Musically it fits, though it may not have a lot of stand alone listening value. Wale delivers lyrically but the biggest drawback is that J. I was eager to listen to this song when I saw the title and the J. How you ask? Listen and hear ( The music video helps too). But the вЂњwhite shoesвЂќ are a metaphor for staying the same. Musically a lilвЂ™ mellow for how soon it appears in the album for me. The white shoes is essentially a song about one staying true to themselves and holding onto what you truly believe in and stand for. Also I should mention he uses a lilвЂ™ throwback on the track as well. Wale explains who he is and life through his eyes. ItВ briskly moves into the actually track: Trap drums with an eerie undertone and ominous feel. This song has an intro that musically feels 70вЂ™s I see smoke clouds and afroвЂ™s when hear this soulful movement. More of a song than an intro but sonically and musically pleasing. And as soon youвЂ™re settle in they hit you with the drums. A piano heavy and lyrical track that has the intimate small room feel of VH1 Storytellers, or that type of ambiance, Wale spits from the heart and sets the tone. Jerry Seinfeld is on the intro and much of the album, which is clearly a throwback to The Mixtape About Nothing this is a clear sign that the old Wale is back. Gramm, Rex Kudo, Idankalai, & Peter Lee Johnson From the choice in production to the rhymes and cadence that made him unique,В this album, whether itвЂ™s the entrвЂ™acte or final bow, was done on Wale terms. Thankfully it appears this time out he finds a way to return to what his true fans will be able to appreciate. Lets be honest, the musical influence and general formula for success that has made Maybach Music and the whole Rick Ross brand such a marketable success wasnвЂ™t the best mesh with Wales natural inclination as a writer and rapper. While we all appreciate Rick Ross of all people seeing the talent and signing him, even though he hadnвЂ™t had much success with Interscope. But IвЂ™m strong in my conviction when say I feel that most Wale fans prefer his mixtapes over his albums. Most people who like Wale would say that itвЂ™s not due to his album releasesвЂ¦ which is not to say that there isnвЂ™t good music to be found within those contributions from the D.C. This album is quite possibly the last mainstream release for Wale, barring some type of commercial success greater than his last album. Not to mention, even though thatвЂ™s clearly what I AM about to mention, Drake, Cole, and Kendrick all have releases outвЂ¦ So itвЂ™s clearly about something. And this is his 4th studio release as a signed вЂњmainstreamвЂќ artist. He appealed to me, and I believe me, other purist of the art because of his lyrical style and unflinching need to tackle the more вЂњeverdayвЂќ problems that were relatable not only to вЂњthe urban enclaveвЂќ but also people who resonate with the struggle of poverty and growing up this generation poor in finances but rich in perspective and intellect. Wale was a rapper I discovered back in 2007 if memory serves me correct. Other notable performers this week: Kendrick LamarвЂ™s вЂњTo Pimp a ButterflyвЂќ (~55-60K sales, 70-75K total units), LudacrisвЂ™ вЂњLudaversalвЂќ (~55-60K sales, 60-65K total units), Death Cab for CutieвЂ™s вЂњKintsugiвЂќ (~45-50K sales, 50-55K units) and Darius RuckerвЂ™s вЂњSouthern StyleвЂќ (~40-45K sales, 40-45K total units).Many Hip-Hop purist love Wale and many Hip-Hop вЂњfansвЂќ are ambivalent or uninformed at worse about one of modern Hip-Hops only poets left. вЂњThe Gifted,вЂќ that release, moved 158,000 traditional copies in its first week. The two tallies will power вЂњNothingвЂќ to a victory on the Billboard Top Album Sales and Billboard 200 charts, respectively.Д®asily enough for that #1 debut, the albumвЂ™s sales total will nonetheless represent a far cry from that of WaleвЂ™s previous album. With Track Equivalent Album (10 single sales = 1 album sale) and Streaming Equivalent Album (1500 single streams = 1 album sale) data included, the album should register a first week consumption total of 90-95,000 units. The throne will instead fall to WaleвЂ™s вЂњThe Album About Nothing,вЂќ which is set for a comfortable victory in the weekly sales race.ДЄccording to Hits Daily Double, вЂњNothingвЂќ is on track for an opening week sales total in the 85-90,000 range. Kendrick LamarвЂ™s вЂњTo Pimp a ButterflyвЂќ will not score a third week atop the album sales chart.

Wale the album about nothing ratings