Like his locks, Wale and his music has grown.
Since his 2009 debut Attention Deficit, Wale has wanted to reach the people. It was more than just rap for the D.C. native, he had a message that needed to be conveyed, which hasn’t always been clearly defined from the outside looking in. Like his mane, although eager to grow beyond its DMV roots, his music didn’t quite resonate nationally.
His goals began to come more into focus with 2011′s Ambition. The album’s lead single “Lotus Flower Bomb” with R&B crooner Miguel, earned the Nigerian-American born rapper his first mainstream look and some well-earned real estate at the top of Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs. The single held down the number one spot for six consecutive weeks. It was then, Wale’s hair began to sprout and dangle just past his ears as he musically started to live up to the album’s namesake.
On this third go round Wale’s drops “The Gifted” a soulful hodgepodge of infectious drum patterns that act as the foundation for the album’s diverse lyricism. “Bad” featuring up and coming artist, Tiara Thomas, has sat comfortably in the Top 10 of the U.S Billboard Rap Charts for three weeks.
Three albums in, Wale has figured out how to get radio’s attention and maybe we have finally figured out the message he’s been trying to send. As far as his hair is concerned, his locks are a curtain of musical experiences that fall just below his shoulders. They’re more telling then they are adorning, showcasing where he’s come from, and now how far he has to go.
In the 30 minute documentary, directed by Coodie & Chike, Wale discusses his road to “The Gifted” Here are the five most memorable moments from the doc.
1) Go-Go music lives in his lungs
“That’s my sound and that’s always going to be my sound. When people hear them drums, I want people to think of me.”
