Wale “Attention Deficit” Review
Olubowale Victor Folarin, aka Wale, is DC’s wonder-kid, rap star in waiting with the backing of celebrity producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse/Lilly Allen) and comes co-signed by Jay-Z and The Fader. Wale garnered attention with his early breakout hit, “Nike Boots,” a remix with Lily Allen, and such critically praised mixtapes as 2007’s 100 Miles & Running which produced “W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.” with France’s electro kingpins Justice, followed in 2008 with the impressive Mixtape About Nothing, and this year’s Back To The Feature, all of which showcased his raw skills and energetic, playful delivery and punchlines with the distinctively “go-go” flavor of DC. All of this hype has ushered Wale to the top of the rookie class with Kid Cudi, Jay Electronica & Blu and Drake among the leaders of a new generation of emcees. Wale seems to be unsure which lane he’s in though, dude is a rookie with attitude like he’s owed something, taking shots at old school cats, bragging, talking a lot about his expensive name brand clothing, how’s he’s the next great hope of the genre, and other nonsense about nothing. Technically we know he has skills and can spit, he did after all make great waves with his Mixtape About Nothing, but Wale ends up mainly rapping about rapping, young girls/strippers and sneakers.
With appearances by Lady Gaga, Bun B, Gucci Mane, Marsha Ambrosius, Chrisette Michele, Jazmine Sullivan and K’Naan and production handled by heavyweights Mark Ronson, the Neptunes, Cool & Dre, 9th Wonder and TV on The Radio’s Dave Sitek, expectations are high. Opening with the Sitek produced, high-life of “Triumph” Wale declares “I ain’t trying to be politically correct, but I rest rest to I’m given my get my respect/My vision isn’t set on the money imma get, but more or less I’m the vet coming for your neck.” “Mirror,” produced by Ronson, is a head snapper, with Houston’s OG Bun B. Calling out “fake” emcees? Well the track is nice, Wale flows about some girl he met, then refers to her as an ‘09 gold digger. “Mama Told Me” continues to ride the “go-go” flavor of his city, as does the confusing “Pretty Girls” with southern underground star Gucci Mane, which seems confusing and out of place. The bouncy “Let It Loose (Inhibitions),” featuring Pharrell on vocals is a standout track; it’s such songs like these the “go-go” inspired tracks that separate Wale as they work best with his delivery and cadence. The early single “Chillin’“ features Lady Gaga in an attempt to make like M.I.A.’s breakout “Paper Planes,” while “World Tour” cotinues by paying respect to the A Tribe Called Quest classic “Award Tour.”
On “90210″ Wale practically borrows Kid Cudi whole steez, addressing bulimia and coke addiction “Regular girl, with celebrity dreams,” wowzer. “Chip on my shoulder, big enough to feed Cambodia,” from “Shades,” is where he finally has something to say on the 9th Wonder produced neo-soul track with rich vocals from R&B starlet Chrisette Michele where he reminisces about light skin girls and American blacks not accepting him, and vice-versa; he of Nigerian descent, he grew up in DC. “I had a right to be timid, I had beautiful words but they didn’t listen.” “TV In The Radio” is a horn filled track produced by Sitek which features Somalian K’Naan and finds Wale going in “Hip-hop needs a wake-up, we the fuckin’ clock radio.” The mournful, emotional “Contemplate” rides a vocal sample from Rihanna. Wale does get introspective on the cautionary “Diary,” a soulful lullaby with strong performance by Marsha Ambrosius (Floetry). He spits on “Beautiful Bliss” with fellow rookie J. Cole and vocalist Melanie Fiona. Closing with the soulful “Prescription” the narcissistic emcee states “I am hip-hop, past, present and future.”
The expectations for this record are so huge, and it’s cool for a debut, but there’s plenty of potential for so much more here. The raw energy and urgency of his mixtapes is clearly missing and the record seems unfocused and forced at times. With that said it’s still a strong debut by a rookie trying to cover all the bases. There are moments like those of “Let it Loose (Inhibitions),” “Mirrors,” “Diary,” and “Contemplate” that make it rewarding, though it falls as somewhat underwhelming as a long player.
[review by guest contributor Jon Jon Scott]
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Also: Wale @ 2009 MTV VMAs
I know it’s a complete style bite, but I still love that Gaga collaboration. Can’t stand her solo stuff, but she serves well standing in the background.
That K’naan track is awesome also – those horns are killer.
I haven’t listened to this album at all yet, but I can honestly say I’ve never bought into the Wale hype.
I thought for what its worth – the album wasn’t bad at all.
I do agree with Jon though that judging by the mixtapes this guy has put out – that urgency is definitely on some – but not all – of the cuts.
Regardless, the album was bananas. Especially Mirrors with Bun B.
Wale is a swagger jacker!!!
“All of this hype has ushered Wale to the top of the rookie class with Kid Cudi, Jay Electronica & Blu and Drake among the leaders of a new generation of emcees.”
Compare wale to kid cudi and Drake, but dont EVER compare wale, kid cudi and drake to jay electronica and blu. That is disgraceful to jay electronica and blu.
And where is charles hamilton? He is listening to Attention: Deficit and he knows that wale has been swagger jacking for a while cuz I know. Dont only listen to wale or kid cudi or drake. Know the context, what other rappers and hip hop artist are doing when that person is doing their thing. Wale is gay. hands down, ass up.
Oh and let me say XXL gave wale a XL for originality… Pssshh yeah right. I only took 4 songs for my playlist…..off of an “XL” rating from XXL? HA
But then again, XXL likes the more mainstream rappers. And let me put down some views of “sold out” for people.
People think that sold out is when an artist starts appealing to people that they didn’t think or know would like their music. And the fact that those people like the same music as the original person that says “sold out”.
Artist are sold out when they get told instructions or things to do, and they listen… to become famous, rather than sticking to their own thoughts and doing what they want…
And wale has “artistic integrity”?
This message is regarding the comments Ken made. You say Wale is a swagger jacker from Kid Cudi and Drake? If you do research you will realize that he has been rapping for over 5 years slowly climbing his way up. No disrespect to Kid Cudi and Drake because I think they are great artists with so much potential. Its just that Wale was rapping while Drake was on Degrassi. It is so very rare to find a flow like Wale’s. His flow reminds me of a Raekwon type flow. I think all of the aforementioned artists are great and much needed in the Hip-Hop culture. But at this point I am convinced that Wale has the most potential out of any other rookie artists. Tell me the last time you heard a rookie artist talking about issues such as he is. The only one I have ever seen do that is Lupe Fiasco, which is also a fantastic artist.
I gotta agree with everything Damien says. Wale is fire, Ken has been fired. The end.
Ok… I’m from D.C. and for someone named Ken, like the Barbie toy, to go on rambling about how Wale is a swagger jacker is daring. Wale and Kid Cudi definitely have different styles I’ve listened to al of their mixtapes and albums. And Wale is way different from Drake the only thing they do have in common is the fact that they are up and coming.
THE ALBUM WAS GREAT, SO WHY ARE YOU TRYNA BASH HIM. F*** CHARLES HAMILTON.. Didn’t he get bitched by an ex on camera!!! But anyways, back to you Wale is destined to be greater then you ever been, wait greater than you never been. Did you even listen to his album?
man “back to the feature” was so hot, i had to buy “attention deficit.” but it doesnt come close…beats were not hot. i mean i could only listen to it once and im draggin my self to listen to it again…i am very dissapointed with his album!