RAPH4EL, producer TAG’s solo alter-ego, has released his newest digital album, ‘It’s 4.’ Similar to his previous EP, ‘It’s 4’ features four unique songs that showcase his individuality as a producer, singer and rapper.
The alias RAPH4EL was first revealed back in February when fans noticed a new Instagram account called ‘raph444el’ and the first post on the account featured a collection of photos and videos, one of them being a picture of producer and One Pact member TAG. The following day, a track list for his debut EP titled, ‘4/4’, was released.
Outside of his solo project, TAG is well known within the K-Pop community. He first debuted in 2021 with the group CIIPHER where he began to show his versatility as an artist by both singing and rapping as well as working behind the scenes on writing and producing their songs. In between producing for CIIPHER, TAG was able to further his skills as he released songs on SoundCloud as well as produced music for other groups and artists.
In 2023, many of the CIIPHER members, TAG included, left both the group and the company. After leaving CIIPHER, TAG went on to join the MNET Survival Show Boys Planet that same year, but dropped out of the competition shortly after the first mission. In October of 2023, a photo of TAG was revealed under ARMADA Entertainment’s social medias following a series of other boys for their new boy group One Pact.
Now TAG, or RAPH4EL , is able to showcase his talents outside of being in a group.
‘It’s 4’ may only feature four songs, but is able to portray different themes and exhibits RAPH4EL’s broad musical abilities. The EP begins with the song, “(BE MY GF), which feature vocals from his One Pact group member Jay Chang. This track explores the theme of love, but not in the typical sense. Contrary to its title, “(BE MY GF) ” is about wanting someone, but pushing them away due to issues with love. The lyrics, “I have to push you away like a coward,” aid in conveying the story of a toxic love.
“marry me”, the second track on the EP, is unlike anything that RAPH4EL has released thus far. The song is produced in 8-Bit style, utilizing strong synthesizers along with a heavy club bass and autotuned vocals that match perfectly with the vibe of the song. Unlike the upbeat sounds of the song, it follows a similar path of toxic or sad love, with the story line portraying RAPH4EL asking a girl to marry him, and she does not accept it. This full 8-Bit sound paired with the lyrics make this track an unforgettable one.
“4in’t Nobody” fuses Electopop, Dance Pop and Hip Hop to create the perfect “chill” song. The themes surrounding love begin to shift with this track, as it focuses on the message of showing your true self to someone and being loved by them in a way that you have never felt. In the lyrics, RAPH4EL mentions that the love is so incredible that he may make her his wife. The difference between this track and the previous two demonstrate his versatility in song writing.
The last song on the album, “TETRIS”, is the perfect ending to the album. It is fun, hype and dance-worthy. This is the only track with an E rating, and RAPH4EL goes all out to make this fun yet short track the most hyped yet. The opening is similar to that of the actual game TETRIS, with Electronic/Electro Pop beats progressing throughout. The theme of the song defines him as an artist as he compares himself to other rappers, stating that he is Korea’s Eminem and RAPH4EL.
Following the release of this album, RAPH4EL performed his first solo show in Los Angeles at Los Globos.
There is no doubt more to come from RAPH4EL, and his fans are eagerly waiting. Make sure to follow RAPH4EL on Spotify and Instagram for his upcoming releases.