Seinfeld-loving rapper releases the ultimate tribute
By Chris Seeger
Last Friday, Wale cemented his reputation as being DC’s best rapper by releasing The Mixtape About Nothing. Presented by streetwear heavyweights 10 Deep, this tape flawlessly incorporates themes and content from the beloved 90’s sitcom about nothing. The tracks are all named like Seinfeld episodes (“The Roots Song Wale Is On” “The Perfect Plan”, etc), show dialogue is scattered throughout, and Julia Lois Dreyfus says “motherfucka” while showing her support for Wale.
The PG County rapper’s sharp wit, casual swagger and hefty lyrical content remain at the forefront of this project, and guest appearances are delightfully sparse. The first track ends with the album’s thesis, “If you love substance than you’ll love Wale, but most –expletive- love nothing so I made this tape”. Like Jerry Seinfeld, Wale infuses humor into his raps with lines like, “Everybody knows me like the Contra code for extra men”. A Seinfeld-themed project is a no-brainer to win the heart of the increasingly influential blog machine, but Wale transcends the novelty and delivers one of the most poignant rap albums of 2008.
On “The Kramer”, Michael Richards’ infamous nightclub rant from last year is used as a springboard for Wale to tackle the conundrum of using the n-word in rap music. His argument is effective and he manages to avoid polarizing his audience without desensitizing the content. It’s scary to think that a kid with this much maturity and confidence hasn’t even released an official full-length.
Traditionally, the hip hop mixtape is meant to act as a reminder between official studio efforts, but The Mixtape About Nothing plays more like a classic debut. Wale is backed by local production team Best Kept Secret, and their inclusion of go-go aesthetics furthers the local flavor of the album. The beats are grounded in the soulful boom bap of the 90’s as opposed to the ringtone rhythms that dominate today’s playlists. Rock fans could equate this to a wall-of-sound approach to hip-hop, except the wall includes lyrical content…and its probably covered in graffiti.
Rappers have been shouting out DC since the 90’s, but that was mostly due to our location as a stop in the I-95 drug trade—hardly a proud acknowledgment. Wale was raised in the District and Maryland, so the hometown appeal is in full force during his verbal onslaught. Lines like “Wale Ovechkin, the capital is back” and “you –expletive- get rich boy, like Zone 3” finally give us some quotables with authentic appeal to the city we inhabit.
With all the hype surrounding Wale (which he cleverly addresses on “The Hype”) it’s surprising he hasn’t delivered a legit live performance in town (aside from opening for Justice-ed). I’ve seen his name appear in the line-up of a few local rap showcases, but those shows are typically amateurish and oversaturated with mediocrity to the point of being unbearable.
Folks willing to pay $40 can watch Wale perform a proper set on July 27 at Meriwether.
He will be performing alongside hip hop legends like A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul as part of the Rock The Bells touring festival.
Mark Ronson will be executive producing his official full length, which is due out later this year, but The Mixtape About Nothing will suffice as the official summer soundtrack for the DMV.
To download, cruise over here:
ladies-and-gentlementhe-mixtape-about-nothing/
and here is the:
TRACK LISTING
1. “The Opening Title Sequence” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
2. “The Roots Song Wale Is On” f. Chrisette Michele (produced by ?uestlove & James Poyser)
3. “The Feature Heavy Song” f. Bun B, Pusha T and Tre from UCB (produced by Best Kept Secret)
4. “The Freestyle (Roc Boys)”
5. “The Perfect Plan” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
6. “The Kramer” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
7. “The Crazy” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
8. “The Vacation From Ourselves” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
9. “The Remake of A Remake (All I Need)” f. Tawiah (produced by Mark Ronson)
10. “The Grown Up” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
11. “The Manipulation” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
12. “The Artistic Integrity” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
13. “The Star”
14. “The Skit (Untz Untz)”
15. “The Cliche Lil Wayne Feature (It’s The Remix baby!)” (produced by Osinachi)
16. “The Bmore Club Slam” (produced by Scottie B)
17. “The Chicago Falcon Remix” f. The Budos Band (produced by Mark Ronson & Eli Escobar)
18. “The Hype” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
19. “The End Credits” (produced by Best Kept Secret)
WALE: “special thanks to interscope for investing in the future of hip hop”
I’ve seen his name appear in the line-up of a few local rap showcases, but those shows are typically amateurish and oversaturated with mediocrity to the point of being unbearable.
Wale performed at Ibiza with the amateurish and mediocre Lil’ Wayne this past January.
June 4, 2008 at 3:32 pm