I REALIZE I posted this album on the second of November.... BUT I got an email saying they were gunna take down my blog unless I took out some of the tracks, due to lame sharing laws. I understand obviously, so I went back to see what to take out and narrowed down my over all focus of this album and realized that the general message is that Wale's smart. He knows that to be a successful and respected rapper you have to spit the truth.
A buddy of mine approached me about his rap a while ago, he's working on coming up as a hip hop artist and I'm working with him, slowly, to get himself out there. I've had to focus on hip hop greatest and break down.
How do you become the best hip hop artist you can be?
With some clarification through listening to various rappers and reflecting upon who I think's the best, why, and who others think is the best and why I've come up with this check list...
- A hip hop artist today is going to be respected by the highest in the hop hop world (would BIG be turning in his grave?)
- Respected musically
- HAVE PASSION - an artist has to believe what he says and want his message to get out there bad enough that he's almost begging you to listen, and when you do, you hear their passion and want to feel it too.
- Enjoyed by the mainstream music world, not just the hardcore music obsessed under-grounders they need to be able to afford to create music and make it ur #1 priority, be as dedicated as possible in order to make a revenue
- IT MUST BE relatable... As soon as a listener understands what the artist is saying and can apply it to their life thats when they truly feel connected and that's when you get those true loyal fans. The ones who will say "I don't even care if I can download this album online, I want this shit in hard copy"
- CREATIVE, have. something. different. Whether it's jokes/whitty as shit, or just tricky and straight up intelligent.
- This one's all me... not how to be successful but how to please mrosstheboss, and that is by sticking to who you were originally, don't get caught up in the money and stop making music from the heart. I can still enjoy a rapper who raps about the fame, glitz and glamour but one who can stick to his purpose in the rap world is one I appreciate most (Lupe's my number one example, he's saying what he needs to say then finishing it up, not carrying on after he's said his bit just for the income)
Don't get me wrong, I will forever love this kinda hip hop, it's whitty, its catchy, music's tight, but overall I feel like cam'rons coming back "by popular demand" because he was broke as fuck and realized he needed to make his way back in the game, not because he has something he needed to say that he didn't get a chance to stress before. Regardless... jokes.
Now creating this theory has also led it all to make sense... and I think Wale get's it too, listening to this album as I'm sorting out my thoughts has made me respect him cuz I think he legitimately gets it. It's all there. SO LISTEN, but not just to these songs. Download or buy the album... if you can't find it and just wanna listen to it, e-mail me but I can't post the whole thing if I wanna keep this bad boy going....
here's what i wrote on Nov 2nd..
"Wale's outta controoolll.... NEW ALBUM. loving all of it. he's bringing himself up quick, less than a year ago i blogged this young man (
March 2nd blog - "shh..") and he was a pretty un-known mix tape rapper, now his CD is dropping and he's pulling new hits out his ass daily, working with artists like John Mayer, Rihanna, K'Naan, Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, The Neptunes. TIGHT!"
Attention Deficit will be dropped November 10th (originally suppose to be in Sept... but he's now on tour with Jay-Z... nooo big deal). I'm already loving it, so here are some dope jams from on and off the album.
Two tracks I really like:
90210... its produced by Mark Ronson and has a dope sound, chilling, easy listening... that mainstream appreciation. The lyrics that don't really accomplish anything but point out stupid shit girls do in the name of fame, and extent of their chase to get it. We all have problems n' he's addressing that GOOD MOVE.
The song Inhibitions is another one I really like, it's with Pharell, pretty jokes, again the rich girl's glam chase... seems to be a common topic for Wale. But despite the fact that he isn't experiencing it.. I see it EVERYWHERE and am probs somewhat a victim of this superficial world, at least someone's addressing it.
This one kinda reminds me of Lupe's (who is my hip hop hero because I feel like he follows the guidelines TO A TEE) style in the song
Gotta Eat, in which he uses a metaphor of food to describe the chain of events that come with the drug dealing world. It's a little hard to follow unless you listen closely, he sticks to the drug theme very well, brings it back to conclude his album of Attention Deficit with references to Adderall and Rydalin (incase you're not as familiar with them as me... ADHD meds). This album opened my eyes to a different Wale than I saw in some of his mixtape stuff, I feel like he's a more confident rapper and therefor more comfortable to spit the truth. He also throws a lil diss T.I.'s (or perhaps all rappers in T.I.'s genre) way at the very end of this song, very little but jokes... enjoy :)
This song isnt on the album but I really like it. Addressing the use of the N***a word used in rap. He justifies why he uses it, and he explains the problem with people like himself saying it, giving the right to others resulting in racial shame. Each side is arguable, but he proposes the question, is it right? Well said Wale..
Letters is dope too (with John Mayer and Mark Ronson...
checck ITT)
I've missed her and thank GOD she's back, and looking more smoking than ever :)
