The group's meteoric rise was immediately met with intense resistance from law enforcement. , an elite NSW Police unit, began a campaign to dismantle the group's career, leading to:
Despite these obstacles, ONEFOUR's influence only grew. Their story became the subject of the 2023 Netflix documentary Against All Odds , which chronicled their struggle against what they termed "censorship". ONEFOUR – The Message - The Singles Jukebox The Message - ONEFOUR
"The Message" served as Australia's first major foray into , a subgenre defined by dark, sliding basslines and starkly realistic lyrics about street life. While the lyrics were provocative—referencing gang rivalries and retaliation—group members like YP maintained they were simply reflecting their environment. The group's meteoric rise was immediately met with
: "We rap about what we've seen growing up," YP explained in an interview with GQ Australia. ONEFOUR – The Message - The Singles Jukebox