The first time I heard 6LACK was a few years ago on a PARTYNEXTDOOR instrumental. The song was called Break From Atlanta. I ended up playing 6LACK’s version a lot more than PARTYNEXTDOOR‘s Break from Toronto, these times I was a big PND fan. There was a lot of potential in the way 6LACK was able to tell stories whilst at the same time fit in with the wave of the likes of PND and the more recent Bryson Tiller.
Since then I hadn’t been following his journey in music. That was until I heard his single PRBLMS and hearing all that potential in him had been reached. The single has now been heard millions of times across the world thanks to a curated Apple music playlist and has also garnered praise and attention from the likes of Zane Lowe, Diddy and even, Kylie Jenner who has shared it on her social media a few times.
The Atlanta based contemporary R&B/Rap artist 6LACK (Ricardo Valentine) who recently signed to creative agency LoveRenaissance, is now gearing up for his big release in ‘Free 6LACK’. The 11 track album will feature the certified banger ‘PRBLMS‘ and buzzing single ‘Ex Calling’.
Why Free 6LACK?
In his own words, 6LACK saw his label situation as being trapped.
In July 2011, I signed to an independent record label owned by a popular artist at the time…In the years to follow I found myself at my absolute lowest. After the little advance money ran out I was unable to eat most nights, had no stable place to stay, and found myself living out of a ripped up backpack. They had me making hundreds of songs I hated to meet their criteria of what they viewed as “hit records”…
They wanted me to just be a hit song and I wanted to show them I was more than that.
For the next three years I had to make moves in secrecy. I put music out on my Soundcloud even though my contract didn’t allow me to release any music on my own. With the few songs I put out I grew enough of a following and established my brand.
When the label found out I thought they would start taking me seriously but they didn’t and that’s when I knew I had to get the fuck out of there.
With a new team and new release he will finally be free!
I’ve always known what I wanted to do but I couldn’t do it alone. The one thing that has gotten me through all of these years of living in captivity was love. Love from friends, family, fans and even strangers. So much of it that I often look at the little I’ve done so far and wonder what the hell people see in me. I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing people in my life and the fact that most of them remain regardless if I ever released another song is a blessing I’ll never take for granted. After five years I’m free from my first contract, I now have an amazing team in LVRN and I’m finally able to do shit the way it should’ve been from the jump.
Here’s to being free.
It may be too early to call 6LACK the next big thing but judging by the music he has out there already and how it’s being received, it might just be a sure bet.
What do you think?
Free 6LACK is out on iTunes 25th of November 2016.