It is not very often that an emerging artist is traditional enough to swiftly gain support but unique enough to be in a class of their own. Then again, it takes a special something to land on our 150th issue cover before even having an album out. For people in the know, Wale is far from a “new” artist. Delivering rock-solid mixtapes and now a phenomenal debut album to the masses, this D.C. champion has been someone to pay attention to for a while now. We caught up with the URB favorite to talk Attention Deficit, touring with Jay-Z and Africa.
URB: First and foremost, the album is very very good. You should be very proud…
Wale: Thank you so much man. I appreciate it.
Yeah, it’s great. I mean, I’ve been a fan of you since the 100 Miles and Runnin’ mixtape. I was blown away because you definitely have your own style. I think that for a lot of artists- especially newer artists- that it’s getting harder and harder for people to come out and have their own spin on things-
Everything’s been done. Everything under the sun’s been done already.
Was that something that you consciously developed? Saying, “Ok, I gotta come out and be different?”
No. I mean, you can’t really force being different. I think that’s one of the wackest things you could do; [to] force yourself to be different. Naw, you just gotta do you.
Just like that saying, ‘If you try hard, then you die hard.’
Yeah, mmhmmm.
You recently did the BET Awards- you were in one of the cyphers. How was that?
It was good man. It was different because I didn’t know what to expect. It was fun. Definitely last minute as well but it was a lot of fun getting up with Nipsey and KRS-ONE and all those guys.
Well it was good to see you up there- coming from mixtape after mixtape and having really solid material on there to-
That’s one thing I really enjoy about my job. The people that’s been down since day one- they feel that sense of ownership in my music and a sense of pride that I’m releasing an album because a lot of people don’t make it this far. You know, having a local buzz, a fan base..sometimes, for whatever reason, they may not ever come out. And the fact that I actually have the opportunity to release this album is incredible.
I think people should definitely feel a part of that; that they were able to take that journey with you. It’s a really great thing to be able to share that and see somebody’s progress. Talking about the album, how important was it for you to, sort of, show people your D.C. roots and your go-go influence?
Well, that’s just in me, so it wasn’t a strategic thing or anything like that. I let go of that years ago. It’s just in me. That’s just the kind of music I enjoy, so you’re gonna hear elements of that in the beats I choose.
Judging from your past projects, I know one concern some people had was, ‘Since he’s doing all these “marathon” songs where he just keeps going, I hope that when it comes time for Wale to make an album, and he has to work with a lot of hooks, that he can do that.’ Is that something you ever thought about?
No. I mean, I feel like we did a good job on Attention Deficit on giving “structure” into the records.
If I was a new listener, I would have thought that you had been writing hooks the whole time.
[Laughs]. Naw, I mean I’m just a fan of music and I understand the concept of music so it wasn’t really that difficult to do a hook. I just never…like, a lot of the hooks that I’m not even singing, I had a lot to do with the creation of them. I know what I’m good at, so I’m not gonna try to overextend my abilities.
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