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.
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', 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, 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 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'.
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, 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.
The Gift
Rappin' 4-Tay Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So before My Shit pops i'm saying grace to the Gods
It's Kinda sad my late pap's never heard of my art
I'm Sure He'd compliment the Skills that i possess in my craft
Look
I Always knew my Shit was good from the start
And Years Later dudes i idolized start giving their prop's
The Real Recognized my art deserve to stay at the top
Now Riddle This
You rather get that fast cash Spitting gibberish
Or would you Rather wait for ten years of acting niggerish
Dreams get diminished when you sleep for too Long
But dreams really get diminished when you faking the Art
So
None of the above Don't Ever Doubt if I'm that tight
I'm That Nice that I Can Bring 'A Rhyme' to a Gun Fight
In the song "The Gift" by Rappin' 4-Tay, the artist reflects on his journey in the music industry and the recognition he has received for his skills. He starts by emphasizing the importance of being genuine and not putting up a false image. He acknowledges the role of destiny or luck ("My Shit pops") and expresses gratitude and humility by saying grace to the Gods. However, he also feels a sense of sadness that his late father never had the chance to hear and appreciate his art, believing that his father would have recognized and praised his skills in his craft.
4-Tay then reflects on his early confidence in his abilities, how he always knew his music was good from the start. But the validation from his idols, the ones he looked up to, gave him a boost of self-assurance that helped him overcome any lack of trust he had in himself. The recognition from those who were already established in the industry "neutralized" his insecurities. He feels that his art deserves to be at the top, and it's the realness in his work that is recognized and appreciated.
The artist then poses a rhetorical question to the listener: Would you rather pursue quick monetary gain by spitting meaningless lyrics or wait patiently for ten years, staying true to oneself and facing challenges? He suggests that dreams can be compromised when one indulges in superficial behavior for too long or when the art is not authentic. 4-Tay asserts that he doesn't fall into either of those categories and doubts about his talent should never arise. He believes he's so skilled that he can bring a "rhyme" to a gun fight, metaphorically indicating his confidence and ability to hold his ground in any situation.
Overall, "The Gift" is a self-reflective and introspective song where Rappin' 4-Tay shares his journey in the music industry, the recognition he has received, and the importance of staying true to oneself and the art.
Line by Line Meaning
Real Talk No Putting up a facade
I'm being completely honest and authentic, not hiding behind a false image
So before My Shit pops i'm saying grace to the Gods
I'm grateful and acknowledging a higher power before my success takes off
It's Kinda sad my late pap's never heard of my art
It's unfortunate that my father passed away before he could appreciate my artistic talent
I'm Sure He'd compliment the Skills that i possess in my craft
I believe he would admire and acknowledge the abilities I have in my artistic work
Look
Listen up, pay attention
I Always knew my Shit was good from the start
I've always been confident in the quality of my work
And Years Later dudes i idolized start giving their prop's
After some time, the people I looked up to began acknowledging and praising my talent
They kinda neutralized the lack of self trust in my blood
Their recognition helped diminish my self-doubt and restore my confidence
The Real Recognized my art deserve to stay at the top
Authentic and genuine individuals acknowledged that my art deserves to be successful and respected
Now Riddle This
Now let me explain this concept or situation in a thought-provoking way
You rather get that fast cash Spitting gibberish
Would you prefer to make quick money by producing meaningless and nonsensical content?
Or would you Rather wait for ten years of acting niggerish
Or would you rather wait for a decade while acting foolish and engaging in negative behaviors?
Dreams get diminished when you sleep for too Long
Your dreams and aspirations lose their significance when you remain inactive for an extended period
But dreams really get diminished when you faking the Art
However, dreams truly lose their value when you pretend and deceive in your artistic pursuits
So
Therefore, in conclusion
None of the above Don't Ever Doubt if I'm that tight
I don't fit into any of those categories, and you should never doubt my skill and talent
I'm That Nice that I Can Bring 'A Rhyme' to a Gun Fight
I'm so skilled and confident in my abilities that I can excel even in challenging or dangerous situations
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Mogomotsi Moshongo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ashleyhicks7187
This song always reminds me of my mom. Makes me remember the good old days when we use to sing and dance around to good music. I love that women 💜 I remember the smell of the air and the scenery and the feeling I felt while looking at my beautiful mom as she was singing this song to me. I do not know what I would do without her!!! Gotta love those moments.
@Kiddhopp
4-Tay is hella smooth… A hustla Role Model!!! str8 up
@572318a
I work in the oil fields so I driver from Denver, co to Texas every week and out of 12 hours you better believe we're jaminn this
@monicagasca4085
He never got enough credit. I belive he could have got farther in the game for sure 💯
Song reminds me of Jr high
@Kill2Chill
I am thankin lord for this track🤲
@MrOrtizf13
This is a badass jam
@alexplane5359
Best tune...... ever!!!!!! ❤
@ignaciojr.guerrerosanchez4799
Brings back memories of my high school honey. Regan Jolie, the love of my life. Hope to see her again soon.
@Michaelproduce
This whole album is fire.
@samuelmoles83
+MontenegroMedia Whether this album is considered, "underground" or not. I consider it to be one the best rap albums ever. I still don't know why 4 Tay did not catch on with a broader audience.