4Batz Dazzles on Thank You, Jada Tour: 5 Best Moments

Given the relative coolness of his live clips, the innate mystique of his trademark ski mask, and the coldness of his sound, 4Batz's charisma on stage may come as a bit of a surprise. He's only three dates into his first tour, but he's quite comfortable on stage. At several points in the show – including a failed attempt at crowd-surfing – 4Batz left the stage and sang directly to the crowd, dedicating different lines to different fans' phones and posing for selfies when time allowed.

In addition to the five-man twerk battle – which found two or three ladies taking the opportunity to bring it back to the R&B star – 4Batz also brought a fan from South Jamaica, Queens, on stage for a 'date'. The pair's chemistry was palpable, with Butch's laid-back Dallas charm rising to the front of his voice as he played off his unmistakable New York young lady approach to flirting.

Of course, there is also the music. Even though it seems like 4Batz came out of thin air, people really connect with and listen to his songs — as evidenced by the crowd's unwavering energy throughout the night as they belted out his tracks word for word, especially the set by Drake. Act II: Date @ 8” remix.

Throughout the night, 4Batz teased unreleased music — including an upcoming collaboration with Sexyy Red — some of which was more uptempo compared to his mainstream sound. U Made Me a St4r. At one point, he teased new music during the second round of what was originally a five-man twerk battle. Talk about how to stick a quote in people's minds!

Because his rise has been so meteoric, the integrity of 4Batz's success is commonly questioned. Some have wondered if it's just a human front for an AI artist, while others have claimed it's a factory of industry.

During a break before the last few songs of the night, Batz spent plenty of time detailing the realities of his come-up. He noted that in the months before he blew himself up, he lost his father, was kicked out of his home, and his now-ex-girlfriend cheated on him. He tried his hands at a lot of things to bring in some money, but he “always kept making music,” he said, even when it was “rubbish” or “not that good.” Ultimately, he modeled “if you keep the faith and work hard, you will see victories just like me!” spiel — but there was actually some real conviction in his voice. “Soon you'll be called artificial intelligence or the factory of industry,” he closed with an attitude that just begged for a mic-drop moment.

And, for what it's worth, Batz sang live for his entire set, sprinkling in more than a few moments completely a cappella to show off the more tender edges of his voice and remind people that the mic was open. There were some shaky – and slightly off-key – moments, but no one can call the guy “AI” after this tour. In an era of live shows increasingly reliant on simply lip-syncing to the studio track, Batz deserves props for singing without a backing track or Auto-Tune – especially in light of how vicious they continue to be the allegations about the industry premises.

Rising Brooklyn rap trio 41 have made notable strides together and as soloists, but Kyle Richh, Jenn Carter and TaTa prioritized their team efforts Thursday night. 4Batz didn't even have to introduce the three stars by name, all he had to do was tell the DJ to drop the opening notes of their biggest hit, “Bent,” which reached No. 37 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Last Year (chart dated December 9, 2023). We were finally in Brooklyn!

41 effortlessly embodied the boundless energy of “Bent” as the crowd chanted every line behind them. While Batz briefly left the stage for an outfit change, he soon returned with the trio as they transitioned from “Bent” to “Beckham,” Kyle Richh's current viral hit with Dee Billz, KJ Swervo and Kai Swervo. Given that Batz first went viral for his juxtaposition of tender visuals and tender R&B tunes, it was fitting that his only special guest would be the rap group that is helping to define the current era of New York's visual and sonic aesthetic.

Contrary to what some might expect, 4Batz's direction is nothing like his live performance music videos, which often feature him clad in a black ski mask and surrounded by a group of artists playing with the drill aesthetic . If anything, his direction takes more notes from Usher than, say, Fivio Foreign.

Decorated with strippers on one side of the stage and a couch and bed on the other, 4Batz used furniture to present the different themes of turmoil and temptation in relationships. During “Act IV: Fukin U Again (18+)” — he played both the original and Usher's remix — 4Batz turned up the heat with an almost X-rated sequence that found him and a backup dancer simulating the sex in bed then ripped off his shirt, leaving him in just his sweatshirt and ski mask. The growing dominance of the hip-hop aesthetic in male R&B has, in some ways, underestimated the power of sexual interest. Surprisingly, at just 20 years old and one project in the game, 4Batz has already found a way to bridge the sex appeal of earlier eras of male R&B and his own workout-informed aesthetic. “Act IV: Fukin U Again (18+)” did not keep him confined to bed, he left the stage and sang directly to the crowd, enjoying the adoration of many feverish fans who grazed their hands on his bare torso.

As lackluster as the show became, 4Batz also made sure to provide a complementary visual showcase for the vulnerability he displays on the mixtape. 'Act VII: All We Do Is Argue, Argue' found him and the backup dancer using over-the-top stage acting and borderline performance dancing to convey the song's intensity, while the mixtape feature 'Act VIII: I Hate to Be Alone ” featured him performing in the limelight. with a microphone stand, adding a double repeated a cappella coda to end the piece.