The Nashville hip hop and rap community continues to challenge the musical landscape. Artists like Kesha, Young Buck, Lil Queeze and Tray 8 are making their mark. One rapper that might not get the same attention, but his star is rising is 2Four. His single “Party Time” has sick beats and his rap style is fast tracked. “Party Time” sets the tone and helps 2Four break away from the pack.
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheReal2Four/
2Four’s real name is De’Andre Davis’. After giving up a football scholarship at Bethel University, he focused all of his energies on music. He dropped his first single “Lamborghini Dreamin’” in 2011. A year later his EP Long Hair Don’t Care came out, then the mixtape Fast Lane in 2013. He’s performed many local shows in Nashville, including Hard Rock and BB Kings. His press materials boast of his discipline and desire to make it, and by the sound and completed production of “Party Time” I’m certain this isn’t the last we’re hearing the name 2Four.
SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7lh8VbtCsGu55Gy55KIwAD
A bouncy music bed, ripe for getting the juices going is present throughout “Party Time”. 2Four raps with assertiveness, but not aggression. It’s anxious but focused. He raps “we ain’t going home, we gonna go to the morning” and in that instant you can just feel the energy and imagine that crowd of people moving and dancing as one unit. He continues to rap “we got a bunch of bottles, but we don’t wanna share.” This line only made me laugh because it’s 2020 and we’re dealing with a pandemic and true, we shouldn’t be sharing. I loved the line “we already lit, but we’re trying to get higher”. This line reminded me of the feeling when the energy of something is so thrilling, so addicting, you just want to maintain that energy and high for as long as you can. He succeeds at setting the scene and giving his listener an immediate reason to shake those hips and bop that head.
REVERBNATION: https://www.reverbnation.com/thereal2four
2Four does use expletives in his song. I thought his voice sounded a bit like Ludacris. He definitely has his own unique delivery and the beat is incredibly unique. I felt like it was empowering me to make the most of my life, to live and get to getting things done. I know on the surface it’s literally about partying and letting loose with your crew, but I’d like to think that this song goes a bit deeper and challenges the listener to take advantage of what we’ve been given and make the most of things. I think in some circles of rap we’re hearing a lot of more mellow, very lethargic or slower rap stylings (think Swae Lee and Tyla Yaweh) and 2Four brings back the music to a bit more old school centric, but with a modern twist. I really liked that this song makes you feel up, positive. I was in the mood for some action, a song that gave me the adrenaline to get through my day, and this song more than foot the bill.
Troy Johnston