6lack took a five-year break between releasing 2018’s East Atlanta Love Letter album and 2023’s Since I Have a Lover album. The Atlanta native released 6pc Hot EP and singles during that layoff. However, he mostly laid low.
A new interview with Billboard featured 6lack discussing now being in healthy relationships with himself and the people around him. The Grammy-nominated singer/rapper also talked about Black men addressing mental health.
“One of the simplest things is just having conversations that don’t feel good. Especially with my friends that are guys,” the 31-year-old Love Renaissance representative stated. “I think that women have a better sense of having circles and having moments in conversations with each other.”
6lack also said, “We’re so in our own space that it’s hard for us to come together and address serious things. We can come together for a basketball game, football game, concert, club, you know whatever else. But it’s a lot less of a common thing for us to get together and just talk.”
Since I Have a Lover earned a Best Progressive R&B Album nod at the upcoming 66th Annual Grammy Awards. 6lack’s third studio LP competes against The Love Album: Off the Grid by Diddy, Nova by Terrace Martin & James Fauntleroy, The Age of Pleasure by Janelle Monáe and SOS by SZA.
6lack previously received Grammy nominations in 2018 and 2019. He came up short three times in those prior instances, including a Best Urban Contemporary Album nomination for 2016’s Free 6lack.
Since I Have a Lover contains guest features from Don Toliver and Wale. The project peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 chart, No. 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 3 on the Top R&B Albums chart.