S. Samuel
Maybach Music Group's Wale recently talked about his persistence in keeping up with social media critics and how having the ability to shut them all out would probably make him one of hip-hop's most elite emcees.
In Wale’s perspective, he hardly finds a balance between immense supporters and overly aggressive haters.
He’s been goaded into far too many “Wale moments” here, engaging with anonymous trash talkers, confronting his critics, shouting down the faceless digital mob that lives inside his phone at all times. He can’t seem to go more than two minutes without looking at the screen. He says he turns it off only when he’s recording or sleeping. “I wake up every morning to ‘I love you, you’re the greatest’ and ‘I hate you and wish you would retire,’?” Wale says. “I’m looking for a little reality in there.” How different would his life be if he didn’t have the ability to know what millions thought of him at any given instant? He doesn’t hesitate: “I think I’d be one of the most successful rappers alive.” (Washington Post)
The rapper recently recruited renowned tattoo artist Mister Cartoon for his new The Gifted album’s cover art.
As he gets closer to the release of his third album The Gifted on June 25, Wale unveils the artwork. The Maybach Music rapper illustrates the different aspects that make up his life including his hometown of D.C., money, women, and faith. A stone bust of his face appears on the cover, designed by tattoo artist Mister Cartoon. (Rap-Up)
Wale recently admitted he planned to name the LP “The Curse of the Gifted.”
“The initial title of the album was ‘The Curse of the Gifted.’ But there’s such a connotation, you might hear the album a certain way if I went with that title. That’s the underlying theme of The Gifted is that there’s things that come with it. There really might not be anything non-monetary that comes with it because your sanity, you give it up a little bit when you get famous.” (The Round Up)
A few months ago, the rapper talked about wanting his music to speak for him.
“I’m not even gonna do all that other stuff. I’ma talk with the music. Until my album drop, until June 25, I’ma talk loud with the music,” Wale said, refusing to give any summations of his upcoming LP. “I’ve done everything I could do, I’ve said everything I could say. I’ve kissed the babies, I’ve shook the hands — now let’s let the music talk because I ain’t about to come here and tell y’all exactly how I feel no more. I’ma let it all sing in the music,” he huffed. (MTV)
