Rappin' 4-Tay
Fillmore District rapper and Too Short associate whose singles “Playaz Club” (1994) and “I’ll Be Around” with The Spinners both reached the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.
Fillmore upbringing
Anthony H. Forté was born on March 2, 1968, in San Francisco and grew up in the city's Fillmore District. After high school he made his recording debut on Too Short's 1988 album “Life Is...Too Short,” tying him to Too Short's Dangerous Crew. A drug conviction then led to a ten-month prison term.
Independent return
After his release he issued “Rappin' 4-Tay Is Back” in 1991 on Rag Top Records and In-A-Minute Records, the independent that also released the early work of Dre Dog. He co-produced the album with Gary Hudson, alongside contributions from Franky J, Cyrus Esteban, Lil Fly and others.
National hits
His second album, “Don't Fight the Feelin',” came out on July 26, 1994, through Rag Top and Chrysalis Records, with production from Ant Banks, JT the Bigga Figga, Franky J and others. It reached number 174 on the Billboard 200, number 52 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number 4 on Heatseekers. The lead single, “Playaz Club,” built on Judy Clay and William Bell's “Private Number,” climbed to number 36 on the Hot 100. The follow-up, “I'll Be Around,” featuring The Spinners, reached number 39 in the US, number 30 in the UK and number one in New Zealand. In 1996 he appeared on 2Pac's “Only God Can Judge Me” from “All Eyez on Me.”
Later career
“Off Parole,” released March 19, 1996, on Chrysalis, became his highest-charting album at number 38 on the Billboard 200 and number 10 on the R&B/Hip-Hop chart, led by “Ain't No Playa,” which reached number 73 on the Hot 100. “4 tha Hard Way” followed on Noo Trybe in 1997, and he kept releasing albums into the 2010s. In 2014 he objected publicly to Drake's use of “Playaz Club” lyrics on YG's “Who Do You Love?”; the dispute was reported as settled out of court.
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