6lack Shows Heart on Moody and Mature Sophomore Album ‘East Atlanta Love Letter’

Adi Mehta

6lack, whose name is pronounced “Black,” grew up in Atlanta, battle rapping since an early age with the likes of Young Thug. Having honed his skills on the mic for years, he ventured in a more R&B direction, and has explained that he feels more conventional songwriting has provided him a wider platform for musical expression. His songs have always tended to be emotionally heavy, with plenty of lyrics about heartache and personal drama, and his new album, “East Atlanta Love Letter,” continues in this tradition. Although the title sounds like a tribute to 6lack’s hometown, it’s actually a set of songs about romance and relationships that, taken as a whole, constitute something of a love letter with a particularly East Atlanta musical aesthetic. 6lack recently became a father, and this seems to have highly informed the record, as the songs reflect a maturity and commitment that set them apart.

“Unfair” begins with some ambient backwards music that develops into standard autotune crooning, but hits an unanticipated peak upon the chorus line, with 6lack really shining on the high notes. He starts off the album presenting a predicament, singing, “I’m stuck between

what I love and who I love and I know it’s unfair.” When the beat finally drops, it’s a delightfully dark and momentous affair, recalling some of the Weeknd’s early work. Next, “Loaded Gun” works magic with a barebones beat that derives force from little details like the tinny snares, tender, layered piano, and a tiny wobble bass segment. In a climactic build up, 6lack declares “Love is the reason I’m writing these songs and shit,” a statement he goes on to make clear on subsequent songs.

The title track comes in a natural segue, retaining the same musical template. Fellow Atlanta rapper Future shows up, and does his usual warbling thing, adding some characteristically ridiculous lines like, “I remix your love like cut cocaine.” In the chorus, he explains, “This a East Atlanta Love Letter… Because I say so, and my words hit like a Draco (brrrp.)” In other words, this rather sappy love song is gangster because of Future’s feature. More bizarrely yet, he might be referring to not only the title track, but the album at large. 6lack raised some eyebrows with his transition from hip-hop to R&B, and perhaps this is a gesture of validation. Next, “Let Her Go” is an infectious track, with a propulsive trap-leaning beat, and a particularly catchy chorus. It finds 6lack in a bit of a quandary, wondering, “If I let her go / Will I regret it? Will I forget it?”

“Sorry” is a particularly soft song, with the hip-hop sonic architecture taking a back seat, becoming little more than an accent. 6lack gets especially gushy on this track, describing “what it’s like to love someone so much you treat their heart like it was your own.” “Pretty Little Fears” finds him delving into the rather cringeworthy, R&B-style gratuitous sex details over a minimal, understated beat. The striking song title comes in the chorus of “And could you tell me like it is? / Pretty little fears / Music to my ears,” a sweet sentiment about honesty. J Cole shows up on this track for a particularly poetic verse, arguably the most resonant expression of the album’s overall eponymous “love letter.”

“Disconnect” is a rather bleak song about sensing an impending breakup, with 6lack’s voice sounding especially vulnerable as he sings, “You’da made Cupid aim away,” over a sparse piano-led arrangement. By comparison, the following song, “Switch,” sounds strikingly lighthearted, with its bouncy beat and lighthearted vocal expressing escapism in the silliest manner with the first line, “I’m thinking ’bout a Yamaha.” The song explores the idea of switching bodies with someone else to get a view beyond your limited personal perspective, with an appearance from Ty Dolla $ign. Rapper Offset shows up on “Balenciaga Challenge,” a track about living in the fast lane, and his vocal interplay with 6lack adds a refreshing dynamic. 6lack takes a light jab here at “Everyday Struggle” host DJ Akademiks, who once criticized him for spelling his name in a way that looked like “six lack” rather than “black.”

“Scripture” is the return-to-form moment of the record, with 6lack rapping throughout the song over a hazy, nebulous instrumental, recounting the struggles he’s been through, and how they led him to a more mature perspective. He concludes the track saying, “I’m a R&B nigga with a hip-hop core,” and explaining, “We just had to do that / if I don’t rap anywhere on this, people are gon’ hate me.” In all fairness, however it isn’t exactly straight rapping, but something in between singing and rapping — a style that has become ubiquitous in recent years. On the other hand, it’s a lot closer to rapping than whatever nonsense Future does. The lines have really started to blur. 6lack remains on rapping duties for the next number, “Nonchalant,” getting deeper and darker, discussing his commitment to craft — and more importantly, demonstrating it with his rhymes and and delivery, reminding us how skilled of an emcee he really is.  

“Seasons,” featuring Khalid, returns back to the R&B stylings and romantic issues that dominate the album. It’s a song of ecstatic optimism, with 6lack singing about wanting to spend the rest of his life with a lady, and insisting that “a beautiful summer’s calling.” “Stan” brings things to closure, fleshing the thought out into the heartfelt sentiment, “Baby, let me love you like a stan.” “Stan” here alludes to Eminem’s 2000 single of that name, which made it a term for an obsessive fan like that whom the song described. After an album with plenty darker and dramatic moments, it’s rather cute how this song spells out a happy ending in a decidedly hip-hop, esoteric way.

6lack stands out for how unabashedly he wears his heart in his sleeve. Moreover, the outlandish innocence and purity of sentiment with which the album follows course is something quite unexpected from a successful rapper’s forays into R&B, which makes it particularly charming. The album is impressively cohesive, with production choices that capture the moods of the lyrics, well-chosen guest appearances, and a set of songs that explore various aspects of romance and relationships with a rare candor and conviction.

“East Atlanta Love Letter” is available Sept. 14 on Apple Music.