6ohnson’s Room 6 is both a welcome surprise and an expected development in the career of one of Southeast Michigan’s most promising rap artists. While 6ohnson’s sound defies simple characterization, his prowess is evident throughout the 12 tracks, showcasing his versatility as well as his comfort in uncharted territory.
We caught up with 6ohnson to talk about the music, his inspirations, and more. Check out the conversation below, and be sure to check out the project wherever you get your music!
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How was 2020 for you? What are some of the ways that you learned and grew this past year? What is the mindset that you’re bringing into 2021?
Like a lot of people, 2020 was a rollercoaster ride for me, but I was able to learn a lot about myself and the people around me. I started to recognize who was really there grinding with me when things weren’t going well, and who was only around when things were going good. I got really good at saying “no,” and speaking my mind when I felt like people were trying to take advantage of me. I grew so much this year as a person and as an artist, it really feels like it’s been longer than a year to be honest.I’m just tryna soak up as much game as I can while moving forward with the art. I think I’ve grown to be way straightforward with people than I was in the past. Motherfuckers are weird in this music shit, I learned that pretty fast. A lot of these rappers have just been showing me what not to do foreal. My mindset this year is much different than it’s ever been… When I was younger I was always pressed by the other kids with similar goals as mine. I don’t like to lose, so I’m just doing what I gotta do to make shit happen.
When you think about your past releases, and then connect that to the upcoming album, how does that feel to you? Tell us about the progression and how each piece of the puzzle fits into your discography.
I really feel like my sound has progressed a lot through the years, particularly my songwriting and my delivery / vocal cadence. I look at my past projects as timestamps really – they bring me back to the times when I made them, but for my day one fans I know it’s quite different. Listening back to my old projects sometimes I get goosebumps because of how true things have become. It’s like an “I told you so” feeling and it kind of pushes me to keep evolving. Incognito is my favorite project because the concept is the blueprint for what I’m doing now. Manifestation can be the best tool to someone who wants to succeed. This project fits into my catalogue as my best work yet in my opinion. I’ve been gaining a lot of new fans these past few months and I know at the end of the day to be considered a great in this game, you have to continue to constantly build up your catalogue and your legacy. It’s up to the people to decide, but I hope this one fits in my discography as a classic.
What was the inspiration for this album? Did you start off from the jump with an idea to try to manifest, or have you been building the ideas and the meaning throughout the process
When I start this project off the jump “Pop Artist” brings me back to being a kid watching soul train on the tv while my mom was making dinner thinking how I wish I could perform like that. That feeling never went away so it was only right to start it off with soul train in the intro. I do feel some pain, some songs hit me hard sentimentally listening back to them in ways I know only I can feel. The sadness of growing up and leaving people behind but at the same time being happy because it was for the better. When you make sacrifices to obtain some goals, that can entail love too…Many like myself had to learn the hard way by losing someone close.
I used to struggle deciphering if my sacrifices were worth it but now I know. Some of these songs were recorded in a hotel room and the vibe was unexplainable working on these. As an artist I don’t want to be boxed in due to how often I tap into different genres, I ain’t ever felt this locked in and that’s a feeling that keeps me motivated when I know work needs to be done. In my experience being in a room with nothing but the tools to make you successful can lead you to accomplish big things. Quarantine brought me to that realization. It feels like I’ve sacrificed a lot to get here and I’ve lost a couple people that played important roles in my life but probably for the best. I’ll never forget who was around when I had these ideas in my mind and not on paper, I’ll never forget the beautiful lady that held me down at my lowest points. She met me at my lowest before most took my music seriously and now we’re strangers. I’ll never forget the doubters but only because I gotta remember them for when they come back around. I’ll never forget what it took to get here but there’s a long way to go for sure but I’m just focused on leveling up and being the best artist I can be right now. I got people depending on me.
What do you hope that fans will think and feel when they listen to this project? What do you hope they learn about you as a person / artist, or learn about themselves?
I just hope that whoever listens falls in love with the sound and the art that’s attached to it. I hope this project finds new ears far away as well as old ears that have drifted far. People are searching for that new artist to fall in love with and I know that’s gonna be the case for someone out there when they hear this and all the records to come after. Anyone who’s lost love recently can definitely hear a couple tracks off this project and think back on the situations, this is music to reminisce to.
