BEST NEW TRACK: 6LACK - NONCHALANT

By now, you should all be very familiar with 6LACK, an artist who makes sexy R&B music for sad people like me. And if you haven’t heard his stuff yet, just think of The Weeknd, but miles clever and very much the opposite of self-deprecating (listen to “Ex Calling” as evidence).

6LACK has certainly kept busy with tours, festival performances, and a successful debut album. The man has sights on something larger though, and the singles he has released so far in anticipation prove that he’s finessed his brooding sound. While “Switch,” another recent single, has got a poppy, melodic side to it, 6LACK’s latest release showcases the artist’s polished sound and foretells a confidence we’re sure to find when his album comes around. Check out “Nonchalant,” and watch the video below.

6LACK - NONCHALANT

In “Nonchalant,” 6LACK is a goddamn sniper — the man looms poised, dangerous, and lands every — single — line with a deadly wit that I haven’t heard since Childish Gambino, pre-Redbone. “I know I gotta be a Rock like Dwayne,” he says. Nice.

Later on: “The boy then grew to be the man / Learned how to kill a Hook, Peter Pan.” NICE!! High five.

6LACK refers to his flow as nonchalant and it’s then that you understand just how aptly named this single is. There is no hard beat here; just a mellow, murky tune and 6LACK’s casual tone that is making me suspect he rapped this first thing out of bed. Or maybe that’s the point; he’s SO good that he doesn’t need a loud production or a hard execution to land his verses. They naturally do so on their own.

My favorite and most appealing aspect of 6LACK’s music is that his personality is always at the forefront. And you know what? That personality is COCKY as all hell. He may sound depressed but my god, does this man do wonders for my own confidence. In fact, I pop his album every time I need a boost. He’s my own personal self-motivational speaker.

Most importantly though, “Nonchalant” is backed by a mysterious and equally slick visual of 6LACK contemplating life by a beach. Or is that a glacier? Or is this 6LACK coming out in support of climate change?

6LACK is gearing up for a sophomore album release. Stay tuned for East Atlanta Love Letter coming soon. In the meantime, have FREE 6LACK on repeat to prep for what’s comin’.