Unfortunately there’s isn’t any music in this preview. But Rap-Up gave an in-depth review of Wale’s debut album; as they were among a select group of folks who Mark Ronson played it for at Chung King Studios in NYC. Hit the jump for the words…
1. “Triumph”
Produced by Dave SitekOn Dave’s first foray into hip-hop production, he crafts a jazzy tune, replete with big horns, to support Wale’s lyrical celebrity hotbed. The rapper shouts out Hollywood staples like Lily Allen, Slumdog Millionaire, and, most importantly, a man that taught him to do for himself—Kanye West: “I asked Mr. West for some help/ But I realized us new ni**as gotta do for ourselves.”
2. “Pretty Girls” featuring Gucci Mane
Produced by Best Kept SecretThe title pretty much sums up the type of woman Wale has his eye on. A tune that blatantly speaks to his female fan base, this is the only record on the album that features the signature go-go sound. A sample from the 1970s track “Girls” by The Moments & The Whatnauts, Gucci Mane’s Southern flavor, and incessant hand-clapping on the chorus (reminding Ugly Bettys to “be quiet”) are key standouts.
3. “Mirrors” featuring Bun B
Produced by Mark RonsonBoth Wale and Bun B spar with the ominous tune—a mix of gothic guitars, soulful crooning from Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald, and heavy drums—to contend for the title of “who’s real.” The D.C. native lyrically jabs at his doubtful opponents on the chorus, rhyming, “Mirror, mirror on the wall/ Who’s the realest of them all/ Is it right, is it wrong/ They ain’t hard, swear to God/ These ni**as ain’t real at all,” while Bun plays no games, “… I’m gon’ keep it G/ If you can’t look up at yourself, how you gon’ look at me.”
4. “Contemplate” featuring Rihanna
Produced by SyienceThe first question that comes to mind upon listening to this dark, thought-provoking record: is that Rihanna on the chorus? Producer Syience sampled the pop chanteuse’s voice from her Good Girl Gone Bad album cut “Question Existing.” She sings (with some added tweaks) over a grandiose rhythm, shedding light on inner turmoil with lines such as “Who am I living for?” while the rapper questions his place on the hip-hop radar, spitting quick brain buzzers like, “Am I doing this for them or me?” and “Play this shit while you contemplate.”
5. “90210”
Produced by Mark Ronson“The Perez Hilton angle,” according to Ronson, don’t expect to find silicone and Botox applauded anywhere over the Mario Bros.-sounding beat. Beginning with a sea of electronic pulses that scream “high on life,” Wale raps about the stereotypical L.A. girl hoping to achieve celebrity by any means necessary. One verse through, and the chorus sticks: “She throws up whatever she eats/ She leaves the bathroom with a nose bleed/ Regular girl, celebrity dreams/ She’s 90210.”
6. “World Tour” featuring Jazmine Sullivan
Produced by Cool & DreWhen Jazmine Sullivan’s name is read, one hopes to hear the R&B singer bang out a stellar chorus to support Wale’s stories of leaving his D.C. ghetto behind. But high hopes are extinguished once all Sullivan belts out are a few short “oohh oohhs.” The cherry on this hip-hop sundae is the triumphant beat, which opens with a piano solo and immediately hits a heavy drum and bass pattern, and Wale’s no-holds-barred chorus, where he rhymes, “We on a world tour, Wale ya man/ Hustling each and every ghetto with a mic in my hand/ New York, VA, D.C., get paid.”
7. “TV in the Radio” featuring K’naan
Produced by Dave SitekWale puts forth a braggadocio vibe over a rocking beat featuring a hint of an electric guitar and classic horns. The rapper wants to punctuate the fact that, like Lil Wayne, motherfucker, he’s ill. Lines like, “Everybody’s on me like the ‘A Milli’ beat,” show and prove his point. Supporter K’naan overshadowed his hip-hop friend, delivering a frenzied verse, replete with pompous attitude: “If we wasn’t so original, we’d be criminal.”
8. “Diary” featuring Marsha Ambrosius
Produced by The SleepwalkersThis one has “soundtrack to a hip-hop fairytale” written all over it. The beat twists and cascades underneath Marsha Ambrosius’ troubled lyrics, which feature sentiments of a girl having a hard time holding her own. Wale opens the pages of his hip-hop diary to help soothe her soul: “Wife, you deserve the label/ But you’ve been hurt before so you don’t think you’re able.”
9. “Beautiful Bliss” featuring Melanie Fiona & J. Cole
Produced by DJ Green Lantern & Mark RonsonRemember the Folgers coffee slogan? Well, the best part of waking up will be playing this record. Begin the day with this uptempo slice of soulful delight, brought in part by Melanie Fiona, who gleefully belts out, “It’s a beautiful day,” at its opening. A big beat backed by horns and a rampant piano, listeners are directed by Wale to focus on the prize at the end of each day. The pièce de résistance is rap newcomer J. Cole, who, expectedly, name checks the man filling up his bank account, rhyming, “I’m in a class of my own, at dinner with Hov/ Hoping he’ll pass the baton/ All he pass is the Patrón.”
10. “O.G.”
Produced by Sean C & LVWho better to thwack the drums and make a record sound right than Travis Barker? The Blink-182 dude showcased his skills on the track in an opening drum solo, quickly supported by a horn section played by funk soul band the Dap-Kings. The unique rhythm created by the two powerhouses creates a hip-hop jazz bed for Wale’s vocals, as he raps about the life of an O.G.
11. “Prescription”
Produced by Best Kept SecretAnnounced as the album’s closing track, any other place for it wouldn’t have worked. Its name is synonymous with the entire effort’s title, summing up the 10 tracks prior as the sonic pill to heal listeners’ auditory ailments. While Wale writes out the doctor’s orders (“Language, I provide like a Percocet”), flutes, bongos, and a tinkling of piano keys are celebrated on this jazz-inspired beat. A welcomed surprise (and personal favorite) at the record’s finale came in the form of the D.C. native’s spoken word talents, where he expressed a certainly debatable statement in an unorthodox manner: “I am hip-hop, past, present, and future.”
These thoughts do not in any way represent what the dopehouse feels of the album (especially since we haven’t heard it yet) but I felt this would make a few folks happy/upset. And that is my main goal in life haha.
11 tracks? I feel like that gives him no room for error.
im still not liking the fact that gucci is on the album
chillin?
didn’t it get pushed back til october?
Man, look at all those features.
I really don’t have high hopes for this album…espcially when the person writing the preview has no criticism for the music.
Figured K’Naan would murk him on his own track.
they didnt preview all tha traks on tha album, think its posed to b 14-15 traks deep. and rap-up says its supposed to drop october 20. its gonna b deadly fo sho!
Am I the only one who thinks this sounds ill as fuck?
We knew he took chances with the producers and his sounds like it paid off. I can forgive Gucci Mane (who actually isn’t as bad as usual on Pretty Girls) if he’s got J Cole, Knaan, Marsha, Melanie Fiona and Bun B on there.
@Cannon, why would the person having nothing bad to say make you less hyped?
Its a preview, not a review. You really think he’s going to judge it after one listen?
I was expecting a few more tracks, but with all the great features(exception of Gucci) Im hopin this will be dope. The tracklist looks pretty hot Im gonna def be on the lookout
wow 11 tracks?
idk i’ll just judge it when i hear it. these album previews always set me up for big let downs… mainly cuz they paint a picture in your head, but the actual song is lightyears different from how they portrayed it (for better or worse). so i’ll just take the album for what it is when it comes out.
and yes the J Cole/Melanie Fiona track sounds dope as hell!
apparently ppl that were there were sayin tha album wus bangin
looks good except for that whole dumb gucci feature. ugh that is a downer. melanie fiona though makes up for it.
J. Cole is on the album….im excited to hear that track
Yes…Despite Gucci, Pop Punk Drummers, and only 11 songs…I still somehow think i won’t be disappointed.
They obviously didnt have all the traks cuz “Chillin” aint even on here…Im not gonna lie, at first i as furious when i heard that that dyke Gaga was gonna be on the single but ppl have 2 see wat this album is meant 2 portray…Its supposed 2 show Wale’s open mindedness and versatility…now sum of you aint open-minded AT ALL and wont give shit a chance but then if thats u then y are u even on this site in the first place lls…
This nigga Wale has A.D.D., he cant stay on one type of beat for too long..
Listen to “Fix Your Face” then call Travis Barker a “Pop Punk Drummer.”
I’m mad excited to hear his track.
Yes…Despite Gucci, Pop Punk Drummers, and only 11 songs…I still somehow think i won’t be disappointed.
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if your talkin about travis barker then u must not be on it
yea this definitely isn’t the full list. No ‘Chillin’, not ‘Shades’ with Chrisette Michele and 9th Wonder, and no TV On The Radio track.
shit looks dope but why gucci??? dude is horrrrrrrrrrrrrrrinle. but still anticipatin it especiLLY THAT WALE JCOLE JOINT! WOO DAT SOUNDS FIRE AND THAT JASMINE SULLIVAN SHIT MIGHT BE REAL NICE TO IM EXPECTION 7 SOLID ASS TRACKS OUTTA THIS
Just everything wale has done after the mixtape about nothing has disappointed the fuck out of me. I was a huge fan until he started fucking up every song with all these fucking stupid features like lady gaga and gucci mane. I expect this to be a pretty radio/pop friendly shit album.
J. Cole cancels out gucci mane 10 times over. Still can’t understand the logic behind it though. The other 10 songs better be sick.
I kinda understand the Gucci feature, only cuz apparently people in the DMV love him, and Wale had to make it up the the DMV somehow considering there’s only 1 Go-Go track on the album. And we all know that wouldn’t be enough for people in DC and he would get made hate for it
error #1, featuring gucci mane.
error #2, featuring the most overrated artist in the game, j.cole
error #3, only 11 tracks? wtf wale you made 5 mixtapes with 20 to 25 tracks each and you can’t make a 15 track album?
it’s weird to have a debut album w/ 11 tracks so it has to have Chillin on there. & Shades. 13 sounds good. Looking forward to it. DMV stand up. And YES… the DMV is on Gucci HARD (not me personally) so i understand the ethics behind that feature… + radio spins.
plus this is fake, they left out “chilling” retard
smh…some folks dont learn. like some of the more intelligent people said, this isnt a complete track by track review…if you’ve ever been to listening sessions, they dont always play the entire album.
still, 11 tracks is the majority (i’m assuming it’ll be 14-16 tracks) so this can give a good idea.
here’s what i hoped for more of:
the producers he build his name w/. only 2 bks tracks? dude shoudla had the majority–all of his stuff w/wale goes. No judah?
guests he had talked about idolizing. no black thought? no camp lo (not that i REALLY expected that to happen, but it woulda been ill).
& the track that i had thought about (just me…there was never any word about it) would have been a Wale/Lupe/Lil Wayne track over a Ye beat.
I thought Q-Tip had a feature?
this dude is terrible.
man who cares its only wale like damn when his album drop its gonna be good or whack plain and simple. and i dont support wale after the show he did in sacramento.
@Dolce.
Why would they have an track preview of his fuckin SINGLE!? like we really need a critics synopsis on a song thass been leaked for over 10 months n ft. w/ lady gaga for like 3? niggas… it’s an album preview! every track isn’t ALWAYS PLAYED/ RELEASED! so its a real preview… based on what was presented.
not really a Wale fan. I got the BAck To THe Feature mixtape bc of 9th Wonder and all of the wonderful features. idk about this album
what happened to the joint with 9th Wonder and Chrisette Michelle and the joint with the band TV On The Radio?
A bit too many features. I support Wale as an artist but I’m not purchasing the album unless Wale logically explains why he put Gucci on the track. Not that he OWES an explanation, but that’s the only way I’d cop the album cause at this point, he’s just a hypocrite. Definitely gonna download the album at least.
people, he has no say so of how many tracks he can have on his album, the label picks how many tracks the album is going to have. He said the number is 16 or 15 tracks, plus a Bonus track for iTunes. There’s 2 songs that haven’t got cleared so that would be 13 tracks plus ‘Chillin’ that’s 14 and there’s still a few more. I mean what do u expect him to give you 20 tracks, it’s his first album.
11…
Back to the Feature Vol. 2?
Haters gone hate … DMV stand up. Please read. Album not gonna be 11 tracks. We got dudes asking about songs that are clearly in the review.
for everyone screaming about the TV On The Radio tracks… there are there… Dave Sitek is the TV On The Radio producer. he did two tracks here… so since this is ONLY A PREVIEW. I’m hoping more Dave Sitek tracks are included.
Gucci is one of the worlds worst rappers… im so angry he is on the album! Wale should realize by now who is trash, and there are too many features, on bttf he said its really not about the features its about me. im not likin this at all
Dave Sitek is from TV on the Radio, i bet those tracks are dope…but overall it looks disappointing
everybody loves to hate haha just wait til it comes out to hate
dat song called OG is gonna be somethin serious
Boo!
c/s mr hip hop …
there is an old youtube video of travis lacin the drums..
get up from the computer desk once in awhile, gucci is entertaining. pretty girls bangs.
and i for one hope it’s no more than 12 tracks. i don’t like filler. this synopsis sounds like i’ll be buying 2 copies
the wale/j. cole joint got the same sample as lupes theme music to a driveby and isn’t nearly as good in any way
why do yall hate gucci so much?
@ Dolce
There is no way in hell that J. Cole is the most overrated rapper in the game.
J. Cole is dope as hell
Gucci sucks dick
either way this better be a great album and less of a disappointment than another certain freshman’s album this year….*cough* asher *cough*
wait on that Artistic integrity pt. 2 joint also…should be nice
IT HAS MORE THAN 11 TRACKS PEOPLE
illmatic was 10 tracks and the first track is a skit… there’s no chances taken on this album… Dave Sitek is the dopest producer out just listen to TVOTR and you’ll hear that. The album is 15 tracks… Triumph is the dopest shit i put that on everything only flaws on the album are Chillin and Pretty Girls somewhat. This album is better than Reasonable Doubt. i won’t check this or post anything on here again so comment on that statement if you please. WALE is the best rapper alive… Man on the Moon Sept. 25th… ifyou feel like you can do better than us DO IT.
he said on his twitter that the preview is not of his whole album..
J Cole muassacered Beautiful Bliss. Cole you came real hard on that. Can it get any better?
[...] a few rumored versions and a preview, here goes the official tracklisting for Wale’s upcoming album, dropping November 10th. Hit [...]
Wale – Attention: Deficit (Tracklist) | 2dopeboyz said this on October 29th, 2009 at 11:57 am
[...] a few rumored versions and a preview, here goes the official tracklisting for Wale’s upcoming album, dropping November 10th. Hit [...]
Wale – Attention: Deficit (Tracklist) | 2dopeboyz said this on October 29th, 2009 at 11:57 am
“J. Cole is dope as hell
Gucci sucks dick
either way this better be a great album and less of a disappointment than another certain freshman’s album this year….*cough* asher *cough*”
Agree with the first part, Gucci does suck at rapping, but Asher Roth? I can’t believe you even thought about buying his album. It’s all about Wale, Drake, Wiz and Big Sean