The facts are 4Batz, Dallas’ gentle and atmospheric R&B star, has released a new album. It’s called Still Shinin, and it’s out now via BuVision on your preferred streaming service. Was getting married and throwing a bachelor party all part of the album rollout? “I’m dedicating my project to u you da reason im Still Shinin and I’m happy I get to spend da rest of my life with u,” he wrote in one of the captions.
In just under 40 minutes, 4Batz is wrestling with the concept of love. Legitimate marriage or not, he’s still sorting through his emotions in his 20s. He opens with “act ix: too dam young,” singing that he’s not worried about “staying your main one.” On “act xi: she ain’t no angel,” he vents about a woman justifying her ways and making him go through obstacles.
All these acts are within 4Batz’s play. If you listened to 2024’s u made me a St4r, the main inspiration is his ex-girlfriend Jada, whom he named the tour after. He ends it on “act viii: i hate to be alone.” Still Shinin loosely continues the storyline, but this time 4Batz is moving on and is in love with his unnamed, mysterious muse. We assume it's Anycia, though.
He must have learned from Drake after he did the remix of “act ii: date @ 8” because the second half features 4Batz getting his Certified Lover Boy on. These sex jams are meant to set the mood in the bedroom and turn up the strip club. He brings in the Houston sound by featuring OG Ron C narrating after some tracks and getting Maxo Kream on “act xvii: done sippin.” “See the real ones, we do what we want to, while you haters do what you can, you hear me? Live from Texas where legends are born. And you're witnessing the next legend, 4Batz,” Ron C says.
“act xx: u” is a stronger but softer version of 4Batz. Every song and album is a work in progress for him and sometimes you get gems like “act xx: u” where he’s singing better and creating something fresh yet familiar for R&B.
On “actxxii: ms. walker,” 4Batz and Zillionaire Doe remake Dorrough’s 2009 song “Walk That Walk.” The song wasn’t on a previous tracklist, replacing a song called “morning sex.”
It’s a generational bridge of two different eras of Dallas hip-hop, one that paved the way and the other that’s leading them into the future.
We’ve been gathering all of 4Batz’s loosies before the album dropped. You can revisit the list and spend the weekend diving into all the new 4Batz songs.
