Before They Blew: The Best Songs of the Unsigned-Era Wale Posted by Lucas G. on 06/26/13 | Filed under Opinion, Wale, Before They Blew

Maybe its because I am from the area, but I have always thought that DMV is an area that was largely overlooked when it came to hip-hop. When I first heard Wale’s “Nike Boots” and then checked out his subsequent mixtapes like 100 Miles And Running and The Mixtape About Nothing, I was sure I had found the emcee that would put DC on the map. His energy, clever wordplay and beat selection was top notch and he had a youthful exuberance about him which was too good to go unnoticed. Well, I guess Wale put DC on the map, unfortunately he changed the essence of who he was to do so.

When Wale signed to MMG, I died a little inside. Rick Ross is one of my least favorite rappers in the game because of what he did to Wale. The DC native went from spitting over unique, indie rock and pop cuts to using a similarly sounding, crawling beat perfect for Rick Ross to hop on as a feature. I loved that he had a go-go flavor, a distinctly DC sound, but am quite disappointed because he hasn’t made a go-go song in some time now. While he has shown steps in the right direction on his mixtape Folarian, I am still disappointed. It’s not that he is bad, but it is frustrating to see him underachieve and underperform. I haven’t has the chance to check out The Gifted yet, but here’s hoping Wale is getting/has gotten back to his roots.

While waiting for a chance to check it out, I have been bumpin some old Wale, sort of paying it forward, hoping there is still some old Wale left on The Gifted.

“W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E”


This might just be my favorite Wale song. I know the beat is not an original, it comes from Justice’s D.A.N.C.E. I don’t know if Wale was the first emcee to spit over it—he certainly isn’t the last—but I am sure that no other emcee did it justice (ha!) like Wale. The ambassador of the capital’s reputation for great sports line is on display here with references to Boomer Esaison and Anthony Munoz and he dedicates a few bars to Saved By The Bell, “Acquire more broads then Zachary Morris/ Y‘all like Screech to me/ You've unleashed the beast and I play you lil' n***a’s like Lisa's shit”. While some of it is a little redundant, like when he raps water with water a bunch, Wale absolutely kills this with his originality and energy. He made an already bubbly beat and gave it whole new life with his charisma and clever wordplay.

“Ice Cream Girl”


I talked briefly about his go-go influence, but this wouldn’t truly be a Wale summary without a look at his roots. Those who have been to DC or are from here you know how big go-go is. Thanks to Chuck Brown, go-go was popularized in the 70’s but still remains a staple of the area and is widely popular today. I can’t name another rapper who uses go-go beats, so when Wale, who used to do it all the time, got away from it, it felt like he was forgetting his roots. I think it takes a special kind of rapper to spit over a live band and an even more fleet-of-flow emcee to use go-go instrumentals The snare-bass pattern is unique and requires an emcee with a unique cadence to both match the energy and alter their flow enough to fit the funky drums. Songs like “Ice Cream Girl” show that Wale is so much more talented than he has let on in the past few years; not too many emcees could handle this style.

“Strings”


Hearing Wale spit over a lively sting arrangement will serve as a welcome change for those who have grown weary of the club beats. The 45 King beat is so clean and again, Wale’s charisma is what will win you over. I love the way his flow rings out atop the beat. Many an emcee might the lost in the quirky, briskly-paced beat but not Folarian. The lyrics show just that extra splash of originality that really make early Wale memorable. He is able to take an overdone subject, “I get Money” and turn it into a Mexican food reference, “Them brothas gettin sour at the cream, well sorry to tortilla/ But the tutorial on cheese will proceed...” Sometimes, the most original lines take an unoriginal subject and make it feel brand new. That is exactly what Wale did on Strings and why it is a definite winner; “Something Like a protractor, I be getting around” ain’t to shabby either.

“The Kramer”


After it listening to songs like “Clappers” and “Bait” you might not believe it, but Wale has a conscious side. Granted, Wale doesn’t show it too often, but when he does, he is at his best. “The Kramer” is perhaps the most socially aware cut he has ever done. The production has a splash of go-go, but an epic, choir-like sample drives it. Wale uses the infamous ni***r rant from Michael Richards (who played Kramer) as a jumping-off point into a discussion about the role of the n-word in hip-hop and American culture. He even hops on his story telling tip, showing the dangerous of using the word can be by painting a picture of a black kid who is affected when his white peers think it is OK to use the slur. The song is great for just getting your head nodding, but it will also make you think. While this isn’t my favorite Wale cut, I do think it is his strongest. Very few emcees can find that balance between an energetic, mainstream friendly style and interesting, thought provoking topic but Wale shows when he wants to he most certainly can. It is a shame he hasn’t made a song like this in years, because that is something I could totally get behind.

No matter what The Gifted holds, I don’t think it will ever match the old Wale. Sadly, I think he is gone forever. While I might sound like a hipster by boasting about old Wale, I want to make it clear I don’t hate him. In fact, most of his stuff isn’t half bad for a radio friendly artist. I just can’t help be disappointed when I watched his career so closely and saw him completely change as an artist. There was so much potential, but somewhere along the trip, Wale lost his way. At least I still have the memories… and The Mixtape About Nothing.

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See Also:  Breaking Down The Most Gifted Lines From Wale’s “The Gifted”
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