Harsh Article On Wale By The Washington City Paper (Talks About Attitude + Music)

[Meet The Sniper]

"Finally Famous" was a bunch of songs thrown together, and it was only barely...Like by the tiniest margin...Better than his mixtapes.

As in it didn't have a direction? I guess, but that wasn't what I was going for there.

Wale has never been the type of artist to stay in one lane and only touch on a handfull of topics...If you look at all his projects they all sound different, and he takes different approaches each time..

Cuh. And this ain't just at you but everyone who engaged me and KK in this thread; for the last time, nobody is saying we don't want Wale talking ONLY about this and that.

It's about HOW you do it. The Drake spin on a song about fuckin hoes is different than the Wayne spin on songs about fuckin hoes.

The thing about the whole idenity thing we're talking about is Wale morphs into different niggas for all of these topics just to spread them around for different demographics. He pretty much fills out the rap album checklist. There ain't no definitive Wale that you can expect to show up on a given track. Will the song for bitches #232545 feature Simp Wale , Pimp Wale or smooth Wale? You can blame it on his tendency to ramble in his verses about a whole bunch of nothing but, ya know.

 

[StillDreaming]

This album is REALLY pissing off a certain demographic of hiphop listeners. I wonder why......

 

[young law]

what does it matter which Wale shows up as longs dude is still doin a good verse in a good song ???

 

[Meet The Sniper]

what does it matter which Wale shows up as longs dude is still doin a good verse in a good song ???

Nobody saying that. I already said I really like the album. Niggas ain't debating quality of the album or song.

The whole discussion was about the author saying Wale lacked a identity on the album as a whole. Just something a few of us agree with.

 

[Miles HIGH]

The thing about the whole idenity thing we're talking about is Wale morphs into different niggas for all of these topics just to spread them around for different demographics. He pretty much fills out the rap album checklist. There ain't no definitive Wale that you can expect to show up on a given track. Will the song for bitches #232545 feature Simp Wale , Pimp Wale or smooth Wale? You can blame it on his tendency to ramble in his verses about a whole bunch of nothing but, ya know.

Okay I see what you sayin...But I disagree...He's not bein a different nigga...He's just speakin on a different subject, and when you do that, you come with a different tone...If you listen to all his shit, he still maintains the same personality throughout so you just gotta take the songs for what they are...Cause sometimes he's super lyrical, sometimes his shit is more simple, sometimes he braggin bout sneakers, sometimes he talmbout how his cousins ain't got no clothes, etc...He just takes a topic and goes from there.

 

[young law]

Nobody saying that. I already said I really like the album. Niggas ain't debating quality of the album or song.

The whole discussion was about the author saying Wale lacked a identity on the album as a whole. Just something a few of us agree with.

yeah

why cant an artist's identity be that of an artist???

someone who knows what tone to speak in and what perspective to come from???

why does it have to be set in stone

 

[H-Rap 180]

Alright let's do it this way, cause I know how discusssions with you tend to turn themselves into a fuckin merry go round.

This is how I envisioned Ambition's development so to speak.

"Ayo Wale! How's the album goin?"

Wale: "Shit's good I got the intro and this Legendary track already laid, Me Ross and Meek killed this Ambition and I got this other smooth joint with Ross and Jeremih."

"Oh word... but what about a song for the bitches? You know you need one of them so they can back this album"

Wale: "Oh you right you right"

Out comes Lotus Flower Bomb

"But Wale, we got these producers and shit now, you gotta come with some hard soundin shit man!! For the club! You might as well throw that chain music on there!"

"Ayo you really feel like one track for the bitches is enough? They need something to relate to!!"

Wale: " You right yo!"

Enter Sabotage.

"Yo you still puttin on for the city right?! What about the DMV?"

DC or Nothing

"Alright but you ain't gettin ya swag on you know? I know you usually against that shit but you might as well call up the nigga Big Sean and swag this shit out real quick"

Slight Work

"Alright, you gotta uplift these bitches man....I mean you compliment them and shit.... but where are you gonna tell them they the queen of the nile n shit man?!"

Illest bitch alive

If you see where I'm going with this, it's like he's making songs "for them" and "for this". That's what niggas mean by pandering. Especially from a nigga like Wale who stay talking that artistic integrity shit.

Though I have a feeling you'll try and blow up the artistic integrity part, since it's what brought you outta the woodwork in the first place.

I feel bad for Wale because in the process of trying to make a balanced album that touches on a multitude of different human emotions people are saying he sacrificed his artistic integrity by trying to please multiple demographics.

Does JayZ receive this level of criticism for "BP3"??

11 features=

Club song = "On to the Next one"
Chick song = "Venus Vs Mars"
Euro Song = "Young Forever"
Street Song = "Real as it gets"
Relate to the younger generation song= "A Star is Born"

You got platinum rappers aiming at Pop demographics, Europeon demographics, Rock demographics, Hipster demographics, youth demographics etc etc, if you want a better example we can break down "The Red Album" or any other Interscope release which are blatant in their pandering.

Who is Wale...a former HBCU athlete, sneakerhead, girl-lover, Black man, GoGo-influenced, HipHop head from D.C., and thats what he gave me on this album, not criminology raps, rape-songs, misogyny, weed-songs, pop tunes, or forced duets to cross-market the album.

Gucci Mane is not on the album, Mr Hudson is not on the album,
Young Money is not on the album, and the mandatory NY rapper is not on the album.

Swizz Beatz production, Timbaland production, Kanye West production, Neptunes production are not on the album.

Trust me, pandering to demographics and playing the "formula" album concept is alot deeper than a rapper using VARIETY to make an album a more pleasurable listening experience to fans who play songs according to their moods and social settings.

 

[704Hustla]

backpack rap fans suck..end of story

 

[Meet The Sniper]

I feel bad for Wale because in the process of trying to make a balanced album that touches on a multitude of different human emotions people are saying he sacrificed his artistic integrity by trying to please multiple demographics.

Does JayZ receive this level of criticism for "BP3"??

11 features=

Club song = "On to the Next one"
Chick song = "Venus Vs Mars"
Euro Song = "Young Forever"
Street Song = "Real as it gets"
Relate to the younger generation song= "A Star is Born"

You got platinum rappers aiming at Pop demographics, Europeon demographics, Rock demographics, Hipster demographics, youth demographics etc etc, if you want a better example we can break down "The Red Album" or any other Interscope release which are blatant in their pandering.

Who is Wale...a former HBCU athlete, sneakerhead, girl-lover, Black man, GoGo-influenced, HipHop head from D.C., and thats what he gave me on this album, not criminology raps, rape-songs, misogyny, weed-songs, pop tunes, or forced duets to cross-market the album.

Gucci Mane is not on the album, Mr Hudson is not on the album,
Young Money is not on the album, and the mandatory NY rapper is not on the album.

Swizz Beatz production, Timbaland production, Kanye West production, Neptunes production are not on the album.

Trust me, pandering to demographics and playing the "formula" album concept is alot deeper than a rapper using VARIETY to make an album a more pleasurable listening experience to fans who play songs according to their moods and social settings.

Hm, well I ain't gonna try and hop and skip over your arguement, but people were saying Jay did that on BP3. Even niggas on this board were crying about how Jay was just trying to "fit in" on the album. And I'll hand it to you, you picked out some of the most blatant and extreme pandering cases. Makes Wale look like Krit by comparison.

I guess the line is blurred on what exactly is plain "diversity and variety" and "pandering". Because plenty of rappers diversify without losing touch on who they are. Gonna put this one on Agree to Disagree. But good post.

 

[aneed123]

damn niggas picky as hell... How about just enjoy the album..... good production, good subject matter, good verses. whats to complain about?

 

[birdcallaveli]

wale is garbage as fuck, but miami nights and ambition were nice. meek murdered that verse

 

[StillDreaming]

damn niggas picky as hell... How about just enjoy the album..... good production, good subject matter, good verses. whats to complain about?

Exactly. Never really seen an album be dissected the way Ambition has. Its good music that's all that should matter.

 

[StillFaggyAF]

backpack rap fans suck..end of story

--------------------

 

[Kame]

Someone criticizes a rapper they like and they a bad fan though?

 

[Kame]

Anyways I'll agree to disagree y'all made some good points. But sniper did as well.. It was really something that was bugging me about wale even pre mmg...

 

[gee757]

Hes the guy that does the Fader articles, he said in that interview that I posted that other bloggers do the posting on Cocaine Blunts.

http://www.thefader.com/2011/11/02/stream-gucci-mane-f-v-nasty-whip-appeal/

^^^Thats him in the open-toed sandles and a link to one of his V-Nasty articles.

wat? thatz da clown who wrote that shit about wale? woow & that cracka supportz V-NAZI 2 HUH? smh

 

[ysl313]

Basically summarizing the shit

1. Wale (even pre MMG) still don't know who he is as an artist (brings up slight work, the track with ne yo still trying to pander to audiences, like with AD)

2. The way he acts make people not fuck with his music, arrogance is nothing new but the author he feels he doesnt have the music to stand up to his claims

3. The author is a bit a hater lol... but he makes good points

As someone following Wale on twitter.. I thought this was funny...

this on 100, wale at times has glimpses of dopeness but it seems like he wants to be lupe lyrically, jay-z success wise, and an r&b singer all together. if he concentrated on one thing and perfect it THEN went for a second side, he'd have been better.

excellent read but yeah, a lot of it seems like hate.

 

[StillDreaming]

Ionknow man I think the album is one of the most diverse albums released this year. Its a very good balance between r&b and hiphop. The sound is refreshing and Wale is rapping his ass off on this album. To each his own, but I think the lane he found on Ambition is perfect for him. Doesn't sound forced at all.

 

[gee757]

Ionknow man I think the album is one of the most diverse albums released this year. Its a very good balance between r&b and hiphop. The sound is refreshing and Wale is rapping his ass off on this album. To each his own, but I think the lane he found on Ambition is perfect for him. Doesn't sound forced at all.

fam outsiderz say da most krazy shit lol