Hailing from Lima, Ohio, the hip-hop artist, rapper, and songwriter Ayestí pairs up with SHAD for their deeply reflective single, "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)."
Also known as 4gmusiq, the Ohio-based rapper/hip-hop artist is best known for combining pure storytelling, complex melodies, and catchy lyrics into his sound influenced by acts like Juice WRLD, Lil Wayne, and T-Pain. Making CBS and Fox-affiliated news headlines with his latest single, "Mind Games," we're excited to introduce this savory and reflective song to our readers.
Expanding on his first single of the year, "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)," Ayestí and SHAD take us through an incredibly introspective and heartfelt atmosphere through their emotional bars/lyricism. Not to mention the song's tender and melodic hip-hop tones, we can't help but feel heavy sonic similarities to the late great Juice WRLD.
Listening to "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)," the song opens with bright acoustic guitar picking alongside Ayestí's airy background vocals. Once a somber keyboard melody begins to shine through, the heavy beat drops with a tight array of drum breaks. Ayestí begins his lyrical journey through rather introspective words of seeking a way out of the mind games that a significant other harshly caused.
Hopping on the track is the deep and unique vocal stylings of SHAD, which perfectly complements Ayestí's lyrical message through bars that touch on the disheartening feeling of recognizing someone's mind games before it's too late. Reaching the song's end, the melodic production drifts us to the outro while maintaining the song's heartfelt core the entire way through.
Find Ayestí's first single of the year, "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)," on all streaming platforms, and become familiar with the versatile and melodic stylings of the Lima-based hip-hop artist.
Welcome to BuzzMusic Ayestí, and congratulations on the release of your first single of 2021, "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)." When did you begin writing bars for this single?
I began writing “Mind Games” in September 2020 and finished in November. It was a long process because I planned a big release for the start of 2021.
Why did you want to create such a heavily introspective and emotional single like "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)?" What inspired your bars and concept?
I wanted to convey a series of situations through high school with females. It involves girls playing around and being flirty, but never want to be serious when it comes down to it. They talk big and bad but ain’t bout no action, ya know? So it finally gets to a point where I’m like, forget ALL YALL! The one lyric states “You ain’t in the Mindset, got a different Mindframe” and that’s exactly how I meant it, FORGET THEM!
We love the contrasting tones between your vocals and SHAD's within the single, "Mind Games (feat. SHAD)." What drew you to the stylings of SHAD to include him as a feature on this single?
Shad and I have PLENTY of music I’m sure you’ll hear very soon, he always comes through with a solid verse and finds the key of that song. We’ve got different lifestyles and his edgy tone always compliments my music well.
How does your music represent who you are and what you stand for? What are some common themes that you tend to touch on within your music?
I am Sober for the most part so a lot of times I’ll make references to pills, but in some way I always mention that I don’t do them. I also use TONS of metaphors in all my music so it remains playful and catchy, but still meaningful. I tend to reference a situation with a girl in every song so I’d say that's a really common theme.
What's next for you?
The Name change becomes OFFICIAL! The name “4gmusiq” is officially retired and Alas, “Ayestí” People ask why I am making the switch and it is simply for Aesthetics. When I finally make songs with Dro Kenji and Billie Eilish, “feat. Ayestí” looks better than “feat. 4gmusiq.”
