Ricardo Valdes Valentine aka 6lack is an American rapper and songwriter. The performer more than twice tried to get to the top of the musical Olympus. The musical world was not immediately conquered by young talent. And the point is not even in Ricardo, but in the fact that he met a dishonest label, the owners of which turned the rapper into their “slave” for 5 years.
After the presentation of the debut Free 6lack, the rapper became known all over the world. Recognition and popularity hit him in 2016. Today, 6lack is a multiple Grammy nominee and a multi-million fan base. Ricardo believes that the secret of his success lies in a sincere love for what he does.
Childhood and youth 6lack
Ricardo Valdes Valentine was born on June 24, 1992 in Baltimore, Maryland. At the age of 7, the guy moved with his family to Atlanta (Georgia). Atlanta has become not only a comfortable place to live, but also a second home.
Ricardo became interested in music early. He got his first experience in a recording studio thanks to his father. Since then, the guy has been constantly writing compositions.
At school, a black guy was called 6lack. In the same period of time, the young man discovered the world of music. He participated in local battles and wrote the first compositions.
The main goal of the battles is not only to skillfully humiliate the enemy, but also to present the musical material as "tasty" and original as possible. Ricardo often left such competitions with a victory in his hands. This motivated the guy to improve his vocal abilities.
Creative way 6lack
In 2010, Ricardo moved to Miami with several comrades. The rapper not only pursued the goal of conquering the music industry. He wanted to escape from his hometown, because at that time most young people were using drugs or dying under the bullets of bandits.
A year later, Ricardo was found by agents of the International Music Group, a Florida label. They offered him a contract. At that time, the rapper was not experienced. He signed the contract without having studied all the nuances of the deal. Ricardo hoped for the decency of agents, it turned out that in vain. For 5 years, the singer put himself in a cage with his own hands.
The organizers of the label International Music Group wanted to make a pop star out of Ricardo. They demanded that the singer perform tracks in the style of R'n'B. The rapper did not imagine himself in this element. A native of the criminal districts of Atlanta, he wanted to sing about the realities of life. Romance and lyrics did not fit with his inner world. 6lack said in one of his interviews:
“I boycotted the International Music Group label. I was not motivated by the money that was offered for work. One day I came to my cell and said that I would no longer write tracks that did not fit my image ... ".
Departure from International Music Group
In 2016, to the delight of Ricardo, the contract with the International Music Group expired. The rapper finally felt like a free man. He felt an insatiable joy, and this despite the fact that he had no means of subsistence left. 6lack remained on the street, but the thought that he no longer belongs to the International Music Group kept him warm.
6lack had little experience with Spillage Village. This is a creative group that consisted of freelance rappers, bands and producers from Atlanta. Ricardo made his mark on the four tracks of the EP Bears Like This Too (2015).
After the failure of his previous label, Ricardo treated such companies with apprehension. But there was no way out, because the rapper could not "sail" alone. Soon he signed a contract with Love Renaissance. Under the wing of this label, the artist recorded his debut album Free 6lack. The disc was released in 2016.
“I was glad that I freed myself from the handcuffs of a failed collaboration with a previous label. Finally, I found myself and became who I am, ”explained 6lack the title of the LP.
Free 6lack debuted on the Billboard 200 at number 68 and then peaked at number 34. Among the most popular tracks of the album, the following compositions should be noted: Prblms and Ex Calling. Prblms is not only 6lack's first platinum in the United States of America, but also the most popular song. Many remixes have been created for it.
Artist awards and collaborations
Free 6lack was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Music Album in 2018. However, the victory, alas, did not go to Ricardo, but to Starboy - The Weeknd's record.
The artist began to create "juicy" collaborations. Duet work began with the track OTW, recorded with Khalid and Ty Dolla Sign. The presented composition took the 57th position on the Billboard Hot 100. A little later, he was noticed with singer Rita Ora. The singers recorded the track Only Want You.
In 2018, the rapper's discography was replenished with another album. The record was called East Atlanta Love Letter. This time the LP took the 3rd position on the Billboard 200. On the guest verses you can hear the vocals of Future, J. Cole, Offset and Khalid. The presentation of the album was preceded by the very popular tracks Switch and Nonchalant.
East Atlanta Love Letter is the follow-up to Free 6lack's debut album. And if the rapper devoted the first album to the “dark” past, then the new disc turned out to be “light”. Ricardo shared with fans of his work about the joyful moments of life - meeting with his beloved woman, the birth of a child and plans for the future.
6lack's personal life
In 2017, the rapper experienced, perhaps, one of the most pleasant feelings. He became a dad. His daughter's name is Six Rose Valentine. The performer posted a post on the social network, talking about this event. He was just about to go on stage, but he received a message from his woman that she was taken to the clinic with contractions.
“The world has grown by one angel. I became a dad. I am very happy that I can share this joy with you, ”commented Ricardo.
Most likely, the singer Quin gave birth to the rapper's daughter. In social networks, Ricardo posted several photos with a girl. He affectionately calls her his muse and life partner. In addition to the fact that the couple is raising a common daughter, they have several conscientious tracks and clips. The most striking of them is the video clip for the track Fav Mushroom Chocolate.
Some fans believe that another woman may be the mother of the rapper's daughter. In 2016, 6lack sang about a mysterious stranger who, in addition to love, gave him a lot of pain and disappointment. Ricardo refrains from commenting on this subject.
It is still unknown whether Quin is a 6lack girlfriend or an official wife. The rapper does not really like to share the details of his personal life. Ricardo often shows his beautiful daughter on Instagram. In one of the last Stories, he showed how a girl cutely sweeps the floors. He commented:
“There are a few things to do while your heart is beating: do what you love, love someone, and create life.”
As you can see, the singer is doing very well. In the image of a young father, Ricardo looks great.
Interesting facts about the rapper 6lack
- When Ricardo was asked who influenced his work, he named the singers: Sade, T-Pain, The-Dream and Usher. In addition, the performer noted that he always tried to find his own way of presenting tracks, which would be known to fans from the first minutes of listening to the songs.
- 6lack dropped out of school for a failed deal with International Music Group. But the rapper does not regret it.
- The cover of East Atlanta Love Letter 6lack features Six Rose Valentine in a sling.
- Until the birth of his daughter, Ricardo filled social media profiles with black and white photographs. The birth of his daughter changed the general mood of the singer - life played with completely different colors.
- Ricardo admits that he is addicted to delicious food. The rapper's Stories often feature photos from various cafes and restaurants. The love of delicious food does not prevent the rapper from being in good physical shape. Thanks to regular exercise, Ricardo's body looks as good as possible.
Rapper 6lack today
In 2020, the rapper almost finished the tour in support of the East Atlanta album Love Letter. In addition, fans learned that he was just preparing a new LP. Information that the singer is working on a record was indicated in social networks. Ricardo wrote:
"It's been a few years since the release of Free 6lack, but I promise that my next LP will be much better than the debut album."
After this statement, fans expected the presentation of the new collection. And the "fans" were not mistaken in their assumptions. In 2020, Ricardo presented the mini-album 6pc Hot EP. The collection was warmly welcomed not only by 6lack fans, but also by music critics.
