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Following his breakout single act ii: date @ 8, which was distributed to streaming platforms last year and attracted features from Drake and Kanye West, Texan rapper 4Batz has finally returned with his first single for the year titled MORTAL KOMBAT.
The latest single officially follows the release of his debut mixtape, U Made Me a St4r, which hit streaming platforms on May 3, 2024, and debuted at No.30 on Billboard 200.
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The 2024 XXL Freshmen's latest single finds him returning to the sound that brought him massive success, revisiting themes of love and relationships over a slow R&B instrumental. MORTAL KOMBAT was first revealed in a February Instagram post where the rapper stated:
"Been battling depression, people don’t teach you how to deal with success and sh*t. but I’m back fu*king up yo timeline. Mortal Kombat drops March 14th."
Almost four months before MORTAL KOMBAT was delivered to streaming platforms, 4Batz released an unofficial single on YouTube titled hood grammy, where he shouts out to his family and friends while retelling his "Rags to Riches" story.
Bar-for-Bar: Breaking down 4Batz's latest single 'MORTAL KOMBAT'
On MORTAL KOMBAT, 4Batz teams up with producers Elise Eriksen, Garrett Wolfston, and Tristan Callaway, revisiting unsettling instances from his relationship, which is seemingly portrayed as a toxic back-and-forth between himself and his girlfriend.
Alongside its release to streaming services on March 14, 2025, 4Batz also uploaded an official visualizer for MORTAL KOMBAT to his YouTube channel featuring two versions of the rapper seated in the car singing along to the song.
With multiple references to physical altercations and verbal abuse, the record's production allows for Batz to tap into his R&B bag, exploring themes like:
- Love
- Relationships
- Abuse
- Toxicity
- Manipulation
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
(Verse 1)
"You must think I'm done, but I'll be back around / And honestly, you're the one, until you start trippin' out / Oh, you know that you'll cry, but you won't turn it back around / Oh, you just love to fight, something to fight about"
4Batz opens on MORTAL KOMBAT, with the record's first verse where he highlights the toxic nature of his relationship, citing the constant disagreements between himself and his partner.
While he claims his partner is the one who causes issues by "tripping out," he does highlight how she's the one for him but finds it hard to make the relationship work because of her supposed need for drama.
(Chorus)
"We always fight / I know that I'm wrong but this sh*t feels so right / And you say you're gone, but you're back the same night / So fight for your rights, fight for your life / 'Cause we always fight, we always fight / I know that I'm wrong, but this sh*t feels so right / And you say you're gone, but you're back the same night / So fight for your rights, fight for your life / 'Cause we always fight, we always fight"
Listeners are then introduced to the record's hook, which is effortlessly delivered with a harmonious cadence that builds over the slow R&B chord progressions, with Batz seemingly accepting blame for his involvement in their fights.
The chorus repeats twice, seemingly emphasizing the mental fatigue 4Batz faces dealing with these "fights," before he delivers the record's second verse.
(Verse 2)
"Tuesdays, Wednesdays / Every night, every day / Anyway, we always fight / Keep it on replay / Any time, any place, we always fight / She threw a punch in my eyes / Girl, why you gotta be so toxic? / And why you gotta be so childish?"
Batz then continues to recount the constant nature of their bickering in MORTAL KOMBAT's second verse, highlighting how he and his partner fight almost every day without paying any heed to their surroundings.
The selfish nature of both individuals is expertly woven into Batz's lyricism which also touches on themes of physical and verbal abuse, evidenced by his claim that his partner punched him in his eyes.
(Outro)
"But the things we do / Oh, it feels so true / Still love you / Oh, you know we do / Are we still cool / Oh, oh all we do / I'll tell you the truth / I'm done fighting you"
With the hook returning for a final run on MORTAL KOMBAT, Batz closes out his first single for 2025 with an outro that explains his desire to no longer engage in these fights with his partner and move on with his life.
4Batz's return to music follows an expected hiatus before which fans received multiple one-off collaborations with massive players in the industry, namely Lil Baby, Skilla Baby, Jeremih, Ye, and Drake.
