6lack facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 6LACK
6LACK in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr.
Born	(1992-06-24) June 24, 1992 (age 33) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Origin	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	Alternative R&B R&B trap
Occupations	Singer rapper songwriter
Years active	2011–present
Labels	Love Renaissance Interscope

Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr. (born June 24, 1992), known professionally as 6lack (pronounced "black"), is an American R&B singer, rapper, and songwriter. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia.

6lack became well-known after releasing his song "Prblms" in 2016. This song was his first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 music chart. He signed with Love Renaissance, which is part of Interscope Records, and released his first album, Free 6lack, in 2016. This album was nominated for a Grammy Award and became platinum, meaning it sold over a million copies.

In 2018, he released his second album, East Atlanta Love Letter, which reached number three on the Billboard 200 chart. He also released the song "OTW" with Khalid and Ty Dolla Sign. Later, he was featured on Normani's song "Waves", which won an MTV Video Music Award.

In 2020, 6lack released his first EP (Extended Play) called 6pc Hot. It included the song "Know My Rights" with Lil Baby. He also performed with Elton John on Gorillaz's song "The Pink Phantom". His 2021 song, "Calling My Phone" (featuring Lil Tjay), was a big hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. His third album, Since I Have a Lover, came out in 2023.

6lack joined a music group called Spillage Village in 2014. He has been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

Early Life and Beginnings

Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr. was born on June 24, 1992, in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was five years old, in 1997, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, with his parents. He is the oldest of three children.

6lack's first experience with recording music was when he was only four years old, at his father's studio. He started rapping in middle school and was known for his "battle rap" skills. He took part in many freestyle rap battles when he was younger, even against another rapper named Young Thug.

Music Career

2011–2017: First Steps and Free 6lack

6lack in January 2017

In July 2011, 6lack signed a record deal with Flo Rida's International Music Group and Strong Arm Records. He left college to focus on his music career and spent the next few years learning about the music business.

For five years, 6lack released music on his SoundCloud account. During this time, he didn't have much money and often slept in the studio or even outside. He had moved to Miami, Florida, to work on music with his record label. Eventually, 6lack left this label because he wanted more control over his music and creative ideas.

In 2015, 6lack announced that he had joined a music group called Spillage Village. He lived with members of the group EarthGang and appeared on four songs of their EP called Bears Like This Too.

After leaving his first label, he signed with Love Renaissance and Interscope Records. In November 2016, Rolling Stone magazine named 6lack one of the "10 New Artists You Need to Know." He then released his first album, Free 6lack, which reached number 34 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album's song "Prblms" became a big hit, reaching number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and becoming his first platinum record. In April 2017, he joined Canadian singer The Weeknd as an opening act for his "Legend of the Fall" tour in North America.

2018–Present: East Atlanta Love Letter and More

In April 2018, 6lack released the song "OTW" with Khalid and Ty Dolla Sign. This song reached number 57 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming 6lack's highest-charting song at that time.

The first song from his second album, "Switch," came out on June 22, 2018. A music video for it was released in July. "Nonchalant" was the second song from the album, released on August 17, also with a music video. On September 14, 2018, 6lack released his second album, East Atlanta Love Letter. It featured other artists like Future, J. Cole, Offset, and Khalid.

In October 2018, 6lack started a tour to promote his new album. He later appeared on other songs, such as "Waves" by Normani in 2019 and "Crowded Room" by Selena Gomez in early 2020.

In May 2020, 6lack released the song "ATL Freestyle." A few weeks later, on June 24, 2020, he celebrated his birthday by releasing the song "Float." He also announced his EP 6pc Hot, which came out on June 26. This EP included the song "Know My Rights" with Lil Baby. He even started his own hot sauce brand called 600 Degrees Original!

6lack also appeared on two songs from Spillage Village's album Spilligion, released in September 2020. In 2020, he worked with the British virtual band Gorillaz and singer-songwriter Elton John on the song "The Pink Phantom" for Gorillaz's album.

In 2021, he released "Calling My Phone" with rapper Lil Tjay. In 2022, he was featured on Canadian singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez's album Yessie on her song "Forever."

On March 24, 2023, 6lack released his album Since I Have a Lover. This album had 19 songs and featured artists like QUIN, Wale, and Don Toliver. The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for best progressive R&B album. In an interview, 6lack explained that the album's title answers questions people asked him, like "Where have you been? What have you been doing? What's the inspiration?" On March 22, 2024, 6lack released an acoustic project called No More Lonely Nights, which included 6 songs from his Since I Have a Lover album.

Music Style

6lack's music often talks about personal and business relationships, especially the topic of heartbreak. He has shared that his songs are mostly inspired by his own experiences and past relationships. Billboard magazine has described 6lack's music as "moody hip hop" that shows "vulnerability and honesty." 6lack has said that artists like Sade, T-Pain, The-Dream, and Usher have influenced his music.

Discography

• Free 6lack (2016)
• East Atlanta Love Letter (2018)
• Since I Have a Lover (2023)

Tours

Headlining Tours

• Free 6lack Tour (2017)
• From East Atlanta with Love Tour (2018)
• Since I Have a Lover Tour (2023)

Supporting Tours

• Starboy: Legend of the Fall Tour (with The Weeknd) (2017)
• Heartbreak on a Full Moon Tour (with Chris Brown) (2018)
• It Was You All Along Tour (with Russ) (2024)

Awards and Nominations