# 6 Kiss (album)
**6 Kiss** is the second full-length solo mixtape by the American rapper [Lil B](https://www.edgepedia.org/lil-b), released on December 22, 2009, when he was 20 years old[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346). It followed his first solo mixtape *I'm Thraxx*, released on September 24, 2009, and it is widely treated as a foundational release of cloud rap, a style marked by hazy, atmospheric beats built on prominent samples[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346) • [2](https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/139784/from-the-record-crate-lil-b-6-kiss-2009/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Artist | Lil B (Brandon McCartney), a rapper from Berkeley, California, formerly of the Pack[3](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14418-base-world-pt-1/) |
| Release | December 22, 2009; labels Permanent Marks and BasedWorld[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346) • [4](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/57866-lil-b-6-kiss.php) |
| Format | Mixtape, 22 tracks, total length 1 hour 27 minutes[4](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/57866-lil-b-6-kiss.php) |
| Primary producers | Clams Casino and Keyboard Kid[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346) |
| Signature track | "I'm God", produced by Clams Casino, samples Imogen Heap's "Just for Now"[5](https://musicbrainz.org/release/fca1a9ea-d9c4-4ac0-ba51-ee671bb44e42) |
| Recognition | Ranked number 89 on Pitchfork's *The 100 Best Rap Albums of All Time*[5](https://musicbrainz.org/release/fca1a9ea-d9c4-4ac0-ba51-ee671bb44e42) |
| Cover art | Illustrated by Benjamin Marra, depicting Lil B shirtless with a halo on his head[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346) |
## Background and release
Lil B, born Brandon McCartney, came out of the Berkeley party-rap crew the Pack, best known for their 2006 single "Vans", and had begun a solo career built on constant internet self-promotion, YouTube freestyles, and a flood of mixtapes[3](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14418-base-world-pt-1/). 2009 was the pivotal year in which he defined his persona, publishing the self-help-style book *Takin' Over* and releasing the two mixtapes that established him, *I'm Thraxx* first and then *6 Kiss*[6](https://www.fakeforreal.net/lil-b-6-kiss/).
The cover, drawn by illustrator Benjamin Marra, shows Lil B shirtless with a halo, presenting him in the guru-like posture that became central to his image[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346) • [6](https://www.fakeforreal.net/lil-b-6-kiss/).
## Music and production
Clams Casino and Keyboard Kid are the primary producers of the album[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346). Clams Casino's beats for "[I'm God](https://www.edgepedia.org/im-god)" and "What You Doin'" have been described as still ahead of their time, and "I'm God" in particular became one of the defining recordings of early cloud rap, built on a sample of [Imogen Heap](https://www.edgepedia.org/imogen-heap)'s "Just for Now"[7](https://www.vice.com/en/article/7-essential-lil-b-mixtapes-to-get-you-started-on-the-based-path/) • [5](https://musicbrainz.org/release/fca1a9ea-d9c4-4ac0-ba51-ee671bb44e42). The opening track "B.O.R. (Birth of Rap)", produced by Tre G, has been called the best example of the mixtape's sound in practice and a showcase of Lil B's rapping ability[5](https://musicbrainz.org/release/fca1a9ea-d9c4-4ac0-ba51-ee671bb44e42) • [2](https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/139784/from-the-record-crate-lil-b-6-kiss-2009/).
The tape runs 1 hour 27 minutes across 22 tracks, with the main sequence followed by bonus sections labeled "Greatest Hits Bonus Singles" and "Classic Based Freestyle Bonus Tracks"[4](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/57866-lil-b-6-kiss.php). Listeners and reviewers have repeatedly noted that the second half is weaker than the first, with more similar banger-oriented tracks, and that the project would be stronger if shortened[4](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/57866-lil-b-6-kiss.php).
## Reception and influence
At release, Lil B was a divisive figure; Pitchfork's review of his 2010 mixtape *Base World, Pt. 1* noted that he had been called "the worst rapper alive" while others argued he was onto something new, and that his commitment to unfiltered expression felt punk in its way[3](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14418-base-world-pt-1/). Over time, *6 Kiss* has been reappraised as a landmark. Pitchfork later ranked it number 89 on its list of the 100 best rap albums of all time[5](https://musicbrainz.org/release/fca1a9ea-d9c4-4ac0-ba51-ee671bb44e42), and in a 2017 review of *Black Ken* the site called *6 Kiss* Lil B's "2009 opus" and his most purposeful block of music until that album[8](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/lil-b-black-ken/).
Its influence on later rap is a recurring theme in commentary. The pairing with Clams Casino is seen by many as a defining moment in the popularization of cloud rap[2](https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/139784/from-the-record-crate-lil-b-6-kiss-2009/), and the mixtape is credited with laying the foundation for Lil B's career and allowing later rappers such as A$AP Rocky to build on his initial influence[9](https://record.club/helios/releases/albums/lil-b-6-kiss). Vice included it among the seven essential Lil B mixtapes, describing it as startlingly confident in its embrace of spaced-out textures and in B's innocent, optimistic viewpoint[7](https://www.vice.com/en/article/7-essential-lil-b-mixtapes-to-get-you-started-on-the-based-path/).
On Album of the Year, the mixtape carries a user score of 80 based on more than 2,400 ratings and is flagged as a "Must Hear Album"[4](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/57866-lil-b-6-kiss.php). It remains accessible through Lil B's Bandcamp page, where it is offered as a name-your-price digital album[1](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346).
## References
1. [6 Kiss, Lil B, Bandcamp (official page with about text)](https://lilb.bandcamp.com/album/6-kiss?from=footer-ar-a214502346)
2. [From the Record Crate: Lil B – "6 Kiss" (2009), The Young Folks](https://www.theyoungfolks.com/music/139784/from-the-record-crate-lil-b-6-kiss-2009/)
3. [Lil B: Base World, Pt. 1 Album Review, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14418-base-world-pt-1/)
4. [Lil B – 6 Kiss (Mixtape), Album of The Year](https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/57866-lil-b-6-kiss.php)
5. [Release "6 Kiss" by Lil B, MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/release/fca1a9ea-d9c4-4ac0-ba51-ee671bb44e42)
6. [LIL B – 6 Kiss, Fake For Real](https://www.fakeforreal.net/lil-b-6-kiss/)
7. [7 Essential Lil B Mixtapes to Get You Started on the Based Path, Vice](https://www.vice.com/en/article/7-essential-lil-b-mixtapes-to-get-you-started-on-the-based-path/)
8. [Lil B: Black Ken Album Review, Pitchfork](https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/lil-b-black-ken/)
9. [helios's review of '6 Kiss' (2009) by Lil B, Record Club](https://record.club/helios/releases/albums/lil-b-6-kiss)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Musical works and recordings › Albums and recorded releases › EPs, mixtapes, and short-form releases › Hip-hop mixtapes*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license