''Free 6lack'' (stylized in

all caps In typography, all caps (short for "all capitals") refers to text or a font in which all letters are capital letters, for example: "THIS TEXT IS IN ALL CAPS". All caps may be used for emphasis (for a word or phrase). They are commonly seen in l ...

) is the debut studio album by American singer

6lack Ricardo Archibald Valentine Jr. (born June 24, 1992), known professionally as 6lack (stylized as 6LACK, pronounced "black"), is an American singer and rapper. He initially gained notable recognition following the release of his single, " Prblms ...

. It was released on November 18, 2016, by LVRN and Interscope Records. The album was supported by two

single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...

s: "Ex Calling" and "

Prblms "Prblms" (a disemvoweling of "problems" and stylized in all caps) is a single by American singer 6lack. It was released on September 23, 2016, by LoveRenaissance and Interscope Records. The track was produced by NOVA. The song was certified 3× ...

". It was nominated at the

60th Annual Grammy Awards The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeong ...

for Best Urban Contemporary Album.

Release

On November 13, 2017, three additional new songs were added to the album to celebrate the album's anniversary.

Singles

The first

from the album, "Ex Calling", was released on July 25, 2016. The song contains samples of "Perkys Calling" by Future from the mixtape ''

Purple Reign ''Purple Reign'' is the sixteenth mixtape by American rapper Future, hosted and executive-produced by DJ Esco and Metro Boomin. It was released on January 17, 2016 with an 11-hour notice via LiveMixtapes and DatPiff. It is Future's first non-comm ...

''. The

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...

for "Ex Calling" was released on December 5, 2016. The second single from the album, "

", was released on September 23, 2016. The

for "Problems", featuring 6lack rapping next to a grizzly bear, was released on October 14, 2016.

Commercial performance

''Free 6lack'' debuted at number 68 on the US ''Billboard'' 200 for the chart dated December 10, 2016 and has since peaked at number 34.

Track listing

Album credits were adapted from

Tidal Tidal is the adjectival form of tide. Tidal may also refer to: * ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple * Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim * TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music * Tidal (servic ...

. Notes * signifies a co-producer * signifies an additional producer * signifies an uncredited producer Sample credits * "Rules" contains samples of "Shadow Knows" performed by Aqua Nebula Oscillator. * "Luving U" contains a sample of Slow Meadow's original composition "Lachrymosia". * "Ex Calling" contains samples of "Perkys Calling" performed by Future.

Personnel

Album credits were adapted from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

and Tidal. Performers *

– primary artist Production * FWDSLXSH – producer * MDS – producer * Alex Leone – producer *

Frank Dukes Adam King Feeney (born September 12, 1983), better known as Ging and by his former stage name Frank Dukes, is a Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter. A prolific producer, he has worked with artists including Camila Cabello ("Havana ...

– producer * Syk Sense – producer * OZ – producer * Singawd – producer , additional producer * Nova – producer * Jakob Rabitsch – producer * Bizness Boi – producer *

Breyan Isaac Breyan Isaac (born May 24, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist based in Daytona Beach, Florida. He has written, produced, and performed on songs by a number of artists including, David Guetta, Flo Rida, Pitbull, Wiz Kh ...

– producer * Karl Rubin – producer * Roofeeo – producer *

Childish Major Markus Alandrus Randle (born July 4, 1991) known professionally as Childish Major, is an American rapper and record producer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He initially rose to fame as the producer of the 2013 Rocko single, " U.O.E.N.O.", which peake ...

– producer * Take A Daytrip – producer * 6lack – producer * JT Gagarin – producer , additional producer *

Southside Southside or South Side may refer to: Places Australia * Southside, Queensland, a semi-rural locality in the Gympie Region Canada * South Side, Newfoundland and Labrador, a community in the St. George's Bay area on the southwest coast of Newf ...

– producer * DZL – producer *

Dot da Genius Oladipo Omishore, known professionally as Dot da Genius is an American record producer and audio engineer from Brooklyn, New York City. He first gained recognition in 2008 for producing "Day 'n' Nite" by American musician Kid Cudi, with whom he ...

– producer * Jon Castelli – producer * Julian Beats – producer * Lucian Blomkamp – producer , additional producer * Stwo – producer Technical * JT Gagarin – recording engineer , mixing engineer * Jon Castelli – mixing engineer

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 2016 debut albums Hip hop albums by American artists Albums produced by Frank Dukes Albums produced by Southside (record producer) Albums produced by Dot da Genius Albums produced by Take a Daytrip