6LACK – Love Is The New Gangsta (Album Review)

6LACK continues to turn emotional honesty into an art form.

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TOP 5 SONGS

Honorable Mention. Wifey Baby Mama

This might be the most satisfying rap track on the project. You get a more aggressive 6LACK on it, and there’s something about the knock in the production that makes his bars feel extra punchy. At the same time, the track is elevated by an infectious, smooth chorus that ties everything together. To me, of all the tracks on this project, this is the one with the best chance of getting blasted by gangstas.

5. I GUESS

I couldn’t stop returning to “I GUESS.” Despite the track’s lyrics feeling a little all over the place, there’s something about its tension-filled subject matter, combined with its feel-good, soothing production and bouncy chorus, that won me over. S**t feels like I got the worst text ever while eating Ice Cream in a flower garden. How was 6LACK able to achieve this?

4. Bird Flu

Give me “Bird Flu” over Hantavirus and Ebola any day! To me, the track showcases 6LACK’s uncanny knack for blending moody raps, moody singing, and moody production while delivering storytelling about the intangibles that come with loving someone deeply. Being the first single from this project, I thought this was the perfect reintroduction into Homeboy’s moody world.

3. Bear

This s**t is hard, son. On “Bear,” 6LACK keeps it completely honest, basically asking for patience while he works through the demons he’s battling internally. Once he figures everything out, then you can send the hate mail.

What makes the track hit so hard is the level of unfiltered rawness he brings to it. He experiments with a few different flows, all while maintaining an effortless delivery over haunting production that might genuinely give you chills. There’s something deeply human and stripped-down about the song that makes it impossible not to feel.

2. On Me (Ft. Odeal)

This track is close to perfect. What stands out most is its pacing. Over elegant, slick production with a steady tempo, 6LACK glides across the beat effortlessly, blending emotion with a calm, unbothered delivery.

Odeal adds another layer of soulfulness, sounding polished and almost improvisational as he pours out his feelings, reminiscent of a refined Brent Faiyaz approach. The chorus really seals it all together. It might be my favorite on the album, both catchy and emotionally rich. While this won’t be a radio hit, it’ll be a hit in my dusty-ass house.

1. All That Matters (Ft. Leon Thomas & AZ Chike)

On paper, this collaboration doesn’t seem like it should work. While 6LACK and Leon Thomas naturally share similarities, AZ Chike, who might sound like the most gangsta LA rapper in the game right now, feels like a completely unexpected addition. Somehow, though, it all comes together perfectly.

Over slick production, 6LACK sets the tone with hypnotic singing that immediately pulls you in, while Leon Thomas adds layers of soulfulness during the chorus and toward the end of the track. Meanwhile, AZ Chike delivers one of the smoothest rap verses you’ll hear today, sliding across the beat effortlessly. What ties everything together is the vulnerability each artist shows when speaking about their connections with their women.

SONG BY SONG RATING

1. Bounty (4/5)

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RGM RATING

(86%)

6LACK, also known as Joe 6LACKO in my household, is finally back with Love Is The New Gangsta, his first full-length project since Since I Have A Lover. After spending the last few years moving lowkey, the Atlanta artist returns with an album that feels deeply reflective and extra personal.

Sonically, Love Is The New Gangsta sticks closely to the formula that made 6LACK such a unique voice in modern R&B and alternative hip-hop. The production is moody, atmospheric, and smooth enough to soundtrack a 2 a.m. drive where you start overthinking texts from three years ago. Over it, 6LACK delivers both chill raps and melodic performances centered on love, growth, vulnerability, and internal reflection.

The 15-track album also includes appearances from Young Thug, 2 Chainz, Mereba, AZ Chike, Leon Thomas, and QUIN, adding texture without taking attention away from 6LACK’s personal storytelling. Overall, the project presents him in a more mature light, making him sound like someone fully embracing emotional transparency rather than hiding behind cool aesthetics. While drowsiness is the name of the game, and I wouldn’t recommend listening to the project on less than five hours of sleep, it’s undeniably good music.

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