''6 Kiss'' is the second full-length solo mixtape by American rapper

Lil B Brandon Christopher McCartney (born August 17, 1989), known professionally as Lil B and Lil B The BasedGod, is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of the Berkeley, California-based hip hop group the Pack in 2005, who signed wi ...

. At 20 years old, he released the album on December 22, 2009. It follows the release of his first solo mixtape ''I’m Thraxx'' that was released on September 24, 2009. The album cover was illustrated by Benjamin Marra, and depicts Lil B shirtless with a halo on his head. Clams Casino is the primary producer of the album.

Background

Prior to releasing ''6 Kiss'',

was a member of American hip hop group the Pack. In 2006, the group's song "

Vans Vans (originally called the Van Doren Rubber Company) is an American apparel, accessories, and skateboarding shoes brand, established in Anaheim, California, and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and ...

" reached number 58 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. During 2008 and 2009, Lil B uploaded songs to

Myspace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...

, where he started to develop a cult-like underground following.

Reception

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' described ''6 Kiss as'' "a generational dividing line in

West Coast rap West Coast hip-hop is a regional genre of hip-hop music that encompasses any artists or music that originated in the West Coast of the United States. West Coast hip-hop began to dominate from a radio play and sales standpoint during the early t ...

". The publication ranked the second track on the mixtape, "I'm God", at 37th on their 2023 list of "The 100 Greatest West Coast Hip-Hop Songs of All Time".

Soulja Boy DeAndre Cortez Way (born July 28, 1990), known professionally as Soulja Boy (formerly Soulja Boy Tell 'Em), is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to prominence with his self-released 2007 debut single, "Crank That ...

, a prominent rapper, stated that one of his all-time favorite albums is ''6 Kiss.'' Additionally, rappers including

Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...

and

Tyler the Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...

applauded his work and revolutionary style. Despite this, older rappers dismissed the mixtape as it strayed from traditional styles. Lil B has also faced criticism from fans for some materialistic and misogynistic lyrics.

Influence

The release of ''6 Kiss'' pioneered the

cloud rap Cloud rap is a subgenre of hip hop music that has several sonic characteristics of trap music with a hazy, dreamlike and relaxed production style. Rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino were early pioneers of the style. The term "cloud rap" is ...

subgenre, which is known for ethereal sounds combined with melodic rapping. Many critics attribute ''6 Kiss'' to be one of the most influential mixtapes of all time and say that it allowed for the success of many rappers, such as

A$AP Rocky Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mo ...

Yung Lean Jonatan Aron Leandoer Håstad (born 18 July 1996), known professionally as Yung Lean, is a Swedish rapper. Widely cited as one of the most influential figures in the early cloud rap era, Yung Lean rose to prominence in 2013 with his song " Gins ...

Playboi Carti Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1995, or 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern Hip hop music, hip hop a ...

, and

Bladee Benjamin Thage Dag Reichwald (born 9 April 1994), known professionally as Bladee, is a Swedish singer and rapper. In 2013, he formed the Drain Gang music collective alongside childhood friends Ecco2K, Thaiboy Digital, and Whitearmor. Bladee ...

. The instrumental of " I'm God" received a

cult following A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The latter is often called a cult classic. A film, boo ...

on the Internet and is considered one of the most important cloud rap tracks.

Track listing

References

{{authority control Lil B mixtape albums 2009 mixtape albums Albums produced by Clams Casino (musician) Albums produced by DJ Paul Albums produced by Juicy J Albums produced by Just Blaze Cloud rap albums Underground hip-hop albums West Coast hip-hop albums Alternative hip-hop albums