Rappin' 4-Tay
{{short description|American rapper}}
{{cleanup rewrite|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Rappin' 4-Tay
| image =
| birth_name = Anthony H. FortéCalifornia Births, 1905–1995, [http://www.familytreelegends.com/records/39461?c=search&first=Anthony&last=Fort Anthony H. Forté]
| alias = 4-Tay
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1968|03|02|mf=yes}}
| origin = San Francisco, California, U.S.
| instrument =
| genre = {{hlist|West Coast hip hop|G-funk}}
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|songwriter|record producer}}
| years_active = 1988–present
| label = {{hlist|Chrysalis|Rag Top|EMI|Noo Trybe|Virgin}}
| past_member_of = T.W.D.Y.
| associated_acts = {{hlist|2Pac|DJ King Assassin|MC Breed|Too Short|Mac Dre}}
| website =
}}
Anthony H. Forté (born March 2, 1968), better known by his stage name Rappin' 4-Tay, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California.{{Cite web |date=October 13, 2016 |title=Rappin' Forte arrested again in San Francisco |url=https://tahoeonstage.com/stories/rappin-4-tay-2/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230529194738/https://tahoeonstage.com/stories/rappin-4-tay-2/ |archive-date=May 29, 2023 |access-date=May 20, 2024 |website=Tahoeonstage.com |language=en-US}}
Early life
Anthony Forte was born March 2, 1968, and grew up in San Francisco's Fillmore District. He has a twin sister. He has a son as well as three daughters.{{Cite web|url=https://myspace.com/lil4tay|title=LiL 4 TaY OF B.I.G | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos|website=Myspace.com}}
Music career
Right after high school, 4-Tay made his debut on the Too Short album Life Is...Too Short. He was later convicted on drug charges and served ten months in prison.{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/rappin-4-tay-mn0000400158|title=Rappin' 4-Tay Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & Mo...|website=AllMusic|access-date=March 2, 2025}} Upon his release from prison he released his debut album Rappin' 4-Tay Is Back in 1991, and followed up in 1994 with Don't Fight the Feelin', which included the hits "Playaz Club" (which sampled the song "Private Number" by William Bell and Judy Clay and hit number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100), the "Dank Season" featuring Seff Tha Gaffla, and "I'll Be Around" (which hit number 39 on the US Hot 100, number 59 in Australia,{{cite web|url=http://i.imgur.com/vZBBhnv.jpg|title=The ARIA Australian Top 100 Singles Chart – Week Ending 15 Oct 1995|publisher=Imgur.com (original document published by ARIA)|access-date=July 6, 2017}} N.B. The HP column displays the highest peak reached. and number one in New Zealand{{cite web|title=Rappin' 4-Tay feat. The Spinners - I'll Be Around (Song)|url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Rappin%27+4-Tay+feat%2E+The+Spinners&titel=I%27ll+Be+Around&cat=s|publisher=charts.nz|access-date=October 13, 2013}} ).
In 1995, two Rappin' 4-Tay songs—"Problems" and "A Message for Your Mind"—were featured on the Dangerous Minds soundtrack. "A Message For Your Mind" sampled "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5.
Rappin' 4-Tay's mainstream success has been scarce since then, but he was featured on 2Pac's All Eyez on Me album on the track "Only God Can Judge Me" in 1996 and Master P's West Coast Bad Boyz II compilation in 1997. 4-Tay was also an original member of Bay Area supergroup T.W.D.Y. in 1999.
In 2003 Rappin' 4-Tay released the album Gangsta Gumbo with the single "Burning, Burning", followed up by the album That's What You Thought in 2007. In 2010 He was featured on R&B Artist E. Broussard's song titled Big Game Droppin'.{{cite web|url=https://musicbrainz.org/release/aa3aabc1-1220-45cc-8e9a-821a4689ae9d|title=Big Game Droppin' - Release by E. Broussard|website=Musicbrainz.org|access-date=March 2, 2025}}
He was featured on the song "My Alphabets" on fellow Bay Area rap veteran Mac Dre's 2004 album The Genie of the Lamp.
Dec 06 2011 Rappin' 4-Tay, E-40 and Playalitical collaborated on a song entitled "Bounce It Like a Bad Check" which was featured on the Political Playboy Music album released by Playalitical. In 2012 Rappin' 4-Tay collaborated on the song "Picture a Nigga" with Lil' Gang$ta,{{Cite web|url=https://www.emusic.com/listen/|title=eMusic|website=Emusic.com|access-date=March 2, 2025}} as well as helping with his debut album.
In 2013, he headlined the main stage of Seattle Hempfest with artists Ditch, Tony Tag, Brian Meyers and more.
In May 2014, he appeared with E Bone415 in a music video about Alcatraz Island.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrB4BerRFiE|title=THE ROCK Rappin 4 Tay & E Bone415|date=May 30, 2014|via=YouTube}}
"Playaz Club" controversy
In 2014, 4-Tay spoke out against Drake for using lyrics from 4-Tay's 1994 song "Playaz Club" in the collaboration "Who Do You Love?" with YG.{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.26851/title.rappin-4-tay-blasts-drake-over-verse-on-yg-s-who-do-you-love-|title=Rappin' 4-Tay Blasts Drake Over Verse On YG's "Who Do You Love"|last=Baker|first=Soren|work=HipHopDX|publisher=Cheri Media Group|date=2 January 2014|access-date=30 January 2023}} The artists settled out of court with 4-Tay being promised $100,000{{cite web |last1=Gordon |first1=Jeremy |title=Drake Pays $100,000 to Rappin' 4-Tay for Ripping Off "Playaz Club" Lyrics on YG's "Who Do You Love" |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/55924-drake-pays-100000-to-rappin-4-tay-for-ripping-off-playaz-club-lyrics-on-ygs-who-do-you-love/ |website=Pitchfork |access-date=30 January 2023 |date=16 July 2014}}{{cite web |title=DRAKE 'Playaz Club' Beef Settled PAYS $100K FOR BORROWED LYRICS |url=https://www.tmz.com/2014/07/16/drake-who-do-you-love-rappin-4-tay-playaz-club-stolen-lyrics-settlement/ |website=TMZ |access-date=30 January 2023 |date=16 July 2014}} and future credits for the song. However, it was later revealed that Drake had not actually paid 4-Tay the $100,000.{{cite news |last1=Voynovskaya |first1=Nastia |title=Drake Never Paid Rappin' 4-Tay For Stolen Lyrics, Manager Says |url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/13845996/four-years-after-drake-dispute-rappin-4-tays-song-royalties-are-for-sale |access-date=30 January 2023 |publisher=KQED |date=30 November 2018}}
4-Tay eventually received royalties for his contributions to "Who Do You Love?". In 2018, the royalties to both the YG single and "Playaz Club" were auctioned on Royalty Exchange and at one time had bids of upward of $38,250 with the seller reportedly being 4-Tay.
Discography
=Studio albums=
- Rappin' 4-Tay Is Back (1991)
- Don't Fight the Feelin' (1994) No. 174 Billboard 200; No. 52 R&B/Hip-Hop
- Off Parole (1996) No. 38 Billboard 200; No. 10 R&B/Hip-Hop
- 4 tha Hard Way (1997)
- Bigga Than Da Game (1998)
- Introduction to Mackin' (1999)
- Gangsta Gumbo (2003)
- That's What You Thought (2007)
- The World Is a Ghetto (2008)
- Still Standing, Vol. 1 (2011)
- Strictly Enforced (2011)
- Where Is the Love? (2011)
=Collaboration albums=
- Derty Werk with T.W.D.Y. (1999)
- Ghetto Visa with Squirrel (2007)
- Ghetto Visa, Vol. 2 with Squirrel (2010)
- Exported Game with Big Willie & Spike2ms (2011)
=Mixtapes=
- Dlk Enterprise Presents Rappin' 4-Tay – Dlk Collabs Vol. 5 (2022)
=Charted singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Release ! scope="col" colspan="6"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| AUS ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| FRA ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| NZ ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Playaz Club"
| 1994 | 36 || 54 || — || — || — || 63 | rowspan="2"| Don't Fight the Feelin' |
| scope="row"| "I'll Be Around" {{small|(featuring The Spinners)}} | 1995 | 39 || 37 || 59 || 44 || 1 || 30 |
| scope="row"| "Ain't No Playa (Playaz Shit)"
| 1996 | 73 || 55 || — || — || — || — | Off Parole |
=Soundtrack appearances=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:15em;"| ! scope="col" | Release ! scope="col" | Other artist(s) ! scope="col" | Soundtrack |
| scope="row"| "Problems"
| rowspan="3"| 1996 | rowspan="2"| | rowspan="2"| Dangerous Minds |
|---|
| scope="row"| "A Message for Your Mind" |
| scope="row"| "Where I'm From (Don't Fight the Clean Mix II)" |
| scope="row"| "Holla"
| rowspan="2"|2000 | Celly Cel, 2-Ton | Held Up |
| scope="row"| "Win or Lose"
| |
Other certified songs
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of songs, with certifications, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" style="width:18em;" | Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" style="width:12em;" | Certifications ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row" | "Only God Can Judge Me" {{small|(2Pac featuring Rappin' 4-Tay)}} | 1996 | |
|---|
=Other guest appearances=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:15em;"| ! scope="col" | Release ! scope="col" | Other artist(s) ! scope="col" | Album |
| scope="row"| "Don't Fight the Feelin'"
| 1988 |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Did You Get the Dank"
| 1993 |
| scope="row"| "You Do Your Thang"
| 1994 | |
| scope="row"| "Root of All Evil"
| 1995 | JT The Bigga Figga, San Quinn |
| scope="row"| "Don't Fight the Remix"
| 1996 | Passion, Too Short, Soul Depot |
| scope="row"| "Up's and Down's"
| rowspan="4"| 1997 | |
| scope="row"| "Playa Paraphernalia"
| Ant Banks, J-Dubb |
| scope="row"| "Urban Rapsody" |
| scope="row"| "World Famous" |
| scope="row"| "360°"
| rowspan="2"| 1998 | Eightball, Spice 1, E-40, Otis & Shug | Lost |
| scope="row"| "It's Goin' Down" (Remix) |
| scope="row"| "Dogghouse"
| rowspan="2"| 2000 |
| scope="row"| "Candi Coated" |
| scope="row"| "Das OK"
| 2002 | Spice 1 |
| scope="row"| "Get High with Me"
| 2003 | Frost, Shorty B |
Videography
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! scope="col" style="width:15em;"| ! scope="col"| Release ! scope="col"| Other artist(s) ! scope="col"| Album |
| scope="row"| "Where I'm From (Don't Fight the Clean Mix II)"
|1996 |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Dogghouse"
| 2000 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
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Category:21st-century American male musicians
Category:21st-century American rappers
Category:African-American Christians
Category:African-American male rappers
Category:20th-century American male rappers
Category:Chrysalis Records artists
Category:Hip-hop musicians from San Francisco
Category:Rappers from the San Francisco Bay Area
Category:Virgin Records artists
Category:West Coast hip-hop musicians