Olubowale Victor Folarin
Better known as: Wale
Background: The son of two Nigerian immigrants, hardworking DC hip-hop artist Wale grew up in Washington DC. He released his first mixtape, Paint a Picture, in 2006, and was quickly noticed thanks to his combination of go-go inspired beats, clever wordplay, and smooth flow. After releasing Hate is the New Love in 2006, Wale signed with Mark Ronson's Allido Records. His popularity only grew after his 2007 mixtape, 100 Miles and Running, was downloaded over 75000 times. His next mixtape, 2008's Seinfeld inspired Mixtape About Nothing, garnered critical acclaim and earned him a feature on The Roots' CD. After his release of Back to the Feature, his fifth mixtape, anticipation for his full length album only grew. His full-length album, Attention Deficit, drops tomorrow, and is sure to please anyone who likes some thought put into their hip hop.
W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.: A sample of Justice's electro-dance hit D.A.N.C.E. provides the foundation for Wale's clever lyrics in one of his earliest hits.
Work: With many of the top tier lyricists, the beat is often the determining factor in how much I will enjoy the song. The piano driven go-go beat of this track is a great background for Wale's sweet punchlines and clever metaphors.
Chicago Falcons Remix: This song is just fantastic. The beat and flow all come together in a song laden with Seinfeld references, but the best part is at the end. Wale actually slows down his last verse and does it a cappella, giving us a chance to really appreciate his talent.
Chillin ft. Lady Gaga: This is a more radio friendly song as evidenced by the presence of a MIA-impersonating Lady Gaga. Regardless, Wale goes in hard over a Cool and Dre produced beat, and the result is a fun song with, of course, great lyrics.
Mirrors ft. Bun : "Mirror mirror on the wall, who the realest of em all" asks Wale on this track from Attention Deficit, a lament on the demise of rap at the hands of sellout ringtone rappers.
Bottom Line: Wale is a talented DC rapper in a very deep freshman class. Though at times he rambles and his beat selection is sometimes suspect, he has a lot of potential and will be someone to look out for in the future. Be sure to pick up his CD, Attention Deficit, which comes out tomorrow
2 comments:
Tanner, I really enjoyed how you incorporated your AP English analyzing skills to your passion for music! Keep it up. Lets fly a kite :]
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