Aitch returns with 4, a tightly constructed and emotionally resonant second album that marks both a personal milestone. Released via NQ Records / The Orchard, the 16-track project arrives on the rapper’s 25th birthday and draws its title from multiple anchors: his fourth major project and his M40 Manchester postcode. The album blends UK rap with a deepening emotional register, balancing club-ready energy with moments of reflection.

While his 2022 debut Close To Home leaned inward, 4 pushes outward, both sonically and culturally. Lead single “COL4 BODY” featuring Tiggs Da Author is a radiant mix of Afro-pop, dance, and funky house, crafted for open-air speakers. It channels the multicultural spirit of Aitch’s Manchester upbringing, where British and West African influences lived side by side. Elsewhere, tracks like “BOUNCE” and “CLOCK THE G4ME” (featuring local legend Chimpo) hit harder, built for live sets and late-night hype, while songs like “M40” and “ROOM 44” offer space for memory, pressure, and self-awareness to surface without sentimentality.

Produced by UK mainstays MOJAM and WhyTek, 4 keeps Aitch’s sound sharp and versatile, allowing room for collaborations with AJ Tracey, Anne-Marie, and Tamera to bring in melodic and lyrical range. The result is a project that doesn’t chase trends, but rather moves confidently through them, one foot in the city that raised him, the other pointed forward. It’s proof that Aitch is no longer just a rising star in British rap, he’s becoming one of its most compelling voices.