"Ex Calling" is the debut single by American singer
6lack
Ricardo Valdez Valentine Jr. (born June 24, 1992), known professionally as 6lack (stylized as 6LACK, pronounced "black"), is an American R&B singer and songwriter. Born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, he gained recognitio ...
. It was first released on May 17, 2016 before being released to streaming services on July 25, 2016 as the lead single from his debut studio album ''
Free 6lack
''Free 6lack'' is the debut studio album by American singer 6lack. It was released on November 18, 2016, by LVRN and Interscope Records. The album was supported by two singles: " Ex Calling" and " Prblms". It was nominated at the 60th Annual G ...
'' (2016). Produced by
Southside and DZL, the song is a remix of "Perkys Calling" by American rapper
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ex ...
from the mixtape ''
Purple Reign'' (2016).
Background
In an interview with
Genius
Genius is a characteristic of original and exceptional insight in the performance of some art or endeavor that surpasses expectations, sets new standards for the future, establishes better methods of operation, or remains outside the capabiliti ...
, 6lack revealed the song was referring to all of his previous romantic partners. He stated, "'Ex Calling' was literally a collage of all my exes. I just combined them into one mega ex and just made a song about all of them. She was in there somewhere. I just fused them all into the greatest ex of all time."
Composition
The production contains sparse piano and "alternating bass kicks that speed up the pace". Lyrically, 6lack reflects on his past relationships,
especially dealing with his self-growth following a toxic relationship
and refusal to answer the phone when his ex calls him.
Music video
The music video was released on December 5, 2016. Shot in
black-and-white
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white to produce a range of achromatic brightnesses of grey. It is also known as greyscale in technical settings.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, ...
, it sees 6lack wandering through town
and visiting a strip club,
where he throws money on some dancers.
Charts
Certifications
References
{{6lack
2016 debut singles
2016 songs
6lack songs
Song recordings produced by Southside (record producer)
Songs written by Future (rapper)
Songs written by Southside (record producer)
Interscope Records singles