6lack brought a powerful message to the Jimmy Kimmel Live! stage with a thoughtful performance of “Pretty Little Fears.”
Hitting the late night talk show Wednesday night, (Jan. 23) the 26-year-old amended his verse to speak to young black men. The father-of-one performed alongside a dancer but absent J.Cole, who is featured on the track.
“Now I carry my weight like a truck,/I don’t make music for the credits to critique, but because the people need they want me lead the way and so I speak/ It’s 6lack pronounced blacker than my skin/Ever since I was a boy the world told me I should never ever cry and if I was to ever shed a tear out of fears show emotions/ I could kiss my credibility goodbye, the emcee con”This here is a PSA to every young black man watching/ I am not here to talk about my album dropping/ conditioning the influence exists for a reason/but it’s all bound to change like the seasons.”
6lack seems to be encouraging men to express themselves in healthier manners rather than holding them in. The Baltimore native offered an artistic critique of the expectations surrounding young black men and the recommended placement of their emotions,
“Pretty Little Fears” comes from 6lack’s most recent project East Atlanta Love Letter and has earned the father-of-one his third Grammy nomination for best rap/ sung performance for “Pretty Little Fears.”
Watch 6lack give a powerful message with his performance of “Pretty Little Fears” above.