A recent Facebook post from Adrian “607” Tillman that began, “as of today, i am no longer releasing music,” was widely interpreted in social media and elsewhere as a signal that the rapper was hanging it up. Six, who’s released 37 albums in the last 12 years, said he’s been flooded with calls and emails. He even got a voicemail from a fan crying. 607 “retiring from rappin is like Jesus being done with Christianity,” tweeted Osyrus Bolly, quoting another local rapper. But don’t trip, local rap fans. He’s not retiring. Just refocusing.
“I can’t just keep putting out music like I have; it’s like throwing it out in the air and seeing what happens,” he said Tuesday. “The money I make off of albums is increasing, but so is the cost of living.”
So rather than put out his 38th album in June as planned, he’s decided to go on a release hiatus, while he focuses on marketing and promotion.
“The only scenes that are sustainable are in Houston and Atlanta,” he said. “That’s because Houston and Atlanta sold a lifestyle.”
Asked how Central Arkansas could ever hope to compare to such massive metro areas, he said, “Black people spend millions of dollar at the hair store. We fill up the 2 Chainz concerts. We situated. The money is there. We just have to make them subscribe to our brand.
“I wake up and go to sleep thinking about rapping. But I’ve got to carve out time to focus on getting money, so I’m not going to release music until I can get some legs, because this shit deserves some legs.
“I just want a chance to fail. One of my homeboys said to me the other day, ‘Maybe you’re just not meant to be the one in the front. Maybe you should focus on mentoring the next generation.’ But I haven’t even been to the combine, to tryouts even. I just want my chance to fail on a bigger stage.”
607 cited the “start-up” money one of his heroes Tech N9ne got after years of middling success that helped propel him into a new level of fame. Which might be a good way for Six to present himself during his hiatus: “Invest in my start-up rap career.”
Lest you remain unconvinced that 607 can hang with national rappers, see his remix of Azealia Banks’ banger here. Or all the flips he did with Ants in My Trance. Or check out Six’s latest, “Yikes!,” which he’s temporarily giving away free.