6LACK: Attempting Real Love
Since I Have A Lover is 6LACK's first real attempt at finding love, battling his pride and trauma in the process.
Finding the definition of love takes time. Sometimes you stumble upon true love and other times you have to go searching for it. 6LACK has never exerted the effort to attempt chasing that feeling of lust. However, after a five year hiatus, the Atlanta R&B singer and rapper returns with his new curation of delicate and moody sounds and harmonies. Throughout the years, we have heard the hopelessness of this intimacy he was on the search for. And maybe that it was his own wrong-doing that was getting in the way of finding that happiness. At that time he was searching for trouble.
Being away since 2018 gives Ricardo Valentine Jr. more than enough time to reflect on his decision making. He has gained knowledge and experience on what it’s like to be present in a serious relationship. On this new album, Since I Have A Lover, he really puts his doubts of human connection with a real love interest to the test. You audibly hear the moments he shines his brightest and falls through the cracks melting under pressure. It hits all sectors of floating on clouds of joy, ready to take a bullet for this woman. Then you hear the other scenarios; jealousy and yearning for ex-lovers.
The Atlanta singer goes on a 19 track journey, starting off with realization. “Inwood Hill Park” gets down to the root of the issues that he has dealt with over the years. His companion has made him realize why he hasn’t spoken to his parents about trauma. The atmospheric production paints him walking down the New York City park at dawn, drinking a coffee and staring at the Harlem River. Maybe a dramatic moment of him staring off at the bridge while he sings about the difference between his 2016 and 2023 self
“Colors startin' to feel real vibrant /Remember it was all black and white/I'm nothin' like I was when I first dropped/'Cause I would hate to do the same thing twice.” - 6LACK on Inwood Hill Park
Some of the 30-year old’s best tracks center around this feeling of glee and security. He is filled with bliss on the title track “Since I Have A Lover”, floating from the touch of this woman. It’s a euphoric trance he is locked in that has him thankful for the lonely nights coming to an end. “Fatal Attraction” is his ride or die anthem, his attraction to this woman is dire. His moody sound board has always been an elite feature in his arsenal. “B4L” is the perfect mix of dramatic and colorful in production, encapsulating the story of friendship turned relationship.
While “Talkback” isn’t about a lover, his security in himself glows. 6LACK has a conversation with a higher power, “Ayy, I just spoke to God on the phone and He don't like ugly/Flawed people hate me but the real n****s love me." His flow glides and his vocals are among his best, emphasizing on the hooks.
The last leg of the album contains a great run of tracks that rewind us to the 6LACK we are used to. The importance of getting rid of pride and speaking with someone is the topic at hand on “Talk”. His repetition of the chorus “I had to talk to somebody on the outside (Outside)/Just to tell 'em how a n***a feel inside” sets as a reminder to himself to reach out. Breaking the habit of stubbornness will create better cycles. “Temporary” is the first time we hear about the relationship possibly falling off the rails. Don Toliver’s enchanting vocals on the hook punches home the importance that this love interest had on his life.
“Rent Free” expresses the ever living meme that goes around the Twittersphere; that lover trapped in his head. He admits to falling for the pitfalls that he has tried so hard to cover up. His pride stopped a good thing going for him, and now he can’t get out. It gets muddy on “Stories In Motion” as 6LACK devotes the track to pointing out his flaws and why he crumbled under the pressure. Wale backed up 6LACK’s thoughts on struggling with conveying emotion for women who deserve it.
Was scared to show my flaws, it's hard to fail in front of you/Instead of bein' true, tried play it cool/Covered up a truckload of pain in the coupe/Couldn't drop the news, instead I dropped the roof - 6LACK on Stories In Motion.
With a bloated album, there will be some misses and kinks in the story. “Decatur” is a little bit too sweet of a track, even for 6LACK’s taste of sweetness going up. “Wunna Dem” runs slow with its 1:49 time-mark and getting an unenthusiastic sound from the singers here. The biggest knock the album has is the finish to an otherwise interesting notch in his belt.
“Testify” proves to be his rock-bottom moment, getting clouded by distress. It also is the most boring production on the album. We have heard the down-trotten guitar solo’s on many songs in the past, at this point it comes off as way too melodramatic for someone of the R&B singers taste. The outro “NRH” really throws me for a loop of confusion. I’m not exactly sure what the intentions were with this ending of discussing past flings in his life. Didn’t really have anything to do with the story that was being told. Is it a sign that he will be back in his dark-boy era?
With the possibility of missing the mark on the last two tracks, the rest of the album runs in beautiful harmony. 6LACK has been in a box when it comes to the sound we expect from him. He went after love though, instead of cowering from it. We heard lighter and buoyant production choices to proclaim this new feeling he experienced. While, maybe it sounds like a failed attempt at love, it was more colorful than he could have ever realized. He was honest with his flaws and worked hard to patch those up for situations that will arise in the near future.