Washington, D.C., rapper Wale has recently been taken under the wing of some of hip-hop's greats, performing with the likes of Jay-Z, Kanye West and Talib Kweli. He has also released several acclaimed mixtapes with rhymes that feature more than run-of-the-mill lyrics about spending money and sleeping with women.
The question is if Wale could impress on his first full-length album, "Attention Deficit."
Throughout the album, Wale blends hip-hop styles with influences like the social consciousness of "backpack" rap, similar to A Tribe Called Quest, and pop hip-hop, similar to Lupe Fiasco.
Songs like "90210," which talks about how some women feel the need to put up a façade to feel appreciated, and "Shades," which talks about discrimination within the black community because of different hues of skin color, rank among some of the most socially conscious songs of the past decade. Lyrics with this much purpose are seldom heard in rap today.
The song "Chillin'," featuring Lady Gaga, is what contributes to the pop side of Wale, a club jam that can be thrown on at any party. Although it had been released long before this album's debut, it remains relevant as a catchy club song.
However, things start to go sour when Wale becomes too involved in trying to please this party scene, giving off the sense that he was trying to appeal to everyone.
As sensitive and introspective as the rapper can get, there are times when his lyrics become absolutely repugnant. Simply put, the more emotional Wale does not aim to be Lil Wayne. So why is he trying to imitate him?
Songs like "Pretty Girls" and "Let It Loose" seem contradictory to Wale's deeper side, chatting up girls in the club and having them flirt with the promoter so they can go to the VIP section.
Wale seems to be doing too many things at once that take away from the product as a whole.
It's when he keeps a balance in his songs, like"Mama Told Me," that the album is a hit.
What the up-and-comer needs to do is find and perform for the audience he wants and stay away from pleasing everyone else. But aside from some noticeable novice mistakes, this debut album is a good listen.
Grade: B-
Download: "Mama Told Me" and "90210"
