4batz has signed a deal with Drake’s label OVO Sound for one EP, according to two executives familiar with the deal. The EP deal is a short-term license, the sources say.
A rep for Drake and OVO declined to comment.
Multiple labels have been wooing 4batz since his track “act ii: date @ 8” — originally released through Vydia — took off during Christmas week. (Executives say it’s one of two viral songs that the major labels have been aggressively chasing in the first few months of the year, along with Good Neighbours’ “Home.”) “act ii: date @ 8” debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 77 in January and rose as high as No. 59.
The track “was [made] more for the females,” 4batz told Billboard recently. “Nowadays, R&B is quote-unquote toxic. It’s a lot of fake toxicity going on. I don’t know about that toxicity. My momma raised me in a way like, ‘You love a girl, you do this. You open the door for her.’ I’m big on that, so that one was specifically for the females.”
4batz released a remix of the single featuring Drake on Friday (March 8) that is certain to bring the song additional attention. While 4batz’s lawyer, Matt Buser, declined to answer questions about the singer’s deal, he said in a statement that the singer “made a calculated decision to creatively collaborate with one of the most iconic artists ever.”
“The positive energy and overall support from Team Drake/OVO was a driving factor in getting this song released,” Buser added. “We are grateful for their involvement and are excited to see what the future holds as a result of this epic creative and business move.”
Drake founded OVO Sound with his longtime producer Noah “40” Shebib and manager Oliver El-Khatib. The company worked with Warner Records for many years before announcing a partnership with Todd Moscowitz‘s Santa Anna Label Group in January under the Sony Music umbrella. Under the deal, Santa Anna will distribute and market OVO releases.
4Batz has earned 35 million streams across his catalog as an independent artist in just the last four weeks, according to Luminate, meaning he doesn’t have to rush to release his EP. “I’m really in love with this,” he told Billboard. “This EP’s gon’ break the f—kin’ internet.”
