Barter 6

Barter 6
Mixtape by Young Thug
Released	April 16, 2015 (2015-04-16)
Recorded	2014–15
Genre	Hip hop
Length	51:38
Label	300 Entertainment, Atlantic
Producer	Birdman (exec.), London on da Track (exec.), Young Thug (exec.), Wheezy, Ricky Racks, Kip Hilson
Young Thug chronology
Rich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1 (2014) Barter 6 (2015) Hy!£UN35 (2015)
Singles from Barter 6
"Check" Released: April 1, 2015 "Constantly Hating" Released: April 17, 2015

Barter 6 is the third solo digital album (fourth overall) by American recording artist Young Thug; it was released on April 16, 2015, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records.^[1][2] Barter 6 features guest appearances from Birdman, T.I., Boosie Badazz, Young Dolph, Yak Gotti, Duke and Jacquees, while it features production by in house producers London on da Track, Wheezy, Ricky Racks and Kip Hilson.

Naming controversy

The album was initially reported to be titled Carter 6, in continuation of the naming sequence of Lil Wayne's successful Tha Carter album series.^[3] This created controversy, as Wayne's scheduled album Tha Carter V was repeatedly delayed amid a dispute between himself and Cash Money, who had reportedly refused to release the album.^[4] Wayne subsequently became involved in legal proceedings against Cash Money and publicly criticized the label's owner (and Thug's mentor) Birdman, as well as responding negatively to Thug's decision to name the album after him.^[5] Despite this, Thug claimed that he was not trying to be disrespectful, and that Wayne was his 'idol'.^[3] Following a threat of legal action, Thug announced days prior to the release that the album was to be re-titled Barter 6, in line with the typical Blood gang practice of replacing the letter "C" with "B".^[6] He furthered the ill feeling by announcing that his first show to promote the album will be held in Hollygrove, New Orleans, one of the neighborhoods in which Wayne was raised.^[7]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	76/100[8]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Billboard	[9]
Complex	[10]
HipHopDX	[11]
Pitchfork Media	8.4/10[12]
Pretty Much Amazing	B[13]
Spin	6/10[14]
XXL	[15]
RevCutt	7.7/10 [16]

Barter 6 was met with fairly positive reviews upon release. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from music critics, the album has received an average score of 76, indicating "generally favorable reviews", based on seven reviews.^[8] Complex notes that "Thugger's visceral illustrations are one-of-a-kind, and he communicates joy, frustration, and dread with unique clarity."^[10] Further, HipHopDX notes that "Barter 6 is the definitive mainstream strip club album of the modern era."^[11] Brooklyn Russell, writing for Pretty Much Amazing, praised the album for its maturity: "While some Thug listeners might scoff at Barter 6 for its lack of tried-and-true bangers like “2 Cups Stuffed” and “Danny Glover”, the slow burners here give Thug’s narrative some much needed clarity. Released on his mother’s birthday (April 16) Barter 6 positions Young Thug as a sentimental figure in rap, whose peculiar style and bizarre characteristics aren’t mere methods or technicalities but arise from a genuine place of hurt and confusion—where the brief glimpses of joy are intertwined with the sorrow."^[13]

Most notably, Pitchfork titled Barter 6 "Best New Music" with a high score of 8.4. Pitchfork emphasizes Barter 6's listenability and notes that "Barter 6 argues that all we need to do is listen a bit more carefully: what may not be legible at first glance reveals itself patiently over time." Additionally, they note that "More than anything, Barter 6 feels like a 50-minute performance of what rap, as a form, can do: rap that need not transcend itself, towards High Art on one hand or commercial art on the other, in order to succeed in 2015."^[12] On the other hand, Spin criticizes Young Thug for being lazy, and note that "he's sitting around waiting to ascend to the next level of his sound, for inspiration to strike, though with such a laid-back, inscrutable flow, he might have to activate that change himself."^[14]

Commercial performance

Barter 6 entered the US Billboard 200 at number 22 with 19,000 album equivalent units. It sold 17,000 copies in its first week.^[17] In the United States, it was the thirteenth highest in sales in its debut week.^[18]

Track listing

Charts

References