Album Review - Wale: More About Nothing

With the release of any high-profile, widely buzzed-about mixtape comes speculation about whether the rapper will retain his rhyming prowess after his inevitable jump to the mainstream. Wale’s Seinfeld themed Mixtape About Nothing was one of the better mixtapes released in recent years and proved Wale to be a versatile and exciting rapper, with a strong social sense, evidenced by the tape’s centerpiece (“The Kramer”), which dissected the widespread use of the n-word through the prism of Michael Richards’ infamous rant. In ’09, Wale released a middling LP-debut, Attention Deficit, which featured Lady Gaga on the lead single, middling production (with one big exception) and a less sharp lyrical approach. While there are some gems (“Shades,” “TV in the Radio,” “Pretty Girls”), Attention Deficit calls into question whether Wale can be effective in the mainstream record industry. More About Nothing seems to indicate that the problem lies with Wale himself.

On The Mixtape About Nothing, Wale is the equivalent of an athlete in a contract year: he was rapping to get a deal, and he tried as hard as he can to demonstrate his rhyming ability, versatility and his talent for discussing race in a way that doesn’t come off as preachy or offensive. More About Nothing suggests that Wale is rap’s Vince Carter, capable of exhilarating feats, but unable to elevate his game to an elite level unless something real is at stake. Wale’s flow remains strong, effortlessly weaving intricate rhyme schemes and sports references into his verses, except on the songs where he is content to merely talk over a beat (he doesn’t nearly have the force of personality to pull that off). The beats, however, are a little same-y; even on multiple listens, it’s sorta hard to tell the songs apart, as they all seem to be produced by a poor man’s Cool & Dre (even the one produced by Cool & Dre, themselves), going for a breezy aesthetic that sounds labored, not laid back.

Despite the similarity of the beats, the record is a lot of fun to listen to. Again, Wale's flow is excellent. Ultimately, the problem with More About Nothing is a lack of focus. On “The War,” Wale jokes “I ain’t sayin’ nothin’ anyway, so I might as well talk about nothing,” but the secret of Seinfeld, and The Mixtape About Nothing, is that it was really about everything: everyday life, failed relationships, social standards, etc. More About Nothing, it turns out, is actually all about Wale—even the “Kramer” equivalent, “The Eye of the Tiger,” in which he rhapsodizes the fate of idolized athletes in American culture, associates Tiger’s plight with his own newfound fame. Wale’s diatribes about the perils of fame are not nearly as fresh or interesting as his old rhymes about his record label drama or the state of race in America. Wale’s spent his last couple recordings chillin’, but it’s about time he got a little serious.