He was the "King of Fall," or at least, that’s how we labeled him for years. Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr., known to the world as 6lack (pronounced "black," though we all still have that one friend who says "six-lack"), built an entire brand on the aesthetics of the "East Atlanta Love Letter." It was moody. It was dark. It was the sound of a 2:00 AM existential crisis in the back of an Uber. But then everything changed. When 6lack Since I Have A Lover dropped in March 2023, it felt like someone finally opened the curtains in a room that had been pitch-black for nearly half a decade.
It had been five years since his last studio album. Five years is an eternity in the streaming era. Most artists would have faded into "remember him?" territory, but 6lack isn't most artists. He spent that gap doing the heavy lifting of mental health work, fatherhood, and finding a love that didn't feel like a transaction.
The result? An album that is startlingly bright.
The Sound of Someone Finally Breathing
If you go back and listen to Free 6lack, you can almost taste the grit. It was cynical. By contrast, 6lack Since I Have A Lover feels like a collective exhale. The production, spearheaded by longtime collaborators like Fwdslxsh and LVRN’s in-house geniuses, swapped out the heavy, distorted 808s for acoustic guitars and sprawling, airy synths.
It’s actually kinda risky.
Think about it. Fans are fickle. They fell in love with the "sad boy" version of Ricardo. When an artist gets happy, the music usually gets boring—at least that’s the cliché. But 6lack managed to avoid the "happy music is corny" trap by staying grounded in reality. He isn't pretending life is perfect; he’s just documenting what it looks like when you stop self-sabotaging.
The title track itself is a masterclass in this new direction. It’s bouncy. It’s light. It features these shimmering guitar licks that feel more like a sunny day in California than a rainy night in Zone 6. He’s singing about being "cold-hearted" in the past, acknowledging the dude he used to be while firmly planting his feet in the present. It’s growth. Real, tangible growth that you can hear in the vocal delivery, which is more melodic and less muttered than his earlier work.
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Breaking Down the Long Wait
Why did it take so long? Well, 6lack has been pretty vocal about the "gray area" he was stuck in. Between the success of his sophomore album and this third project, he dealt with the pressures of the industry, the complexities of co-parenting, and a general sense of burnout.
He didn't just go silent; he went inward.
During the hiatus, he released the 6pc Hot EP, which was a nice bridge, but it didn't have the narrative weight of a full-length LP. He needed time to actually live the life he was going to write about. You can’t write an album about healing if you’re still bleeding out. He spent time in therapy. He practiced mindfulness. He found a partner in fellow artist Quiñ, who is widely credited as the muse for much of the optimism found throughout 6lack Since I Have A Lover.
The album reflects this transition through tracks like "Preach." He’s not just talking about romantic love; he’s talking about self-love. It’s a nuance often lost in R&B, where we usually only get two modes: "I’m obsessed with you" or "I hate you for leaving me." 6lack found the middle ground.
Standout Tracks and Unexpected Textures
"Fatal Attraction" is arguably one of the most interesting moments on the record. It has this hypnotic, slightly psychedelic vibe that feels like a nod to the Tame Impala-esque sounds that have been bleeding into R&B lately. It’s not a club banger. None of this album really is. It’s "headphone music" for people who actually want to feel something.
Then there’s "B6E," where he checks back in with his Atlanta roots. Even when he’s happy, he hasn't forgotten the environment that shaped him. The storytelling is sharper here. He’s using less metaphor and more direct address.
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- The Tempo: Most of the album sits in that mid-tempo sweet spot. It’s slow enough to be sensual but fast enough to keep you from falling into a trance.
- The Features: Don Toliver makes a notable appearance on "Temporary," adding a layer of texture that complements 6lack’s smoother tone. But for the most part, 6lack carries this alone. He didn't pack the tracklist with A-list features to boost numbers, which says a lot about his confidence in the material.
Honestly, the lack of "hits" in the traditional, TikTok-viral sense is what makes the album better. It wasn't built for a 15-second clip; it was built for a 15-mile drive.
What This Album Means for the Genre
R&B has been leaning heavily into the "toxic" trope for a minute now. We’ve seen the rise of artists who celebrate the messiness of modern dating—the ghosting, the lying, the "it's complicated" status. 6lack was actually one of the architects of that sound. So, for him to pivot toward something more wholesome is a significant cultural marker.
It signals a shift toward "Conscious R&B" that isn't preachy.
Critics have pointed out that the album is long—19 tracks, to be exact. In an era where attention spans are microscopic, a 19-song odyssey is a big ask. Some argue it could have been trimmed. Maybe. But when you’ve been gone for five years, you have a lot to say. The length feels intentional, like he’s trying to overwhelm the listener with evidence that he’s okay now.
Navigating the Misconceptions
One thing people get wrong about 6lack Since I Have A Lover is the idea that it’s "soft."
Just because he isn't rapping about the struggle or the dark side of fame doesn't mean the music lacks edge. The edge has just moved. It’s now found in the vulnerability. It takes a lot more guts to tell the world you’re happy and in love than it does to act like a heartless rogue.
The "Lover" in the title isn't just a person; it’s a state of being.
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Why the Critics Were Split
While the fan reception was overwhelmingly positive, some critics felt the album lacked the "tension" of his previous work. There’s a school of thought that great art requires suffering. That’s a tired trope, though. What this album proves is that peace can be just as evocative as chaos. The nuance is in the production—the way a bassline might slightly wobble or the way his voice cracks on a high note.
How to Truly Experience the Album
If you’re just diving into his discography or returning after a long break, don't shuffle this record. It’s sequenced to be a journey. It starts with the title track—the mission statement—and winds its way through the various stages of his evolution.
Next Steps for the 6lack Fan:
- Listen to the "Since I Have A Lover" Documentary: He released short-form content alongside the album that explains the "Float" concept. It provides necessary context for the visual language of the era.
- Compare the "East Atlanta Love Letter" to "Since I Have A Lover": Play them back-to-back. You’ll notice the shift in vocal frequency. He’s literally singing in higher registers now.
- Check out the LVRN "Acoustic" Sessions: 6lack is one of the few modern R&B artists who actually sounds better live. His stripped-back versions of these songs reveal the complexity of the songwriting.
- Explore the collaborators: Dig into the production credits. Follow Fwdslxsh and Scribz Riley. They are the architects of this new, "warm" R&B sound that is likely to dominate the next few years.
Ultimately, this album is a reminder that artists are allowed to grow up. We shouldn't want them to stay stuck in the same heartbreak forever just so we can have a soundtrack for our own. 6lack found his way out of the dark, and he left the door open for the rest of us to follow. It’s not just an album; it’s a blueprint for emotional recovery.
Go listen to "Rent Free" and try not to feel a little bit better about the world. It’s almost impossible. 6lack is back, and for the first time, he’s staying for the right reasons. No more hiding in the shadows. The light looks good on him.
Practical Takeaway: To appreciate the depth of 6lack's evolution, focus on the lyrical transition from "external blame" in his early work to "internal accountability" in his latest tracks. This shift is the hallmark of his maturity as a songwriter. Check out his live performances from the 2024 tour cycle to see how these songs translate to a physical space—they are designed for connection, not just consumption.