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'East Atlanta Love Letter' Review (Pt. 1)

6LACK

By Release RewindPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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"Unfair" — this 2 minute and16-second song seems like a prelude or narration. He speaks as if he’s narrating a past action and states that he doesn’t want his mistakes to burden him. He hopes his mistakes don’t cause the one he loves to leave him and...

“Wake up all aloneIt's hard to say it, so I write a songBut that ain't equal to me, righting wrongsStuck between a rock and a hard place.”

He speaks on how music is his refuge, but how it’s causing a schism between him and the ones he loves. This song seems like it was made on a rainy day, the beat and 6LACK’s regretful tone are felt and very present throughout the whole song. The only mistake that’s evident is putting his work, making music, above the ones he loves, and is trying to juggle both even though his girlfriend said…

“You never wanna share."

"Loaded Gun" — the song unfair seamlessly segues into this track. Throughout the first verse, 6LACK just talks about the women that hit his line repeatedly and believe he owes them something because they’ve had sex, short-lived relationship, or because he’s given them a taste of a higher class lifestyle.

He talks about how most of these women aren’t really worth much to him, and how touring or going through his due diligence as an artist holds to a much higher standard than them and their needs.

“I got women calling my phone like I owe them somethin'It's kinda my fault, I guess I showed them somethin'No shit, I treat my dick like it's a loaded gunPoint that shit away, these hoes gon' blow or comeHe continually talks about how his work ethic and what motivates him.Say I'ma take a break, but that's the only lie I tellWe made it past ten-thousand hours, lot of powerNow I'm fully loaded, fresh off Moreland AveNow I'm in my bag, ain't no capEastside on my back, daughter on my back."

This song talks about how his work ethic prevents him from finding love in a sense, but how his songs are all fueled and motivated through his loved ones, his daughter, family members, baby mama, etc. This song explains how the basic nature of his life is extremely counterintuitive. One hand washes another, while the other lays dormant. It doesn’t make complete logical sense but is very understandable since all energies don’t reciprocate one another.

"East Atlanta Love Letter" — this song is just an R&B track, there isn’t much said but you can definitely feel the emotion emanating from 6LACK. The chorus talks about him and another woman making love, and how this will cause her to continually just end up back where she came no matter how hard she searches for someone else. He believes he adds so much more to her life. More depth, context, clarity, etc. He isn’t just “spicing up” her life, he’s changing it. Her presence does the same for him, “you're my detox,” but she doesn’t really want to accept the fact that he does this for her.

"I remix your life like cut cocaine and it's a re-rockAin't been wanting much lately, no, 'cause you're my detox."

The song mainly exhibits just how smooth 6LACK can be without having to say too much during verses. The chorus is the body of this song and can speak volumes without diving too deep.

"But if we make love like we always knew each other (but if we made love like we always knew each other)You would be searching far and wide but you wouldn't want another (you wouldn't want another)Does he make you happy? (Does he make you happy?)If so, that's what I'm on (If so, that's what I'm on, hey)Let her go."

Throughout this song, 6LACK talks about how the vices that come with his success (groupies, drugs, fame, money ) cause him to lose clarity. This person knows 6LACK is allowing this to happen

"She like, 'Who you foolin'? You been out here tryna make a movie, ayy.'She like, 'Boy, it's a two way, groupies only following’ what you say' (ayy, ayy)."

6LACK is trying to ask himself if she's worth it, but then responds and says she’s the main attraction. He is trying to stall and have both. He understands he’s being indecisive about these choices and is trying to run game on the woman he describes as the main attraction. He’s aware that she's the apple of his eye, but he's allowing these vices to distract his clarity. He wants her to come and love him, and tries to convince her since they’ve been through so much together. But she’s aware of everything and doesn’t want his loss of direction to ultimately cause a misstep in a possible relationship.

"You know, you the main attraction (ah, ah, ah)I can't hit nobody else for the love, I need you for that actionAnd she like, "Who you tryin'? I ain't the only one that you been eyein'"I'm like, "Woah, money two sides" (woah, fine)She love me, she love me not, it's time to choose sides (whoa, whoa, my, god)"

But someone loving you isn’t something you have the ability to just turn off and on like a sink. So saying it’s time to choose sides muddles up the build of love this person might currently or will have for you later on.

"Sorry" – it opens with a recorded message, and speaks about chasing dreams and aspirations (music). Creating music has been and still is what keeps him grounded, music is his confidant. But in contradiction, his love lacks clarity and direction

"I know I've done some foolish things beforeI know that I've been swerving on this courseChecking myself, 'cause I just can't ignore, oh, oh"

Having both (distractions of the industry, and her) just won’t cut it, but he tirelessly looks for another way to solve the problem. He wants to take away the pain, but isn’t willing to fully divulge in order to create a solution. He believes he’s nothing without her, but won’t do everything needed to have her embrace him wholeheartedly.

"Sitting here, patching myself upCrying over what's left, 'causeWithout you I ain't shit, but no pressureGuess I gotta learn my lesson[Bridge]So I'ma write, when I'm wrongHaven't I already shownWhat it's like to love someone so much."

So he decides to muddle and repeatedly patch himself and this relationship up in order to “fix” the problem and not actually dig into the issue and take real time to create a more positive solution/outcome.

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About the Creator

Release Rewind

I am a teenager trying to write my perspective on music in multiple genres.I like rap and rnb the most but I will most likely branch out to other genres. I will write a review once a week on a newly released album or an album i've revisited

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