Word: wale
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...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...
...many tracks Wale portrays himself as an industry outsider who has had to fight the establishment to earn his due respect. Nowhere is this clearer than on “Triumph,” the strongest of Wale’s non-collaborative efforts on the album and also the first track. He unabashedly claims that he “asked Mr. West for a little bit of help” but was rejected, proof of the fact that new artists “gotta get it ourself.” On “Mirror,” Wale...
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?...
Though the majority of songs on “Attention Deficit” are light-hearted jibes at the establishment, Wale also displays an interest in dissecting racial issues and romantic tribulations. Contrary to my first thought, “Shades” is not a meditation on the value of stunna shades. It is in fact an examination of intra-race relations between African Americans with different skin tones that ponders the various stereotypes faced by people on account of their skin color. Slower-paced and more relaxed, “Contemplate” and “Diary?...
...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...