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What you can’t tell from the campaigning: Hayward is a big fan of hip hop artist J Dilla, jazz musician John Coltrane, and composer George Gershwin. He has more than 50,000 songs in his music collection. When he’s not adding tunes to his colossal music library, Hayward serves as an active member in both the Institute of Politics and the Black Student Association. Within the UC, he is currently elected vice chair of Educational Policy, vice chair of House Life Issues, and a member of the 2009 Budget Cuts Task Force...
...from requiring an extra dose of Ritalin to enjoy, Wale’s “Attention Deficit” is a refreshingly eclectic album that will immediately grab your attention and hold it as Wale (pronounced Wal-ay) takes you into his personal world of DMV hip-hop. After self-releasing a series of mix-tapes that were popular in the D.C. area over the past couple years, “Attention Deficit” is Wale’s first album with a major label. Nine of the 14 tracks feature at least one guest artist and this...
...Chillin” is a fitting first single for Wale to use as an announcement of his arrival on the main stage. Resolutely defiant about his hip-hop credentials, the track declares Wale’s unique affiliation with the DMV, Wale’s hometown area of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. As if to prove that he was born ready to compete with hip-hop heavyweights like Jay-Z and Kanye West, Wale goes all out to make “Chillin” stand out. While establishing his hip-hop skills by rapping about the tried and true...
Acutely conscious of his roots, Wale is proud to claim allegiance with an alternative urban environment that is culturally and musically distinct from New York and Los Angeles. Washington D.C. was the center of the go-go movement in hip-hop and funk, a heritage that Wale readily appropriates for “Attention Deficit.” The go-go of the ’70s can be heard in the jaunty beats, percussion, and horns that populate the entire album. But it is even more explicit in the bits that Wale samples for “Chillin?...
...Attention Deficit” is a success because it is unabashedly fun and true to Wale’s roots. The exciting beats and clever lyrics grab attention and Wale holds the listener with his novel take on modern hip-hop. Though Wale’s attempt to set himself as an outsider to the music industry is clichéd, his music is truly unique. If nothing else, the willingness of artists like Lady Gaga, Pharrell, and Gucci Mane to work with Wale demonstrates that his talents are appreciated and that his assault on the status quo will have...