6lack

Last updated

6LACK
6lack 2018.png
6LACK in 2018
Background information
Birth nameRicardo Valdez Valentine Jr. [1]
Born (1992-06-24) June 24, 1992 (age 32)
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • rapper
  • songwriter
Discography 6lack discography
Years active2011–present
Labels
Member of Spillage Village
Website 6lack.com

Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr. (born June 24, 1992), known professionally as 6lack (stylized as 6LACK, pronounced "black"), [4] is an American R&B singer, rapper, and songwriter. Born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he gained recognition following the release of his 2016 single "Prblms", which marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100. He signed with Love Renaissance, an imprint of Interscope Records to release his debut studio album, Free 6lack (2016), which was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards and received platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [5]

Contents

Two years later, he released his second studio album East Atlanta Love Letter (2018), which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. That same year, he released the single "OTW" (with Khalid and Ty Dolla Sign) and guest featured on Normani's single "Waves"—which earned an MTV Video Music Award. In June 2020, he released his debut extended play (EP) 6pc Hot , which included the single "Know My Rights" (featuring Lil Baby). Later that year, he guest performed alongside Elton John on Gorillaz's single "The Pink Phantom". His 2021 single, "Calling My Phone" (featuring Lil Tjay) peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked atop the Canadian Hot 100; it remains his highest-charting song on the former chart. [6] [7] [8] His third album, Since I Have a Lover (2023) was met with moderate critical and commercial reception.

6lack joined the Atlanta-Baltimore musical collective Spillage Village—founded by EarthGang and JID—in 2014. He has received three Grammy Award nominations.

Early life

Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr. was born on June 24, 1992, in Baltimore, Maryland, and moved to Atlanta, Georgia, with his parents in 1997. [9] He attended Stone Mountain High School and Newton High School. [10] He is the eldest of three siblings. Valentine's first recording experience was at 4 years of age, at his father's studio. [11] He began rapping in middle school as a battle rapper and was involved in many freestyle battles in his youth including against rapper Young Thug. [12]

Career

2011–2017: Beginnings and Free 6lack

6lack in January 2017 6LACK.jpg
6lack in January 2017

6lack signed a record deal with Flo Rida's International Music Group and Strong Arm Records in July 2011. He left Valdosta State University once he signed, and spent the next few years learning about the industry. 6lack spent five years with the label, putting music out on his SoundCloud account. 6lack had little financial security and spent most of his time sleeping in the studio or outside on the street after moving to Miami, Florida to work on music with the record label. [12] 6lack eventually left his label due to issues over artistic and creative license and management. [13] In 2015, 6lack announced that he had joined the musical collective Spillage Village after living with the members of EarthGang, and appeared on four tracks of Spillage Village EP called Bears Like This Too in 2015. [14]

Once he left the label, he signed with Love Renaissance and Interscope Records. [15] In November 2016, Rolling Stone included 6lack in their list of "10 New Artists You Need to Know". [4] He then went on to release his debut studio album, Free 6lack , which peaked at number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart. [16] The album's single "Prblms" peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became his first platinum record. [17] In April 2017, he joined Canadian singer The Weeknd as opening act for his Legend of the Fall tour in North America.

2018–present: East Atlanta Love Letter, 6pc Hot, and Since I Have a Lover

In April 2018, he released the single "OTW" with Khalid and Ty Dolla Sign, which has reached at number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100. [18] "OTW" became 6lack's highest peaking song on the Hot 100. [18] The first single for his sophomore album, "Switch", was released on June 22, 2018, with a music video released on July 16. [19] "Nonchalant" was released as the album's second single on August 17, with its accompanying music video. [20] [21] On September 14, 2018, 6lack released his second studio album, East Atlanta Love Letter , featuring guest appearances from Future, J. Cole, Offset, and Khalid. The album's release was preceded by the singles "Switch" and "Nonchalant." [22] In October 2018, 6lack started a tour for the promotion of the album, with opening acts THEY., Tierra Whack, Boogie, Deante' Hitchcock, Summer Walker, and Ari Lennox. [23] [24] 6lack later featured on several other songs, such as "Waves" by Normani. [25] and "Crowded Room" by Selena Gomez, in 2019 and early 2020, respectively. [26]

In May 2020, 6lack released the track "ATL Freestyle". A few weeks later, on June 24, 2020, 6lack celebrated his birthday with the release of the single "Float". He also announced his EP 6pc Hot , which was released on June 26 and included the Lil Baby-assisted single, "Know My Rights". He also launched his own hot sauce brand 600 Degrees Original. [27] 6lack appeared on two tracks from Spillage Village's Spilligion album, released in September 2020. [28] During 2020, he collaborated with British virtual band Gorillaz and singer-songwriter Elton John on the track "The Pink Phantom", for the band's seventh studio album, Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez ,[ citation needed ] and with rappers Lil Durk and Young Thug for the song "Stay Down" from the former's sixth studio album, The Voice . The song peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100. [29]

In 2021, he released "Calling My Phone" with Bronx rapper Lil Tjay. [30] In 2022, he was featured on Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez's album Yessie, in her song "Forever", and its accompanying music video. [31]

On March 24, 2023, 6lack released his album Since I Have a Lover . The 19-track album featured the artists QUIN, Wale, and Don Toliver. The album was nominated for best progressive R&B album at the Grammys. In an interview with Complex, 6lack stated that the title responds to questions such as "Where have you been? What have you been doing? What's the inspiration?" that people asked him. [32] On March 22, 2024, 6lack released his acoustic project No More Lonely Nights. It featured 6 songs off his album Since I Have a Lover.

Artistry

6lack's music focuses or is based on personal and business relationships frequently, especially the topic of heartbreak. [33] 6lack has said that his songwriting is influenced mainly by his personal experiences and failed relationships. [34] Billboard magazine has described 6lack's music as "moody hip hop" that "spotlights vulnerability and honesty in a way the emoji generation can understand." [13] 6lack has cited Sade, T-Pain, The-Dream, and Usher as his influences. [35]

Discography

Tours

Headlining

Supporting

Awards and nominations

YearAwardsCategoryNominee / workResult
2017 Soul Train Music Awards [36] Best New Artist HimselfNominated
2018 Grammy Awards [37] Best Urban Contemporary Album Free 6lack Nominated
Best Rap/Sung Performance "Prblms"Nominated
iHeartRadio Music Awards [38] Best New R&B ArtistHimselfNominated
Soul Train Music Awards [39] Best Collaboration "OTW" (with Khalid and Ty Dolla Sign)Nominated
2019 Grammy Awards [40] Best Rap/Sung Performance"Pretty Little Fears" (with J. Cole)Nominated
MTV Video Music Award [41] Best R&B Video "Waves" (with Normani)Won
2024 Grammy Awards [42] Best Progressive R&B Album Since I Have a Lover Nominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Future (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1983)

Nayvadius DeMun Cash, known professionally as Future, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of Auto-Tuned melodies in trap music. Due to the sustained popularity of this musical style, he is commonly regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EarthGang</span> American hip hop duo

EarthGang is an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, composed of Olu and WowGr8. They are co-founders of the musical collective Spillage Village, with JID, Hollywood JB, JordxnBryant, 6lack, Mereba, and Benji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Durk</span> American rapper (born 1992)

Durk Devontay Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper. Regarded as a pioneering artist in the Chicago-based hip hop subgenre drill music, he has been noted as one of the subgenre's most commercially successful rappers. He initially garnered local success with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), which led to him to sign with Def Jam Recordings. The label released his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015), and its follow-up, Lil Durk 2X (2016), to moderate commercial reception before parting ways with the rapper in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ari Lennox</span> American R&B singer-songwriter (born 1991)

Courtney Shanade Salter, known professionally as Ari Lennox, is an American R&B singer-songwriter from Washington, D.C. She signed with J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records as the former label's first female artist in 2015. She started gaining recognition after the release of her second extended play (EP) and major label debut, Pho (2016). That same year, she made an uncredited guest appearance on Cole's song "Change". Her debut studio album, Shea Butter Baby (2019), was met with critical praise and lukewarm commercial response.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Playboi Carti</span> American rapper

Jordan Terrell Carter, known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. An influential figure among his generation, he has contributed to the progression of trap music and its rage subgenre. He first signed with local underground record label Awful Records in 2014, and later signed with ASAP Mob's record label AWGE, in a joint venture with Interscope Records two years later. Carter gained mainstream attention following the release of his eponymous debut mixtape (2017), which peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100-charting singles "Magnolia" and "Wokeuplikethis".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Khalid (American singer)</span> American singer (born 1998)

Khalid Donnel Robinson is an American singer and songwriter from El Paso, Texas. He signed with Courtney Stewart's Right Hand Music Group, an imprint of RCA Records to release his 2016 debut single, "Location" and its 2017 follow-up, "Young Dumb & Broke". Both songs peaked within the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, received diamond certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and preceded the release of his debut studio album, American Teen (2017). Met with critical and commercial success, it received quadruple platinum certification by the RIAA and was nominated for Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prblms</span> 2016 single by 6lack

"Prblms" is a single by American singer 6lack. It was released on September 23, 2016, by LoveRenaissance and Interscope Records. The track was produced by NOVA. The song was certified 3× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in December 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">JID</span> American rapper (born 1990)

Destin Choice Route, better known by his stage name JID, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Atlanta, he signed with J. Cole's Dreamville Records, an imprint of Interscope Records in 2017. He formed the musical collective Spillage Village with EarthGang in 2010, and later formed the hip hop group Zoink Gang with Smino, Buddy, and Guapdad 4000. His fluent rapping style and usage of wordplay has been highly acclaimed by several music critics.

<i>The Never Story</i> 2017 studio album by JID

The Never Story is the debut studio album by American rapper JID. It was released on March 10, 2017, by Dreamville Records, Spillage Village and Interscope Records. The Never Story was supported by four official singles; "Never", "D/vision", "Hereditary" and "EdEddnEddy". The album received generally positive reviews from critics and debuted at number 197 on the US Billboard 200. J.I.D's lyrics details a narrative on his upbringing in East Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trippie Redd</span> American rapper (born 1999)

Michael Lamar White IV, known professionally as Trippie Redd, is an American rapper and singer. His debut mixtape, A Love Letter to You (2017) was released by Elliot Grainge's 10K Projects and entered the Billboard 200, while its lead single, "Love Scars" received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The following year, he released his debut studio album Life's a Trip (2018) and the mixtape's sequel; their singles, "Dark Knight Dummo", "Taking a Walk", and "Topanga" each entered the Billboard Hot 100. The album and its follow-up, ! (2019) both reached the top five of the Billboard 200, while his fourth mixtape, A Love Letter to You 4 (2019) topped the chart. His third and fourth albums Pegasus (2020) and Trip at Knight (2021), both peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The latter's lead single, "Miss the Rage", peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song. Redd's fifth album, Mansion Musik (2023), peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, while his sixth mixtape, A Love Letter to You 5 (2024), peaked at number 13.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pi'erre Bourne</span> American record producer and rapper (born 1993)

Jordan Timothy Jenks, known professionally as Pi'erre Bourne, is an American record producer, rapper, songwriter, and audio engineer. He is known for producing the 2017 singles "Magnolia" for Playboi Carti and "Gummo" for 6ix9ine, both of which entered the top 30 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Baby</span> American rapper (born 1994)

Dominique Armani Jones, known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to prominence following the release of his 2017 mixtapes Harder than Hard and Too Hard — the former of which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 entry with its lead single, "My Dawg." He signed with Quality Control Music, an imprint of Motown and Capitol Records to release his debut studio album Harder Than Ever (2018), which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and was supported by the Billboard Hot 100-top ten single "Yes Indeed". Later that year, he released the collaborative mixtape Drip Harder with fellow Georgia-based rapper Gunna, and his solo mixtape Street Gossip; the former spawned his second top-ten single "Drip Too Hard", while the latter peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunna (rapper)</span> American rapper (born 1993)

Sergio Giavanni Kitchens, known professionally as Gunna, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He signed with Young Thug's YSL Records, an imprint of 300 Entertainment in 2016, and rose to fame with his third mixtape, Drip Season 3 (2018). It moderately entered the Billboard 200, while his collaborative mixtape with fellow Georgia rapper Lil Baby, Drip Harder (2018), peaked at number four on the chart. Its lead single, "Drip Too Hard" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

<i>East Atlanta Love Letter</i> 2018 studio album by 6lack

East Atlanta Love Letter is the second studio album by American singer 6lack. It was released on September 14, 2018 by LVRN and Interscope Records. This is the follow-up to his 2016 release, Free 6lack. The production on the album was handled by multiple producers including T-Minus, Cardiak, Joel Little and Bizness Boi among others. The album also features guest appearances from Future, J. Cole, Offset and Khalid.

Spillage Village is an American musical collective from Atlanta, Georgia. The group is composed of rappers, singers and producers, and was founded by the members of EarthGang. Spillage Village was primarily made up of five initial members with a split-base in both Atlanta and Baltimore.

American R&B singer 6lack has released three studio albums, one extended play, and 29 singles. His released his debut studio album, Free 6lack in November 2016, which featured the single "Prblms". In September 2018, 6lack released his second album, East Atlanta Love Letter, which debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. His third album, Since I Have a Lover, was released on March 24, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Tjay</span> American rapper (born 2001)

Tione Jayden Merritt, known professionally as Lil Tjay, is an American rapper and singer/songwriter He rose to prominence with his 2017 single "Resume", and signed with Columbia Records following the success of his 2018 single "Brothers", which received triple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His guest appearance on Polo G's 2019 single, "Pop Out" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100—peaking at number 11—while his own single, "F.N" became his first to do so as a lead artist. Each preceded the release of his debut studio album, True 2 Myself (2019), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Nudy</span> American rapper (born 1992)

Quantavious Tavario Thomas, known professionally as Young Nudy, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, he is known for his collaborations with his cousin and fellow rapper 21 Savage, as well as record producer Pi'erre Bourne. Thomas signed with RCA Records to release his debut studio album Anyways (2020), which was followed by Dr. Ev4l (2021), Rich Shooter (2021), EA Monster (2022), and Gumbo (2023). The latter spawned the single "Peaches and Eggplants", which peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>Spilligion</i> 2020 studio album by Spillage Village, JID & EarthGang

Spilligion is the major label debut album by American hip hop collective Spillage Village, headed by JID and EarthGang, released on September 25, 2020 by Dreamville, Interscope, and SinceThe80s. The collective consists of EarthGang, JID, Hollywood JB, Jurdan Bryant, Mereba, 6lack, and Benji. The album features guest appearances from Ant Clemons, Ari Lennox, Buddy, Chance the Rapper, Masego, Lucky Daye, and Big Rube. The production was primarily handled by in-house producers Olu, Benji, Christo, and Hollywood JB, with outside producers Nice Rec, Jay Card, Monte Booker, and Elite, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stay Down (Lil Durk, 6lack and Young Thug song)</span> 2020 single by Lil Durk, 6lack and Young Thug

"Stay Down" is a song by American musicians Lil Durk, 6lack, and Young Thug. It was released on October 30, 2020, as the second single from the former's sixth studio album, The Voice. The melodic track finds the artists melancholically detailing their quest for love and loyalty. The song was written by the artists alongside producers DY of 808 Mafia and Metro Boomin.

References

  1. ↑ "BMI | Repertoire Search". Repertoire.bmi.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
  2. ↑ "5 Alternative R&B Artists to Look Out for in 2017". Forbes .
  3. ↑ "6LACK Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "10 New Artists You Need to Know: November 2016". Rolling Stone . November 17, 2016. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Daily Discovery: 6LACK". Pigeons and Planes. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ "Meet 6LACK". Fader. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  7. ↑ "LoveRenaissance's New R&B Star In The Making". Djbooth. DJ Booth. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  8. ↑ "6LACK - Biography". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  9. ↑ "6lack Talks Industry Growing Pains, Love Songs & Moody Debut Album 'Free 6lack'". Billboard. Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ "All Access+ 6lack". HNHH. January 25, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Everything You Need To Know About 6LACK". October 28, 2019.
  12. 1 2 Skipper, Clay (March 30, 2017). "How 6lack Went From Sleeping in a Recording Studio to Touring with The Weeknd". GQ. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  13. 1 2 "6lack Talks Industry Growing Pains, Love Songs & Moody Debut Album 'Free 6lack'". Billboard. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  14. ↑ Kramer, Kyle (July 6, 2015). "This New Spillage Village EP Is About to Trigger a Worldwide Weed Shortage". Noisey Vice.
  15. ↑ "Meet Rising Atlanta Artist: 6LACK". Genius. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  16. ↑ "6LACK Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  17. ↑ "6lack Sells 1 Million Records For "Prblms"". Urbanlinx Media. July 8, 2017. Retrieved July 17, 2017.
  18. 1 2 "6LACK Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  19. ↑ Hussein, Wandera. "6LACK crashes and burns in the "Switch" music video". The FADER. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  20. ↑ Montes, Patrick (August 16, 2018). "6LACK Drops New 'East Atlanta Love Letter' Single "Nonchalant"". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  21. ↑ Ch, Devin (August 17, 2018). "6LACK's "Nonchalant" Video Is A Peaceful Refrain". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  22. ↑ "6lack 'East Atlanta Love Letter' Cover Art and Release Date". XXL. August 29, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  23. ↑ "6LACK Announces World Tour Featuring Tierra Whack, Boogie & More". HotNewHipHop. August 14, 2018. Retrieved September 3, 2018.
  24. ↑ "6LACK Presents From East Atlanta with Love Tour With Guest Deante Hitchcock". Eventbrite.
  25. ↑ NormaniVEVO (February 12, 2019), Normani - Waves (feat. 6LACK) (Official Music Video) , retrieved March 7, 2019
  26. ↑ SelenaGomezVEVO (January 10, 2020), Selena Gomez - Crowded Room (Official Lyrics) ft. 6LACK , retrieved January 10, 2020
  27. ↑ Marie, Erika (June 24, 2020). "6LACK Celebrates Birthday With "Float" Single & His Own Hot Sauce Brand". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  28. ↑ "EarthGang Reveals Spillage Village's "Spilligion" Tracklist". HotNewHipHop. September 18, 2020. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
  29. ↑ "Lil Durk Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved February 2, 2025.
  30. ↑ Bloom, Madison (February 12, 2021). "Lil Tjay and 6LACK Share New Song "Calling My Phone"". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  31. ↑ Pavlakos, Louis. "Jessie Reyez Drops Video For "Forever" Featuring 6lack". Complex. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  32. ↑ Mckinney, Jessica. ""It Feels Good To Feel Good": 6LACK Talks New Album 'Since I Have a Lover'". Complex. Complex Network. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Atlanta's 6LACK Wants to Talk About Real Life". Noisey. January 24, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  34. ↑ "6lack Illustrated: The Brooding Newcomer Finally Lives in Color". Highsnobiety. September 18, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  35. ↑ "How 6LACK Went From Atlanta Battle Rapper To Budding Superstar". Complex. January 24, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Solange, Bruno Mars Lead 2017 Soul Train Awards Nominations". Billboard. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
  37. ↑ "60th GRAMMY Awards: Full Nominees List". The Recording Academy . November 28, 2017. Retrieved November 29, 2017.
  38. ↑ "Rihanna, Ed Sheeran & Bruno Mars Lead iHeartRadio Music Awards 2018 Nominees". Billboard. January 10, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  39. ↑ "2018 Soul Train Awards Exclusive: H.E.R., Bruno Mars & Cardi B Top Nominees". Billboard. October 25, 2018. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  40. ↑ "Grammy Nominations 2019: See The Full List Here". Pitchfork . December 7, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
  41. ↑ "MTV VMAs 2019: See The Full List of Winners Here". Pitchfork. August 26, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  42. ↑ "2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.