Born Ricardo Valentine Jr. in 1992, 6LACK—pronounced “black,” but a reference to the police precinct covering East Atlanta—started battle-rapping as a kid. As he developed, his sound got softer but also more focused, splitting the difference between the muscle of trap and the minimal side of modern R&B. Like Drake or The Weeknd, he can be cold. But his best tracks— the insular “Nonchalant,” the icy “PRBLMS,” the Don Toliver-featuring "Temporary"—mix that coldness with a sense of modesty and self-reflection that makes him relatable even when he’s being a little difficult. Yet however painful his experiences have been, turning them into art makes them worth it. “In, like, 25 years when I’m 50 and wrinkly as shit,” he told Apple Music, “I’ll know this was my favorite part.”