4 is the fourth studio album by the American singer and songwriter Beyoncé. It was released on June 24, 2011, by Parkwood Entertainment and Columbia Records. Recorded from March 2010 to May 2011, the album was produced by Beyoncé alongside Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Kanye West, Kaskade, Brent Kutzle, and Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic, Switch, and The-Dream, among others. The album features a single lead guest appearance, from André 3000 of Outkast. Following a career hiatus that reignited her creativity, Beyoncé conceived 4 as a record rooted in traditional rhythm and blues that stood apart from contemporary popular music.