Just last year, the people of Oak Cliff knew him as Neko Bennett. One year later, the world knows him as 4Batz. During a recent interview with R&B Money‘s J. Valentine and Tank, the Dallas native explained how he gained his stage name.
“In Dallas, we call it the four,” he explained to the R&B legends.
“Then, Batz [is] because…I don’t know if they want me to say it. Well, Batz is like my hood nickname because I used to fight a lot. Neko, that’s my real name. Neko. I used to fight a lot coming up.”
Growing up in Dallas, 4Batz recalls making music as early as elementary school. However, he wasn’t sure how the world would receive his work after receiving lukewarm reviews from those around him.
“I showed my n—s my music and it was…we’re all caught up in what we’re caught up in and I showed them my music. And they we’re just like, ‘This you? This is not a girl?’ They we’re just kind of like that. It wasn’t what I wanted. For the world to receive it the way I wanted, God has just been working in my favor. God is good,” he said.
4Batz will have an opportunity to bring his music to the world this summer. Beginning July 29, he’ll embark on the Thank U, Jada Tour. The singer’s first headlining tour will make stops in nine cities, including Boston, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles and Oakland.
