Many people have an agenda. With his brand-new album, 6lack’s agenda is to push the message of love.
Love is the New Gangsta is what he came up with. It’s a title that reflects his current era and gives new meaning to the word “gangsta.”
“When I was growing up, I kind of attributed that phrase to cool. And you grow up thinking certain things are cool that, as you mature, you realize what really is cool,” he tells ABC Audio. 6black says that means taking care of himself, his family and his community.
“I just felt like it was something that needed to be reiterated, that love being at the core of what you do is not something to be ashamed of,” he says.
6lack says love has always been central to his music, but the message became clearer as he became more focused on accountability and growth. He explains that while his previous album, Since I Have a Lover, centered on learning the tools to improve his life, this project reflects putting those lessons into practice.
“This album has been me actually doing the work in my life first and then once the work is done … I go into the studio and then I can be creative. And then I can be productive. So taking care of life first and then creating after,” he says.
He hopes Love is the New Gangsta will encourage listeners to confront issues they may avoid.
“Accountability has been my biggest focus recently,” he says, “so not just saying that I wanna do something about what needs to be fixed in my life, but really showing up and really proving it.”
Ultimately, 6lack’s focus is “growth and development.” “That is all I care about,” he says.
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