Wale - Attention Deficit
DC rapper Wale has been bubbling underground for the last few years with 2 critically acclaimed mixtapes, The Mixtape About Nothing and Back to the Feature, but has finally boiled over in 2009 with the release of his debut studio album Attention Deficit. The album is silently one of the most relevant and introspective albums in decades, covering social issues that have plagued the black community for years in songs like Shades featuring Chrisette Michelle or, highlighting the obsession and addiction that comes with chasing the Hollywood dream in 90210. He has a very southpaw approach to music given the unique blend of traditional hip hop and the big band DC Go-Go influence. Musically, this album is a big breath of fresh air but the key is pushing “certain” songs to radio. Great albums go unrecognized because labels tend to promote the “club” records, instead of allowing the public to absorb the work that represents the artist in their entirety. Artists like Wale have the potential to move cultures and civilizations forward with their music. Releasing an album is no longer enough. You have to get behind the relevant singles and push them. I hope Wale adheres to this and shows the world that his talent and purpose is so much deeper than a club single.
Watching Wale go through his inaugural album process has been an interesting one. Being that he came form the Internet world we get to see a lot about him through Twitter and countless YouTube videos. He comes across very aggressive, militant, and almost rambunctious when responding to negative comments or criticism. As a fan of music, it can be a turn off, but I appreciate it because it’s real. More than anything Wale is not removed from reality and the music culture that he exists in, through some marketing scheme that molds artists into these quasi human personas generating a false reality.
Generating some main stream attention on BET and MTV with his single Chillin feat Lady Gaga, I feel there is pressure on Wale to follow up with one his more conscious records for the sake of young people listening and the fight to get that caliber of music back on the radio. We look forward to watching the journey of Wale’s first album unfold.
Looking forward…
2009 has seen an uproar of new artists and the reemergence of old ones. It seems as though after the death of Tupac, the voice of California died with it. With release of Fashawn’s Boy Meets World, Pac Div’s Church League Champions, and the illuminating career of San Pedro’s Blu, we can expect a huge crescendo in the whispering words from the West Coast. Boy Meets World is a powerful coming of age narrative of deep personal reflection and growth. It’s even more impressive because the Fresno native is only 21. Pac Div’s Church League Champions an upbeat project with full of exciting production and engaging lyrics. With vivid storylines and youthful fervor, Pac Div brings West Coast flavor through the speakers with each listen. As the self proclaimed Hip Hop Thelonius Monk, Blu has more than proved his lyrical ability with Below The Heavens and Johnson & Jonson, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. He keeps fans engaged with countless mixtapes in between albums demonstrating an eclectic creativity that most artists don’t dare to play with. His unique blend of Jazz and Hip Hop is reminiscent of the early Native Tongue sound, but distinctively different. Earlier this year we got a taste of true ear for music as he was the sole producer on a collaborative album with him and Brooklyn MC Sene.
As we break through the thin ceiling of the underground into the main stream we have to acknowledge the momentum that Lil Wayne and Young Money have developed and the moves they have set in place for the future. Drake is arguably the most talked about artist since 50, and took the Americas by storm. His signing to Young Money got mixed responses from critics but in any event, he without question made the young money camp that much stronger. Wayne was the only superstar so it will be interesting to see how he and Drake co exist in the future. Unfortunately the over exposure Drake in the last few months has made some grow overwhelmed and tired of seeing him. Hopefully he can settle into his new found stardom and deliver with his quasi debut album Thank Me Later.
While Drake and Wayne have been in the fore front of young money, female rapper Nicki Minaj has generated a huge following over the last year or two. Her latest mixtape Beam Me Up Scotty was well received and has made her that much more relevant. While she screams how different she is from Foxy and Kim after seeing her and listening to her music you cant help but disagree. She is definitely selling sex, and her Trini/reggae influenced tracks are very reminiscent of Foxy’s Broken Silence. With all that being said, she can actually spit and does make some dope music. I do look forward to the album and hope she doesn’t become anther ghost in the female rap game.
