Wale Been in the Game for Almost a Decade without a Definitive Sound/Style

[2manyFCKNrappers]

He can rap but he's a corny dude. Over emotional and too concerned with what other people think to have the courage to carve out a lane. He shouldn't have signed with MMG because it made him lazy. After he got dropped and Ross saved him he became dependent on that partnership and got lost in the sauce. Had he went the indie route he would've had that hunger and would've been forced to find his own style.

He's basically a poor mans Kendrick/cole/Drake all rolled into one and depending on what's hot in radio he'll unknowingly emulate some of those elements and try to make his own hit but it never sounds fresh. It always sounds like he's coming off the heels of someone else.

 

[Zee Scribe]

Wale's biggest problem is where he wants to be and where his fans think he should be. He was bigger than everyone but Cole, Kendrick and Drake. He was on that tier with Sean and Meek. But he felt like he should be bigger. He drops projects and complains when they go under the radar. The thing is, I'm sure that he's not the only emcee that feels that way. But Kendrick and Cole just don't tweet and stay off social media so no one gets to see when they are out of character. His availability has been his weakness. Use social media as a marketing tool, not as a means to air your grievances. His transparency hurts him when people like to project whatever they want into celebrities they "identify" with. If J. Cole actually tweeted more then he would be disliked because he's more hotep and on that "repectability" politics ish than people are willing to admit. The same goes for K. Dot. Unlike them, Wale admitted to actually getting the BLM thing wrong on the soundtrack for Nate Parker slave revolt flick. The key to being a big time star is to be "accessible" without truly being accessible. Answer questions that put you in a positive light. Be general enough that your lyrics resonate with people from all walks of life. Only show emotions that further your brand. I'm not saying this is how a true artist should act but if he wants to big superstar status it's something he needs to do. And he won't.

Look at all of the bigger stars, they let much smarter people talk for them.

 

[Spacely Sparkus]

I wish I downloaded that original video now, I can't find it anywhere online

I know what you talking about
It was just a lyric video lol nuthing more
The women who were in it tho

 

[GoldenGlove]

I know what you talking about
It was just a lyric video lol nuthing more
The women who were in it tho

I don't understand why he deleted that shyt man... makes me want to reach out to see if he can re-up the shyt

 

[GoldenGlove]

Wale's biggest problem is where he wants to be and where his fans think he should be. He was bigger than everyone but Cole, Kendrick and Drake. He was on that tier with Sean and Meek. But he felt like he should be bigger. He drops projects and complains when they go under the radar. The thing is, I'm sure that he's not the only emcee that feels that way. But Kendrick and Cole just don't tweet and stay off social media so no one gets to see when they are out of character. His availability has been his weakness. Use social media as a marketing tool, not as a means to air your grievances. His transparency hurts him when people like to project whatever they want into celebrities they "identify" with. If J. Cole actually tweeted more then he would be disliked because he's more hotep and on that "repectability" politics ish than people are willing to admit. The same goes for K. Dot. Unlike them, Wale admitted to actually getting the BLM thing wrong on the soundtrack for Nate Parker slave revolt flick. The key to being a big time star is to be "accessible" without truly being accessible. Answer questions that put you in a positive light. Be general enough that your lyrics resonate with people from all walks of life. Only show emotions that further your brand. I'm not saying this is how a true artist should act but if he wants to big superstar status it's something he needs to do. And he won't.

Look at all of the bigger stars, they let much smarter people talk for them.

Prolific Posting

 

[Zee Scribe]

I think all of these guys got to where they did because they ultimately made enough music that pointed back to their ROOTS. Yes, they had lead singles and "bangers" along the way, but they never left too far away from what their core fanbase initially rocked with them for.

The scale for Wale hasn't been the same, he's kind of been predictable with his albums formula every time out. He tried bringing it back with TAAN... and even though that album is good, it didn't sound as good conceptually as the original mixtapes.

I feel like the same thing kind of happened to Joe Budden and Pump It UP. A lot of people didn't check for Joe after that shyt, and forever associated him with that song. Same kind of thing happened with Wale's song with GaGa... now he's had a lot more hits after that song, but neither Cole or Kendrick continued to put out those pop singles repeatedly like Wale has.

Wale put out the Gaga record. Then he showed up on "No Hands" and was with MMG and then did the Lotus record. He did not continue to make pop records. There's nothing pop about bad. There's nothing pop about The Matrimony.

Kendrick made GKMC with Swimming Pools and Poetic Justice as lead singles. He then delivers the worst rap verse of his career on a Taylor Swift song. And has continue to pollute the game with awful pop features and everyone acts like they don't exist because they see it as him "playing the game" and because he doesn't put them on his projects. Wale would never get that benefit of the doubt.

J. Cole's debut album was considered mediocre by fans and Cole himself. He dropped Work Out, that Can't Get Enough record, and the Missy record. Wale never dropped 3 singles like that in a row for a project. He got a pass due to FNL dropping just before. His next album he drops Power Trip and a TLC record. A corny TLC record. Again, his fans still fukk with the album cuts. At this point, he and Wale are making albums of the same caliber. But while Cole's hit records don't define him, Wale's defined him. The fact is, only so many people ever get to be a star and if there was a fullproof ingredient, then we would not be paying PR people so much. The second Cole blew up before Wale he was reserved to second tier as @Abogado always says. Very rarely do multiple people occupying the same lane get to achieve the same success. There's nothing Wale is giving you that Kendrick and Cole are not giving you. That's his problem. They're the same type of artists with better narratives around them (the everyman college kid who was the first rapper signed to roc nation) and (the west coast savior). No one cares about DC in hip hop. If Wale was from New York or Atlanta he'd be huge.

 

[GoldenGlove]

Wale put out the Gaga record. Then he showed up on "No Hands" and was with MMG and then did the Lotus record. He did not continue to make pop records. There's nothing pop about bad. There's nothing pop about The Matrimony.

Kendrick made GKMC with Swimming Pools and Poetic Justice as lead singles. He then delivers the worst rap verse of his career on a Taylor Swift song. And has continue to pollute the game with awful pop features and everyone acts like they don't exist because they see it as him "playing the game" and because he doesn't put them on his projects. Wale would never get that benefit of the doubt.

J. Cole's debut album was considered mediocre by fans and Cole himself. He dropped Work Out, that Can't Get Enough record, and the Missy record. Wale never dropped 3 singles like that in a row for a project. He got a pass due to FNL dropping just before. His next album he drops Power Trip and a TLC record. A corny TLC record. Again, his fans still fukk with the album cuts. At this point, he and Wale are making albums of the same caliber. But while Cole's hit records don't define him, Wale's defined him. The fact is, only so many people ever get to be a star and if there was a fullproof ingredient, then we would not be paying PR people so much. The second Cole blew up before Wale he was reserved to second tier as @Abogado always says. Very rarely do multiple people occupying the same lane get to achieve the same success. There's nothing Wale is giving you that Kendrick and Cole are not giving you. That's his problem. They're the same type of artists with better narratives around them (the everyman college kid who was the first rapper signed to roc nation) and (the west coast savior). No one cares about DC in hip hop. If Wale was from New York or Atlanta he'd be huge.

Pop was the wrong word I went with. I feel like he got 'type-casted' as the ladies man rapper due to his lead singles for his first 3 albums.
-Lotus Flower Bomb is a dope record
-Bad is a dope record
-Body is straight...
-My PYT is decent to me... I can't fukk with that Fashion Week song tho

However, if you weren't rockin' with Wale from his mixtape days and only caught his singles, I could see how many could put him in a box. Just looking at the singles he always puts out for his albums initially.

I agree with everything you're saying about Kendrick, Cole and the whole pecking order of where they all were.

Lyrically... Kendrick Lamar is pretty overrated. He's excelled in making albums and projects for sure. His discography is great overall. It's not surprising that his features are underwhelming. I think he's at his best when he's storytelling
Cole's marketing and how he's portrayed himself has been a complete Grand Slam since his debut album. His body of work isn't even amazing at all, Wale might even have a better collection of projects than Cole when you really think about it.

So, like you're saying it goes back to whether or not the people fukk with him. And apparently, a lot don't. And he's been a big part of why that is with his rants and whining on social media.

This nikka shouldn't be featuring G-Eazy tho, I'm still irked about that shyt.

 

[reserved_one]

Wale is a hell of a talent...I feel like he has the potential to be a GOAT level rapper, but he's missing something. Also, he doesn't have a likable personality and comes off being an a$$hole, a complainer, etc. You can just tell by his latest interviews from TBC, he has some issues going on within himself. Aside from Cole and Ross none of his peers respect him it seems. It also doesn't help the fact he wears his emotions out on his sleeve. He always seem to end up beefing with critics, fans and ends up becoming a joke which hurts his credibility. His rapping style isn't the most exciting to the casual listener, add that. He doesn't take much risks musically and follows the same ole formula.


Its alot of things you can point at. That song with G Eazy op posted is horrible and should had never been released.

 

[CrimsonTider]

Wale put out the Gaga record. Then he showed up on "No Hands" and was with MMG and then did the Lotus record. He did not continue to make pop records. There's nothing pop about bad. There's nothing pop about The Matrimony.

Kendrick made GKMC with Swimming Pools and Poetic Justice as lead singles. He then delivers the worst rap verse of his career on a Taylor Swift song. And has continue to pollute the game with awful pop features and everyone acts like they don't exist because they see it as him "playing the game" and because he doesn't put them on his projects. Wale would never get that benefit of the doubt.

J. Cole's debut album was considered mediocre by fans and Cole himself. He dropped Work Out, that Can't Get Enough record, and the Missy record. Wale never dropped 3 singles like that in a row for a project. He got a pass due to FNL dropping just before. His next album he drops Power Trip and a TLC record. A corny TLC record. Again, his fans still fukk with the album cuts. At this point, he and Wale are making albums of the same caliber. But while Cole's hit records don't define him, Wale's defined him. The fact is, only so many people ever get to be a star and if there was a fullproof ingredient, then we would not be paying PR people so much. The second Cole blew up before Wale he was reserved to second tier as @Abogado always says. Very rarely do multiple people occupying the same lane get to achieve the same success. There's nothing Wale is giving you that Kendrick and Cole are not giving you. That's his problem. They're the same type of artists with better narratives around them (the everyman college kid who was the first rapper signed to roc nation) and (the west coast savior). No one cares about DC in hip hop. If Wale was from New York or Atlanta he'd be huge.

Pop was the wrong word I went with. I feel like he got 'type-casted' as the ladies man rapper due to his lead singles for his first 3 albums.
-Lotus Flower Bomb is a dope record
-Bad is a dope record
-Body is straight...
-My PYT is decent to me... I can't fukk with that Fashion Week song tho

However, if you weren't rockin' with Wale from his mixtape days and only caught his singles, I could see how many could put him in a box. Just looking at the singles he always puts out for his albums initially.

I agree with everything you're saying about Kendrick, Cole and the whole pecking order of where they all were.

Lyrically... Kendrick Lamar is pretty overrated. He's excelled in making albums and projects for sure. His discography is great overall. It's not surprising that his features are underwhelming. I think he's at his best when he's storytelling
Cole's marketing and how he's portrayed himself has been a complete Grand Slam since his debut album. His body of work isn't even amazing at all, Wale might even have a better collection of projects than Cole when you really think about it.

So, like you're saying it goes back to whether or not the people fukk with him. And apparently, a lot don't. And he's been a big part of why that is with his rants and whining on social media.

This nikka shouldn't be featuring G-Eazy tho, I'm still irked about that shyt.

The juxtaposition between Cole & Wale career is pretty fascinating.

It all comes down to the loyalty and size of that loyal fanbase that Cole has built( a lot due to great marketing)

I want to add that Cole dropped two tracks before 4YEO dissing damn near everybody in rap... straight coming at heads

Then dropped a 10 track album about folding clothes and some of the worse harmonizing and singing that a rapper has ever displayed( she's mine 1 & 2)

Cole is not even servicing his fans appropriately and they are still propping him up. 2 years with a project and give us 10 songs

Wale could never get away with that

 

[Spacely Sparkus]

Wale put out the Gaga record. Then he showed up on "No Hands" and was with MMG and then did the Lotus record. He did not continue to make pop records. There's nothing pop about bad. There's nothing pop about The Matrimony.

Kendrick made GKMC with Swimming Pools and Poetic Justice as lead singles. He then delivers the worst rap verse of his career on a Taylor Swift song. And has continue to pollute the game with awful pop features and everyone acts like they don't exist because they see it as him "playing the game" and because he doesn't put them on his projects. Wale would never get that benefit of the doubt.

J. Cole's debut album was considered mediocre by fans and Cole himself. He dropped Work Out, that Can't Get Enough record, and the Missy record. Wale never dropped 3 singles like that in a row for a project. He got a pass due to FNL dropping just before. His next album he drops Power Trip and a TLC record. A corny TLC record. Again, his fans still fukk with the album cuts. At this point, he and Wale are making albums of the same caliber. But while Cole's hit records don't define him, Wale's defined him. The fact is, only so many people ever get to be a star and if there was a fullproof ingredient, then we would not be paying PR people so much. The second Cole blew up before Wale he was reserved to second tier as @Abogado always says. Very rarely do multiple people occupying the same lane get to achieve the same success. There's nothing Wale is giving you that Kendrick and Cole are not giving you. That's his problem. They're the same type of artists with better narratives around them (the everyman college kid who was the first rapper signed to roc nation) and (the west coast savior). No one cares about DC in hip hop. If Wale was from New York or Atlanta he'd be huge.

Damn you right about the Cole comparison. Shyt Cole has serviced multiple female singles on every release to date, yet no one gets at him about that. I think the issue with Wale is that he never built his brand all the way up like Cole, Nicki etc. Fans these days are invested in the quality of the brand rather than the quality of music. Also MMG don't do no A&R'ing for their artists, Ross just lets em' make what they want. I think that hurts Wale the most, he kinda needs to be filtered. He's also mentioned in an interview before that there no such thing as "Wale's sound."

 

[BmoreGorilla]

Wale actually had his own sound by infusing a little go go into the music going all the way back to Dig Dug, 100 Miles and Running, etc. He was developing his own sound and style with whole D.C. sneaker head bohemian type steez he developed. All that changed when he went to MMG. While it did open him up to bigger audiences he lost some of his early fan base becuz he never really was a good fit at MMG. He had an identity crisis

 

[GoldenGlove]

The juxtaposition between Cole & Wale career is pretty fascinating.

It all comes down to the loyalty and size of that loyal fanbase that Cole has built( a lot due to great marketing)

I want to add that Cole dropped two tracks before 4YEO dissing damn near everybody in rap... straight coming at heads

Then dropped a 10 track album about folding clothes and some of the worse harmonizing and singing that a rapper has ever displayed( she's mine 1 & 2)

Cole is not even servicing his fans appropriately and they are still propping him up. 2 years with a project and give us 10 songs

Wale could never get away with that

Damn you right about the Cole comparison. Shyt Cole has serviced multiple female singles on every release to date, yet no one gets at him about that. I think the issue with Wale is that he never built his brand all the way up like Cole, Nicki etc. Fans these days are invested in the quality of the brand rather than the quality of music. Also MMG don't do no A&R'ing for their artists, Ross just lets em' make what they want. I think that hurts Wale the most, he kinda needs to be filtered. He's also mentioned in an interview before that there no such thing as "Wale's sound."

I watched this TedX video a few months back where this guy was kicking knowledge about marketing and the strategy behind selling pretty much anything.

The dude was using Apple as an example... he was like why does Apple have such a loyal fanbase... when all their competitors offer similar products, for a cheaper price in a lot of cases. And the main reason that is... is because they've mastered the art of selling their consumers the "why" behind their products/brand.

J. Cole has mastered selling the "why" behind his music, he's got his fans to buy in to HIM. His stans feel like they know his story, they relate to it (the whole college struggle, student loan/Sallie Mae, underdog comeup)... so the people feel like they know WHY he's doing what he's doing. So they can get behind it.

When you think about the "why" for Wale... what do most think? When he goes on a tangent on Complex on the phone that millions hear? shytting on his peers, and guys that he's worked with (Juicy J )... when he goes on interviews and he acknowledges that he wants the accolades... he wants the recognition, he wants the respect. It's clear to see that people can think that he's going hard for the wrong reasons.

J. Cole I'm sure is as arrogant as any other rapper, it's just not a part of his image because of how he's controlled his own narrative since Born Sinner pretty much... and he's built on that since then.

 

[GoldenGlove]

Also... I can already see this nikka RAGING hard as fukk when Logic who's also dropping on May 5th outsells him in the first week. When he sees the backpackers on twitter, reddit and wherever else talking about Logic's album more than Shine...

He's going to lose his shyt

 

[BmoreGorilla]

I get what OP is saying, but I think Wales biggest issue isn't his sound, it's his inability to let things go, he whines too much about irrelevant things, that's why people troll him so much online cause they know he's gonna react.

Musically brehh is AMAZING, lyrically and poetically he's In a class of his own, like cole said he needs to be grateful he's this far in his career and just drop classic

This is another thing about him. Dude is a jerk and he never earned the right to one

 

[BO BARON]

Nobody in here is even hating on Wale. If anything, there's plenty of posts where people are posting songs where they felt like he was on to something and would like to see him continue on with.

Knowing that Wale wants critical acclaim as much as he does, just makes me laugh when I see him feature G-Eazy on a single for an album that's releasing in less than a month. It's like how warped is his thought process to think that collab is going to get him what he wants. What audience is he going for? What market does Wale want?

I don't know, neither do you

The song with g eazy is actually dope

G eazy is nothing but another rapper would you say the same about raekwon, philthy rich or many other gangsta rappers from the bay

You act like g eazy is some huge pop star he's not he's just a rapper from the bay that happens to be white

And wale has a market that's why he has sold many records & has many platinum & gold singles

His audience is whoever enjoys his fukking music & thats alot of people

If you don't like the fact that you cant categorize his style & audience get over it is he dope or not