When Washington D.C.-based rapper Wale decided to sign with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, some eyebrows raised within his base of loyal fans. How could our conscious, go-go music aficionado find some common ground with a “drug mafioso” rapper and his brethren? Well, after Wale's debut album, Attention Deficit (2009), was met with generally positive reviews, yet received what he felt was lackluster promotion from his record label, the Nigerian-American musician did not hide his feelings about the subject. He aspired to be more than the upstart new artist reduced to being a low-level priority at Interscope.
At the start of 2011, when Wale made the label switch, Rick Ross was arguably one of the top three artists in hip hop. And as featured guest on some of urban radio's most popular hits, it had also become clear how much power his 'co-sign' could yield in the music world. With Maybach Music Group, Ross aimed to do what Jay-Z did for Roc-A-Fella records: bring some credibility, or at least some attention, to whichever artists he felt deserved it.
Which brings us here, where as of November 1st, we've had the chance to hear Wale's sophomore effort released through MMG, aptly named Ambition.
Right off the bat, “Don't Hold Your Applause” lets you know exactly how much Wale feels he should be appreciated. He flows perfectly over this percussion-heavy type of track that he's been accustomed to since his start in rap. “Double M Genius” will definitely be a favorite for DMV- DC, Maryland, and Virginia metropolitan area-natives, as well as longtime fans. The go-go flavors are only enhanced by clever rhymes like “A modern day Goodfella, I'm Ray Liotta/ Loud smoking, so pass the L like a semicolon.”
As the first two tracks of the album, they're a great introduction to his style and ability for those who might be listening to Wale for the first time. But just as we're expecting to get some deeper or more personal tracks, the types he's included on his first album and previous mixtapes, the MMG signee shows us where a new label and some maturation has lead him.
Tracks like “Legendary” and “Focused” continue the dialogue of how ambitious Wale Folarin has actually become, “F*** fame, f*** money, and f*** everything anyone could take from me/ See it ain't hard, to make money, we young n****s, we just trying to be Legendary.” “No Days Off” and “Ambition” could also fall under the category of describing exactly how much he grinds and what he's aiming for. The album's title track, featuring verses from Ross and an introspective Meek Mill, is perhaps the most well-rounded track of the album, repeating “They gonna love me for my ambition/Easy to dream a dream, though it's harder to live it” throughout the chorus.
The issue I have with Ambition isn't in the unwavering boastfulness that Wale shows throughout the album, since he's never been a bashful one behind the microphone. But in lines like “For real, you real then you don't need to say it” (“Legendary”) and “You know you real, you don't say it/ You know you real, we gon' feel it,”(“Ambition”) he unknowingly brings up the point himself. Replace the word 'real' with 'a great one' and many would agree with either statement.
Hip hop almost requires its artists to mention how great they are, but the substance and art of lyrical storytelling can usually do a better job at getting the point across. Besides his career goals and some songs relating to or praising women, this album is missing the usual diversity of topics we're used to from Wale.
“Sabotage,” “Lotus Flower Bomb” and “That Way” essentially follow the same formula to tell somewhat similar stories. The same goes for “White Linen (Coolin),” though it does feature a pretty stellar hook from singer/songwriter Ne-Yo. These songs do give their own strong musical flavor to the LP, along with R&B guests Lloyd, Miguel and Jeremih. But they shouldn't overshadow “Illest B*tch,” a track where Wale seems much more comfortable on as he praises his personal dream girl in a way that is 100% his own.
The Diplo-produced “Slight Work”, featuring Big Sean, will get some play in clubs, while he also has some fun on “Chain Music” (a song that perfectly explains his decision to join MMG) and the Ross-influenced “Miami Nights.” But it isn't until “DC or Nothing,” an ode to perseverance addressed to his hometown, that Wale decides to dig much deeper.
Production wise, leaning more towards mainstream than go-go, the album provides a pretty cohesive updated sound for Wale, and we're left with a fairly enjoyable album. While the song sequencing is a bit of a roller coaster, his lyrical skills don't disappoint. And although the album does lack the depth of topics that he covered on his debut, or even his very popular- and last non-MMG- mixtape More About Nothing (2010), we should expect some growth in most young artists. And as Wale says himself, this should be considered as the first chapter of his story, with Attention Deficit as the foreword. Apparently, this is our complete introduction to his aspirations. His ambition on full exhibit for us to appreciate through music.
Chuma Chukwu - Chuma Chukwu is a freelance writer with a particular fondness for films, sports, and music. A graduate in electrical and computer ...
Join the Conversation