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Tier 3 · vertical & regional
Rappin' 4-Tay
Person · male · United States · San Francisco · born 1968 · recording since 1991
American rapper
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Also known as Ant H. Forté · Anthony Forte · Anthony H. Forté · Anthony Henry Forté · Rapp'n 4-Tay · Rappen 4-Tay · +5 more
Timeline
19 events▣ Album 17◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1
1960s
1990s
· Debut release
Debut release: Rappin’ 4‐Tay Is Back!!!
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
2000s
2010s
2020s
Biography
English biography498 words · 4 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1360069289
Biography
Anthony H. Forté (born March 2, 1968), known professionally as Rappin' 4-Tay, is an American rapper from San Francisco, California.
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.
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. 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'
Don't Fight the Feelin'SpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Back Again2:122Dank Season4:343Keep One in the Chamba3:244Can U Buckem'4:165Just Cause I Called You a Bitch3:006Playaz Club4:267She's a Sell Out5:108I'll Be Around4:029Tear the Roof Off4:2010Sucka Free4:4411Call It What You Want Too4:5612I Gotcha' Back4:0813This Is What I Know3:3914The Gift4:1215Out 40003:3716Playaz Club (Sucka Free remix)4:3517I'll Be Around (Wicked mix)3:5518I'll Be Around (Al's Brother 2 Brother mix)4:20, which included the hits "Playaz Club
Playaz ClubSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Playaz Club (Original Flav’ radio mix)4:392Playaz Club (Rag Top radio mix)3:533Playaz Club (Sucker Free radio mix)4:374Playaz Club (Al’s radio mix)4:305Playaz Club (Original Flav’ club mix)5:256Playaz Club (Rag Top club mix)4:037Playaz Club (Rag Top instrumental)4:02" (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, and number one in New Zealand ).
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 GumboGangsta GumboSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Yo3:512Sucka Free4:023If It Wasent 4 U3:354Gossipin Ass Nigga0:455Rumors3:386360 Degrees4:387Sweet Luv II3:458Ghetto Starzs4:009Balla Balla3:1310Gangsta Gumbo3:2911What Is Gangsta Gumbo?0:2912Keep Hustlin3:5213Burning Burning4:0814Bay Life4:1415Me & My Daughter2:5016Dreams3:1717In Tha Club3:2518B4 Entertainment2:41 with the single "Burning, Burning", followed up by the album That's What You Thought
That's What You ThoughtSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Intro3:052That's What You Thought3:523Charger3:184Live From the 4155:065A Whole Nother Level2:366J & H (skit)0:487Business Is Heavy4:168Sorry I Took So Long3:119Full Metal Jacket3:1010If You Ain't Helpin' Me2:4811Highway3:5412I'll Take You There3:0513If I Forget Jesus3:0814Heavy Paper5:5215Live From the 415 (extended mix)12:30 in 2007. In 2010 He was featured on R&B Artist E. Broussard's song titled Big Game Droppin'.
He was featured on the song "My Alphabets" on fellow Bay Area rap veteran Mac Dre's 2004 album The Genie of the Lamp.
In 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, 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.
"Playaz Club" controversy
In 2014, 4-Tay spoke out against Drake for using lyrics from 4-Tay's 1994 song "Playaz ClubPlayaz ClubSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Playaz Club (Original Flav’ radio mix)4:392Playaz Club (Rag Top radio mix)3:533Playaz Club (Sucker Free radio mix)4:374Playaz Club (Al’s radio mix)4:305Playaz Club (Original Flav’ club mix)5:256Playaz Club (Rag Top club mix)4:037Playaz Club (Rag Top instrumental)4:02" in the collaboration "Who Do You Love?" with YG. The artists settled out of court with 4-Tay being promised $100,000 and future credits for the song. However, it was later revealed that Drake had not actually paid 4-Tay the $100,000.
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 & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 17 | 95.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 19 | 93.4th |
| Recording span (years) | 31 | 68.2th |
| Genres | 7 | 93th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (25 release groups · 17 studio albums)
Albums · 17
1991 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 55:46
1The Intro0:5024‐Tay Is Back4:483No Stoppin’3:354The Frisco Game7:305Only in America5:376What’s Really Goin’ On4:477The Tom and Jerry Show3:078I’ll Always Luv Ma! Ma!3:409Luv Is True4:3110Can You Feel Me4:1111Paranoia4:0012Ain’t Nobody Trippin’3:2913The Streets of San Francisco5:411994 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 18 tracks · 1:13:30
1Back Again2:122Dank Season4:343Keep One in the Chamba3:244Can U Buckem'4:165Just Cause I Called You a Bitch3:006Playaz Club4:267She's a Sell Out5:108I'll Be Around4:029Tear the Roof Off4:2010Sucka Free4:4411Call It What You Want Too4:5612I Gotcha' Back4:0813This Is What I Know3:3914The Gift4:1215Out 40003:3716Playaz Club (Sucka Free remix)4:3517I'll Be Around (Wicked mix)3:5518I'll Be Around (Al's Brother 2 Brother mix)4:201996 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:11:51
1I Paid My Dues4:252New Trump4:153A Lil’ Some’em Some’em5:374Check Ya Self3:275Ain’t No Playa (Playaz Sh’t)5:026Never Talk Down5:38725‐2‐Life5:048Boogie Bang Bang4:299Comin’ Back4:0510Hala at a Playa4:1211Game on the Shelf3:4312Off Parole4:1413Where’s the Party4:5614Phat Like That3:4315Still Ph#@*in’ Wit My Folk$4:4716Ain’t No Playa (radio mix)4:141997 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 20 tracks · 1:13:19
1Playaz Dedication4:492One Nite4:043Beats 4 Sale (skit)0:444What's Wrong Wit the Game4:155Money Makes the Man3:546Where You Playin' At4:327Cold Blooded4:108Just Came Up (skit)0:179Back at Cha3:5810Playa 4 Life4:1411What Fo'5:2512Ain't Nobody Coachin'3:4613Brin' the Beat Back3:1514Lay Ya Gunz Down4:5515The Biggie (skit)0:2816The Biggie4:0717Shake It4:2618Element of Surprize4:2119Thinking About You4:07204 tha Hard Way3:321998 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 1:12:11
1What Ya Gonna Do4:502All Together Now5:033Can Ya Feel Me4:334Hatin' Like That4:515Gangsta's World5:016Spittin' Game3:587We Don't Stop4:228Bigga Than da Game3:439What Cha Know Bout This4:2210We Getz Cloudy3:5611Keep It Lavi4:1812Like a Splif4:2413Dirty Work4:1414Perpetrating4:2515It Takes Game3:4116Outro2:2617Ghetto Bluz4:041999 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:14:12
1Introduction to Mackin'4:522Sweet Love4:493Nothin' From Nothin'3:504Get High With Me4:555It Only Rains Sometimes4:596Pimpin' Ain't Easy6:167You Really Don't Wanna4:288Get Ya Swell On4:299Do You Wanna Ride (Back Stabbers)4:1610Think It Over3:3211Ho Over My Homie6:0512The Game Ain't Made 4 All Y'all3:3713Loop Holes4:4214Bonnie and Clyde 20004:2715Throw It Up4:2716Every Third Brother4:282003 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 18 tracks · 59:52
1Yo3:512Sucka Free4:023If It Wasent 4 U3:354Gossipin Ass Nigga0:455Rumors3:386360 Degrees4:387Sweet Luv II3:458Ghetto Starzs4:009Balla Balla3:1310Gangsta Gumbo3:2911What Is Gangsta Gumbo?0:2912Keep Hustlin3:5213Burning Burning4:0814Bay Life4:1415Me & My Daughter2:5016Dreams3:1717In Tha Club3:2518B4 Entertainment2:412007 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:00:39
1Intro3:052That's What You Thought3:523Charger3:184Live From the 4155:065A Whole Nother Level2:366J & H (skit)0:487Business Is Heavy4:168Sorry I Took So Long3:119Full Metal Jacket3:1010If You Ain't Helpin' Me2:4811Highway3:5412I'll Take You There3:0513If I Forget Jesus3:0814Heavy Paper5:5215Live From the 415 (extended mix)12:302007 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 33:15
1The Pimp In Me3:012The Bay2:313Sometimes2:384Gangsta2:295Mack Like These3:136Sending Hoe's2:227Chop Shop1:338K 4-Tay3:079Thug In My Vains1:4110Dubb Duce's4:2011Sprung2:5012Represent3:302008 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 48:01
1Make U Lean4:082Skit0:383Street Google Me3:134At the Club3:355Rollin On Blades3:166Down Wit It3:287Blow Ya Brain Out4:038Bay Area Anthem3:469Get Ya Money3:3710The World Is a Ghetto3:4211Gone Wild (Radio Version)3:4912Never Knew Love (Radio Version)3:0913Punishment3:1914Throw Back Hoe4:182009 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 36:11
1Intro1:162If I Snap4:553Bust a 45th2:314Open4:235MOB3:126Pimp S**t2:347Some Times5:018What You Want4:349Hoes3:57104033:48Ghetto Visa, Vol. 2 : Platinum Deluxe Edition
2010 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 58:35
1Spit P's3:182Nite By Xmas2:493The World Is Mine4:184Stay Ready4:305Yes We Do3:496Fo Real Tho3:437The Love4:058Mission Impossible3:399I Want To Know3:3110Change The Lock4:4611It's Poppin4:0012Get It5:0713MI No. 23:4114Baby Macks3:3615Untitled3:432011 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 48:05
1All I Do All I Know3:352Cali Living Feat.3:213Do Your Thing Feat.3:064Drinks On Me Feat.3:315Game Bang Feat.3:496Game Feat.3:507Here's The Shit Feat.3:268If It Don't Fit3:219Lonely3:5010Quiet Storm Feat.4:0111Real Women Feat.4:2512What You Waiting For Feat.3:5813What You Running For Feat.3:522011 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 53:57
1Don't Trip3:402After the Club Is Over4:133Left My Baby Home3:434Better Dayz3:575Would You Be Wit Me2:516No Man's Land3:317My Number One3:188Grew Up In the Ghetto3:209Put It On Me3:4910Drip3:2111All Night Long3:4412Encore3:1813Other Side3:1914What Kinda Life Is That4:0515Live 2Gether3:482011 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 48:47
1Wake Up (106.1 KMEL)1:042Take a Ride To My Block4:333Whip-It, Dip-It, Then I'm Gone!2:344Cons and Crooks1:595Wiggle Wiggle'em Off2:336It Don't Mean Nada2:237When the Lights Go Down3:578Jesus (Interlude)2:509Game Of Life, Check Mate3:4410Love, Faith & Honesty4:0411That's How Life Is3:3412Basketball Wife (Smooth With It)4:2613Get That Paper2:4414Last Ones Left (Original)4:0115Where Is The Love?4:212011 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 57:43
1Intro5:402That's The Way4:393Back It Up4:014Call Me4:265Big Dreams4:506Cali Lifestyle3:547Like That3:498Welcome To The Zone4:469How Long (Do Or Die)5:0810Around The World5:1311About My Paper3:2812That's Gangsta3:5613Cali Lifestyle (Spiked Remix)3:53Dlk Enterprise Presents Rappin 4-Tay "Dlk Collabs", Vol. 5
2022 · studio album
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Tracklist · 9 tracks · 35:35
1Whispering4:212Pistol in da Club3:433In My City4:294Twos Up3:495My Life3:596I Got da Juice4:357Hello2:398Anything Goes3:539I'm Fly4:07
Single · 6
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Playaz ClubSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 7 tracks · 31:091Playaz Club (Original Flav’ radio mix)4:39 2Playaz Club (Rag Top radio mix)3:53 3Playaz Club (Sucker Free radio mix)4:37 4Playaz Club (Al’s radio mix)4:30 5Playaz Club (Original Flav’ club mix)5:25 6Playaz Club (Rag Top club mix)4:03 7Playaz Club (Rag Top instrumental)4:02 | 16 August 1994 | ||
| 1995 | I’ll Be AroundSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 7 tracks · 30:25A1I’ll Be Around (Timber mix)5:45 A2I’ll Be Around (Wicked mix)5:40 A3I’ll Be Around (Al’s Brother 2 Brother mix)4:35 B1Just ’Cause I Called You a Bitch (album version)3:00 B2Just ’Cause I Called You a Bitch (’95 version)3:10 B3Just ’Cause I Called You a Bitch (instrumental)3:01 B4I’ll Be Around (album version)5:14 | 1995 | ||
| 1996 | Ain't No Playa Like…Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 5 tracks · 23:161Ain't No Playa (Radio Version)4:13 2Ain't No Playa (Album Version)5:03 3Ain't No Playa (Video Version)4:13 4Ain't No Playa (Instrumental)5:03 5Still Phuckin' Wit My Folk$4:44 | 1996 | ||
| 1996 | Never Talk DownSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 6 tracks · 27:42A1Never Talk Down (radio version)3:56 A2Never Talk Down (Shorty B radio remix)4:08 A3Never Talk Down (Shorty B street drum mix)4:09 B1Where’s the Party (album version)4:55 B2Where’s the Party (instrumental)4:55 B3Never Talk Down (album version)5:39 | 1996 | ||
| 2010 | Big Game Droppin’Search SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 3 tracks · 10:011Big Game Droppin’3:40 2What It Do3:09 3Yo Town3:12 | 29 January 2010 | ||
| 2016 | Twos UpSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 1 track · 3:491Twos Up3:49 | 19 February 2016 |
EP · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Money Makes the ManSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 8 tracks · 22:45A1Money Makes the Man3:57 A2Money Makes the Man (instrumental)2:20 A3Brin' The Beat Back3:14 A4Brin' The Beat Back (instrumental)1:23 B1Shake It4:26 B2Shake It (instrumental)1:36 B3What's Wrong Wit the Game4:15 B4What's Wrong Wit the Game (instrumental)1:34 | 1997 |
Album · 1
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Bay OverdoseSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 14 tracks · 1:03:091Bay Overdose Intro6:35 2Stop Get Out & Pop4:29 3In My City4:29 4Complexities5:11 5Do it For My Ghetto5:10 6Know How My N****s Be3:56 7Off Top4:25 8B.A.P.S4:00 9All Night4:32 10Im Fly4:07 11Overdose'm3:52 12What You Know About3:34 13Block Spitz4:52 14Anything Goes3:57 | Compilation | 10 December 2013 |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Rappin' 4-Tay head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 10 | 58.3th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 25 | 88.9th |
| Studio albums | 17 | 95.5th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 19 | 93.4th |
| Recording span (years) | 31 | 68.2th |
| Genres | 7 | 93th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cali Players(band) | — | present | |
| Rock Box and the Funky Fresh Crew(band) | — | present | original |
| T.W.D.Y.(band) | — | present |
Where this record comes from
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/44223a23-a89a-4815-9eab-e36ce9d0ebaediscography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/44223a23-a89a-4815-9eab-e36ce9d0ebaecore—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q711710genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q711710seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rappin%27_4-Taybiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rappin%27_4-Tay
Why this artist is in the database
- List of hip-hop musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: no portrait (not displayed: the licence credit is missing)
Wikidata: Q711710 · MusicBrainz: 44223a23-a89a-4815-9eab-e36ce9d0ebae
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