Speaking to a packed crowd at the Gansevoort Hotel’s penthouse in NYC Wednesday night, Wale held a release party for his Maybach Music Group debut Ambition. It was a big night for the MMG star: Meek Mill, J.Cole, Fabolous, Jim Jones, industry tastemakers, media veterans like our editor-in-chief Elliott Wilson and LowKey all stopped by to congratulate him. He’s in a different place now – no major label hits or record sales holding him back –and it’s his music that’ll finally make a lasting impact. Most hip-hop heads know Wale can deliver solid mixtapes, but can he bring the same venomous wordplay and heart in his latest release? Judging by the many daps and pounds Wale received during the night and him returning the love, the Washington D.C. native is living out his ambitions.
Wale’s short descriptions and back stories behind his album tell the new partnership with MMG has influenced him. He seems a lot more unconstrained, ready to free his mind – both mentality and musically – in a wide range of records. He doesn’t shy away from his Go-go background; “Bait” has all the high-energy and a danceable jam. “Slight Work” featuring Big Sean, which sent waves on the Internet, has everything on point, from the production to the verses. “Lotus Flower Bomb” featuring Miguel is really upbeat, made as a dedication for the ladies and seductive. In the same realm of catering to femininity, “Focused” buries the beef with Kid Cudi and is looked as a reunion of talented emcees.
For Wale, who experimented with an array of producers on Attention: Deficit, this time the help of Rick Ross’ ear for production has elevated his music. He mentions the live instrumentation in “White Linen,” while the essence of Miami through a jazzy production is in “Miami Nights.” At the same time, Wale keeps it real with plenty boasts on “Double M Genius” and enlists both Ross and Mill on arguably the best track on the album, “Ambition.” It’s a smooth opus, but manages to carry the hard street raps fans know they can deliver.
On the intro, “Hold Your Applause,” Wale wants to let everyone know that this isn’t the end of his career: It’s the beginning. He is now a liberated artist thanks to the whole MMG family. From his mixtape days to this upcoming release, sonically overall Ambition has enough variety to keep him on the rise. With “That Way,” a record that features Jeremih and Ross, currently sitting at number four on Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart, he deserves just a little bit of credit. Clap for him anyway.
Hear the exclusive previews to the album above
Photography by Far Fetched Future – catch more flicks from the night here
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