Triumph - This is a nice introduction to Wale and who how he will be portrayed throughout the entire album. The first verse is about his hunger as an MC and his aspirations and fears as he enters the music business. The next focuses more on the girls, riches, some material items, etc. Although not at all the focus of the album, there are definitely moments throughout the album where he will touch on his wealth and material possessions, but the majority of the album covers Wale's outlook on the world, his vision as an artist, and other topics that plaque our community. The intro ties all of this together. Overall, a rating of 3.75.

Mama Told Me - On this track, Wale touches on the state of hip hop, his position in it as the future, and how he plans to deal with all of the pressures and expectations that come with being the artist that he is. Many of his rhymes throughout the song show why he is one of the premier up-and-coming artists and with lines like "the fact is, they'd only be happy with a minstrel actor," it is easy to see that Wale is in it for more than the fame and fortune. The production is really nice and the song as a whole gives a good feeling, although the message doesn't quite match it. This is a 4.5.

Mirrors (feat. Bun) - This is probably my favorite song on the album. In the first verse, Wale attacks rappers in the industry and their lack of skills, truth, and more and in his second verse (the songs third verse) he talks to all of the insecure ladies that have to doll themselves up in order to feel pretty and secure. Trying to get these people to look in the mirror at themselves, Wale tells the brutal truth to all of them over a very laid back track. And we all know what Bun B can do so there's really not much to say. The more I hear a new verse from Bun B, the more of a fan I become. The production is crazy and so is the hook. This is definitely deserving of a 5.

Pretty Girls (feat. Gucci Mane and Weensey from Backyard Band) - Those samples get me every time, and this is no different. Needless to say, sonically the record is incredible. Good sample over good beats can't be beat (no pun intended). Lyric wise, the song is not bad, but isn't really the best on the album. But like most of the songs on the album, the feeling you get while listening to it definitely adds to the enjoyment of the song. Almost every song puts you in a certain mood and helps add to the overall feel of the track. This song is a 4.

World Tour (feat. Jazmine Sullivan) -  As you may be able to tell from the title of the song, Wale talks about the ups and downs of being on tour. Going city to city, state to state can definitely take its toll, but it is clear and that Wale enjoys the benefits of being on the road. However, there are also some downfalls to being on tour, as well and so this song is a way of showing both the good and the bad. I think it is safe to say that the good certainly out-weighs the bad and that Wale is having fun being on tour. Jazmine Sullivan also holds the track down real well. This is a 4.5.

Let It Loose (feat. Pharrell) - It would not be surprising if this turned out to be the second single from the album. With a really nice production by the Neptunes and a feature from Pharrell it already seems to have the makings of a "for radio" track. The subject matter also fits with Wale and Pharrell describing all the things that would enable the to have fun. It's a nice hypnotic track that is pretty enjoyable, but is really more for the club atmosphere as opposed to the hip hop head that really wants to delve deep into the songs. That is not to say that there is no lyrical presence, but it just isn't as prominent on this track as on the rest. Nice track, but only a 3.5 rating.

90210 - I really have to give props to Wale for this track; especially the first verse. Overall, the song deals with a young lady that is struggling to make it into the entertainment industry (more than likely modeling or acting) but feels as if she has to conform to certain standards in order to get noticed. In the first verse specifically, Wale talks about the girl dealing with bulimia and all that it entails for her to stay "competitive" when it comes to securing the spotlight she wants. This should really be appreciated because this is a topic that is rarely covered in at all, especially in hip hop, and for Wale to bring awareness to it is great. The rest of the song continues to show the path that this ambitious yet misguided female goes through. Great song and concept. Another 5.

Shades (feat. Chrisette Michele) - On back to back songs, Wale has managed to bring new perspecitves to the hip hop genre. While race and race relations isn't a new topic in hip hop, the way in which Wale presents them in this song is. Usually, we hear about crooked cops and "the white man" attacking us (young blacks) and preventing us from success. However, in this song, Wale talks about how race and our different shades affect the way we look at each other in the black community. These light vs. dark relations really do plaque our community everyday and have left us divided. This is something that was planned from days of slavery and, unfortunately, is still affecting us today. Hopefully people will take heed to the message in this song and change their outlook on the way they perceive race and skin tone and we can begin to have more unity instead of divide amongst each other. Once again, a 5.

Chillin (feat. Lady Gaga) - The first single from the album, "Chillin" is just a really fun, upbeat song that will probably have you noddin' your head throughout the whole song. This is Wale being a little more bragadoccio than he has been in most of the previous songs, but it doesn't take away from the song at all. There are many punchlines and slick rhymes throughout the song and the hook is very catchy. It makes for a really nice sing. It gets a 4.25.

TV In The Radio (feat. K'naan) - This is the song that really shows off the MCing skills of both Wale and K'naan. While the underlying theme of the track was the faking and untruth of rappers in the industry, it was also just a chance for Wale to just go in and flow over the beat pretty freely. He starts the song off with a number of memorable lines like "hip hop's lackin'/why they gettin' Grammy's when these ni**as is actin'." His flow is really nice on the song and K'naan has a few nice moments himself, making for a good collabo. This is once again a 5.

Contemplate - On this song, the album takes almost a kind of dark turn. Although some of the other material on the album wasn't necessarily joyful or the most cheerful, this is the first song where the production really helped the lyrics to be felt and come across a bit more painful. The first verse deals with a break-up. No way to tell if this is a real life situation or just part of a creative mind, but either way, Wale talks about the letting go of someone he was once in a relationship with and how he has finally shed himself of all feelings and emotions for that person. The second verse deals with his making music and his lost sense of wether or not he is doing this for the fans or for himself. The song is good and I won't base upon content at all, especially if the first verse is true because, if nothing else, he was able to let go of some of those feelings and to rate those wouldn't be fair. However, I will rate the overall sound of the song and how it compares to the rest of the album. Because it tended to be a little more dark and didn't really match any of the songs, I have to rate it a little lower and give it a 4, but the song overall is still a good one and doesn't take away from the album.

Diary (feat Marsha Abrosius)- Wale once again talks to some of the troubled black girls on this song, letting them know that it is okay to let a man in (emotionally) even though they have been hurt in the past. As we have seen with many of the Tyler Perry movies, the same storyline is featured here in which a girl has been hurt and emotionally scarred by men that she has dealt with in the past and because of that, she is unable to fully love the man that loves her. It is the third verse that really ties the song together and helps make it even better when Wale recites a more poem-like verse (as opposed to a rap) and breaks down all of the feelings that this young lady may be dealing with. It is a very deep song and one that the hip hop community really needs to pay attention to. The song gets a 4.5.

Beautiful Bliss (feat. Melanie Fiona and J. Cole) - After a few heavier songs, this is the celebration song of the album. It is Wale's coming out and he brings J. Cole along for the ride. If you still don't know who J. Cole is, do yourself a favor and get "The Warm Up" because this dude is the truth, and he proves it on this song. Hopefully we see many more collaborations between Wale and J. Cole in the future, and I'm betting that we will since they are both on tour together right now (or it may have just ended) and they both have dealings with Roc Nation. Two of hip hop's most promising acts on one track makes for a great song. Here's another 5.

Prescription - An excellent close out to the album, "Prescription" solidifies Wale as one of hip hop's premiere young talent's and he promises to keep on making good music. The very end is what make is really nice in which Wale spits a semi-acapella rap that weaves much of Wale's knowledge with popular songs and artists and blends them together to tell his story and about his love for the music. It is a really refreshing track and is a great end to a great album. A final 5.

Overall the album is incredible. The mood of the album for the most part is really laid back, but at times can be a little more upbeat, while still getting the listener to think and listen to subject matter that we rarely come across.The production on the album is amazing and Wale's flow on many of the songs fits very well. Nobody should be disappointed by this album. The rating for the whole album is a 4.25.

What did y'all think of the album and/or review? How do you feel about Wale and his status as one of the bright, young artists that is trying to ensure he will be around for a while? Leave you thoughts and comments here or email at straightouttahiphop@gmail.com.


Peace.