rapper and singer, but not in unison."[7] A writer for AllMusic described him as an "R&B singer/rapper".[8] On certain songs Bennett employs pitch-shifted and chopped and screwed vocals, primarily inspired by DJ Screw,[2][9] usually around the halfway mark.[8] In an interview with GQ, Bennett told that he used his normal singing voice—described as a baritone—on some songs, but did not disclose which ones.[2] Bennett's relationship with Jada makes up the subject matter of U Made Me a St4r;[1] he is shown holding a crossed out photo of her on the mixtape's cover.[2] Its songs are structured into "acts", which Bennett intended to bed used years later to retell his life as a story or "old testament".[9][10] Its songs, which Pearce described as cyclical "capsule exchanges", discuss heartbreak, sex, relationships, and love.[7][8] Jeff Ihaza of Rolling Stone and Steve Juan of RapReviews observed allusions to a toxic relationship throughout the mixtape;[11][12] Pearce viewed its first three "acts" as recounting a "transactional adolescent romance".[7] Bennett plans to continue the narritive established on the mixtape on his debut album, Thank You, Jada.[10]
The intro "UMadeMeAStar.mp3" sees Bennett address allegations of him being an industry plant following his rise to prominence and samples reactions towards him from various hip-hop media personalities,[7] including DJ Akademiks and Kai Cenat.[11] He says: "Man y'all all probably wondering how I got here/shit, I'm wondering the same shit."[12] "Act I: Stickerz '99" is about his feelings of wanting and trying to restore his former relationship despite being cheated on.[2][9] "Act II: Date @ 8" details the length and expenses Bennett would go to for a romantic night with his partner.[9] Kyle Denis, also of Billboard, called "Act III: On God? (She Like)" a "toxic love" song.[13] The interlude "Get Out Yo Feelings Ho", which Pearce considered "jarring",[7] is followed by the sex ballad "Act IV: Fckin U (18+)".[14] Juan called it a "raunchy crass R&B" song.[12] "Act V: There Goes Another Vase" presents Bennett in a toxic relationship he cannot remove himself from.[15] Over a "slow rolling vintage R&B melody",[11] he alludes to domestic violence;[14] Fraizer Thorpe of GQ wrote that its title lyric "[underscores] a volatile rapport that just strengthens Batz's belief that the relationship he's singing about is built to last".[2] On "Act VI: Mad Man", he "asks his woman to be as much of an intimate lover as he is", according to HotNewHipHop's Zachary Horvath.[16] "Act VII: All We Do is Argue, Argue" details a failing relationship marred by "cheating, disrespect, and heartache".[14] "Act VIII: Hate to Be Alone" is a 1980s/1990s-style ballad[8][17] that drew comparisons to New Edition, Whitney Houston,[8] and Timbaland.[7]
Release and promotion
4Batz in April 2024
In June 2023, Bennett released "Act I: Stickerz '99" as his debut single.[9] Whilst looking for people to help produce a music video for the song, he was contacted by Amber Ajeé,[9] a creative manager at RCA Records.[18] Ajeé helped him find people for the video and connected him to Vydia,[9] a music distributor owned by Gamma.[19] Bennett met his current manager Milano after travelling to Los Angeles to film the video,[2] which was released in October 2023.[20] On December 15, 2023, he released "Act II: Date @ 8" as his second single. Five days later, a performance video from 4 Shooters Only's From the Block series was released.[5] Filmed in Dallas, the video showing Bennett lip-syncing to the song wearing a black Shiesty mask; he is accompnied by his friends, who wear similar attire.[7][20] The song and video went viral on social media at the end of December 2023,[19] with TikTok users and internet streamers reacting with suprise to Bennett's singing and his contrasting, drill-like visual style.[9][18] The song's success brough Bennett to stardom and he left his warehouse job shortly thereafter.[5] By January 2024, "Act II: Date @ 8" had debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and Bennett had become the subject of a major-label bidding war. Billboard reported Republic, Atlantic and Warner Records as amongst the labels expressing interest in signing him.[19]
On March 3, 2024, Bennett released "Act III: On God? (She Like)" as a single.[21] On March 8, it was announced that he had signed a deal with OVO Sound, owned by Drake, for the release of an extended play (EP).[22] That same day, a remix of "Act II: Date @ 8" featuring Drake was released. According to Jon Powell of Revolt, Drake "[matches] Bennett's energy" and details his experience in a toxic relationship.[23] The remix received mixed reactions on social media.[24][25] In an interview with Billboard that month, Bennett revealed plans to release U Made Me a St4r.[26] The mixtape was initially due to release on April 5, 2024,[27] but was delayed by Bennett a day before its planned release, "so it can be perfect for yall".[28] On May 1, 2024, he released "Act V: There Goes Another Vase" as the fourth and final single.[29] The mixtape was released two days later on May 3 by Gamma. The mixtape features a remix of "Act III: On God? (She Like)", featuring Kanye West as a bonus track,[26][30] which extends the length of the original by 19 seconds.[8] A short film was released alongside the mixtape.[30] Its release through Gamma instead of OVO and Drake's absence on it led to speculation of a feud, which Bennett denied.[31][32]
On July 17, 2024, a remix of "Act IV: Fckin U (18+)" featuring Usher was released.[33] From July 29 to August 10, 2024, Bennett embarked on his debut headlining concert tour, the Thank You, Jada Tour.[34] The tour's stage setup consisted of a couch and bed on one side and stripper pole on the other.[3][35] Bennett performed live without Auto-Tune, and was joined onstage by several backup dancers.[35][36] During his debut performance in Dallas on August 7, 2024, he gave a woman in the crowd more than $1,200 for her hair and nails in reference to the lyrics of "Act II: Date @ 8".[37]
RapReviews's Steve "Flash" Juon called U Made Me a St4r "an interesting debut", but criticized parts including the pitched up and pitch corrected vocals and West's feature on the remix of "Act III: On God? (She Like)".[12]HotNewHipHop's Teejay Small felt that Bennett was too young and inexperienced to handle some of the subject matters he talked about, especially on "Act IV: Fckin U (18+)" and "Act V: There Goes Another Vase".[14] A writer for AllMusic said that, "regardless of the buzz and celebrity endorsements surrounding him, [4Batz's] music at this point is lifeless and without much personality."[8] Ihaza of Rolling Stone said there was "no reason for [the mixtape] to exist"; he felt that Bennett's artistry was underdeveloped and that the mixtape put him at further risk of being dismissed as an industry plant.[11]Complex's Jordan Rose wrote that Bennett "still has room to grow", but that the mixtape "is compelling enough to make you want to keep reading."[38] Diaz of Billboard highlighted "Act III: On God (She Like)" and "Act V: There Goes Another Vase" as songs that "sound different from anything out right now, AI and industry plant allegations be damned."[6]
Commercial performance
U Made Me a St4r debuted at number 30 on the US Billboard 200, earning 21,800 album-equivalent units in its first week.[39] The original version of "Act II: Date @ 8" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 77 and peaked at number 59.[9] Following the release of the Drake remix, it ascended from number 61 to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the BillboardHot R&B Songs chart on March 20, 2024,[40] giving Bennett his first top 10 hit.[41] "Act I: Stickerz 99" and "Act III: On God (She Like)" also charted on the Hot R&B Songs chart at numbers 19 and 10, respectively.[40]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Neko Bennett with others noted.
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