With The Album About Nothing, his fourth studio effort, set for release today, Wale spoke with Billboard about a variety of subjects including the lack of respect he feels he receives as an artist, his battle with drugs and depression, as well as the reception he believes TAAN will be met with.
First opening up about the topics he explores on the album that most resonate with his life, Wale says he talks a lot about the trials and tribulations of the music business.
“The music industry,” he says. “You can say I’m sensitive, but music is why I live. Other people have kids or a strong woman in their lives; all I have is my music. I constantly work my ass off and I’m not in these magazines — all I can go by is the people and what they say. People ask, ‘Why do you check social-media comments?’ But what else do I have, bro? I don’t get no major articles. Nobody talks about Wale like that. So what do you do when you’re busting your ass and taking pills to stay up and be able to provide the right energy, and you’re not seeing the proper response?
“My confidence was shot, so I’d be taking whatever to keep me in a good mood, to get me in the right mood for an interview,” Wale adds. “I’m not going into the details as to what I was taking, but there’s definitely something for that. Just like there’s a fuckin’ app for everything, there’s a damn pill for everything. Or something you can pour in your glass. I was depressed not being where I wanna be in my career when I’ve put the work in. I wasn’t sleeping. I was drinking all day and I didn’t have anyone to go to. I couldn’t fight it. Those are some of the demons I talk about on the album.”
Later in the conversation, Wale spoke on whether or not The Album About Nothing will be met with the apt amount of respect and acclaim he believes it deserves. The Maybach Music Group recording artist says he wants his work to receive the same amount of respect as artists such as Kendrick Lamar or Beck as he works just as hard as them.
“I gave this my all,” Wale says. “I’m not trying to whine about being critically acclaimed or getting in the door, but it breaks my heart. Everyone says, ‘Be patient. It’ll happen.’ But all signs are showing, ‘No, it won’t happen.’ I’m okay with people not liking my music but provide an intelligent reason for why you like or don’t like something or you’re a hater or a dick-rider. This is my fourth album. I want some respect. I want to go to a party and not have Katy Perry tell her security to move me out of the fuckin’ way. We do the same thing. I know there’s no union in the music industry, but have some respect. I want people to be like, ‘Your album’s just as good as Kendrick [Lamar]’s or Esperanza Spalding or Beck.’ I work just as hard as them.”
To read the full interview, where Wale also talks about the turmoil he went through in 2010 when he was dropped from Interscope Records, visit Billboard.
For additional Wale coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
Wale’s new album is easily better than kendrick’s. It’s just as terrific as drake’s too late album. Wale will easily dominate kendrick’s disappointing ass sales.
Please. Kendrick’s album is better than both Wale and Drake’s. There’s no way Wale will outsell Kendrick (whose sales wasn’t disappointing).
Whatever you’re smoking can I please have some Derick?
Wale’s album was truly better. Dope rap, lyrical raps, and pays tribute to seinfield.
BTW, there’s a reply button.
^ The album sucks. Wack lyrics and it pisses on Seinfeld.
Wale is not a nerdy hipster rapper like Kendrick, he’s not white like Macklemore, and he’s not light skinned like J Cole/Drake, which is why he will never sell, and no one will ever care about his music. It’s sad, but that’s how things are in the 2010’s. Rappers like Big Sean, Wale, Big Krit, Jay Electronia, Azalea Banks etc don’t have a chance because they’re not aesthetically pleasing to white people and self hating black Americans. They also don’t act soft and nerdy like Kendrick and white people dont care for black people with balls. I’m not impressed
Wale’s already getting terrific reviews unlike dumbo.
Because making an album that’s a tribute to “Seinfeld” is not at all hipster or nerdy. Not nearly as much as Kendrick’s blatantly, almost militantly, pro-black album.
Jay-Z is not exactly Rick fuckin’ Fox, he sells a billion albums. Lil’ Wayne is black, ugly, and short. He sells a billion albums. Big Sean doesn’t sell on that level because he’s shallow and uninteresting. Big K.R.I.T. doesn’t sell on that level because he’s just not that nice. Jay Electronica doesn’t put in enough work, where is this nigga’s album? We been waiting for 7 years. Azalea Banks is a bird, and she don’t even write her own rhymes, I’m glad her shit ain’t sellin’. Wale used to have a huge niche crowd. But he wasn’t happy with that and he kinda sold out. When you sell out, you gain success in the immediate future, but when those fickle ass fans forget about you, you can’t go back to your original core crowd, and you’re left with nothing. That’s where he is now. I hope the champagne and scrippers were worth it. He went from Seinfeld to 106 & Park, now he’s tryin’ to go back to Seinfeld. It don’t work like that homey. One.
Kendrick’s album got a 96 on Metacritic and got nothing but positive reviews all around. Wale’s album isn’t getting any love.
Wale doesn’t seem like an interesting rapper to me. I will reserve judgement on his statement until I hear his album. So far Wale has done nothing to prove he is even half as talented as Kendrick is. I think he has to realize that as far as rap is concerned everybody’s skill level is different.
They’re rappers that Kendrick isn’t better than and probably will never be. I think Kendrick just tries to be himself and not worry about what the blogs or twitter has to say.
kendrick got the hood on his album cover. ya call him hipster and weird but that dude keep it funky like eight junkies. Wale good he just not with the right movement. u can’t b che guevara down w pablo escobar
To get respect you have to earn it, he knows this…Kendrick is very low key, and is not going around crying for major respect, but yet,he’s creating masterpieces. Kendrick’s been in the game 11 years and is finally getting his due. Some artists take 20 years or more just to gain 1 inch of notoriety, and some gain it almost instantly. Don’t know why that is but that’s how it is. Wale just has to wait his turn, and create something that will touch the world universally. We’ll see if his new album does this.
this my 4th album yo!!… My Fourth Album!!!
I’ma tell you why I’m madd. To Pimp a Butterfly, that shit was ai’ight but my shit is more John Blaze than that…shut up Wale
I never comment on here, but yo that might have been the funniest comment I’ve seen thus far on here in 10 years! Only those who know of D-Dot’s character “The Madd Rapper” will get it.
LMAO! “That Ready to Die was aight! It was aight!”
Nailed it…
Priceless
The thing is, those other artists he mentioned are humble, so they have more ‘likeability’ for lack of a better word. Wale is a nice MC, but he falls in the ever-growing category of rappers that have talent but have such unlikeable character that some people just don’t want to listen to them. Wale, Kanye West, Drake, Lil’ Wayne, etc. With all these guys it’s a weird feeling listening to them because on one hand it’s like “this dude is nice”, on the other hand, you don’t get a good ‘feeling’ listening to the music because you get the feeling that you’re supporting a douchebag. I think people speak more highly of guys like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, and Joey Badass, because those guys down talk DOWN to their listeners. The previous rappers I named, including Wale, act as if they’re in some exclusive snobby fraternity or some shit, and since you can’t afford the clothes and champagne they wear you can’t be down with them, so there’s a feeling of “fuck ya’ll, ya’ll ain’t my people”. On top of the fact that they act like whiny little bitches. They’re so used to having their ego massaged by each other in this era of every rapper being on each other’s dick, that as soon as they get anything that even remotely resembles negative critique they have a temper tantrum. Peace.
You nailed it!
Lol, Wale really bitching for attention huh. Hard work doesn’t make a good album. People like Kendrick don’t make obnoxious mainstream crap like “The Body” and base an album off a sitcom. I respect his hustle and like his music but this is just a blunt cry for fame that really is just childish and laughable.
For real! Demanding respect?! FOH Wale!
your signed to another mans label and its rick ross nobody gonna take you serious…
“I’m okay with people not liking my music but provide an intelligent reason for why you like or don’t like something or you’re a hater or a dick-rider.” Music blogs in a nutshell..
This guy just doesn’t have the actual skills to make proper, good music.
The problem is, your Album is not a s good as Kendrick or Esperanza’s… I was looking forward to it, but really, it’s on the low end of albums this year. Don’t be sour if your shit dont hit, just keep workin…
If yo shit don’t hit this time…get back in tha lab!!!
That’s what makes Wale corny because he’s demanding respect from the public?! STFU and let your music do the talking.
You all sound like children. Stupid children. The man made a thousand valid points, no one noticed. He asked for people to give an intelligent reason why his music was ass, you all missed that and still just bashed it like idiots. Every album he dropped had concepts, bars, and dope beats. Think for yourself. Stop being dick riders. You fuckin dick riders. Dick riders.
Yo he’s already bitching about an album that hasn’t even been released yet?! Wale is too full of himself. Let’s be honest this kid has female traits written all over him!
PS, most of your stupid comments he already responded to in the interview idiots. But this is the internet, the fuck did I expect?!?
He just needs to make better music. All that talking at the beginning of songs like he a poet. Shit is trash. He was a good before he got with MMG.
this man complains more than my ex. it sucks to be rich and at parties with katy perry you ass clown go cry somewhere else no1 download or buy this goofs album lol
this guy needs to stop bitching about recognition. if you aren’t getting the response you’d like, you obviously are doing something wrong. Stop blaming people for not liking your music; blame yourself for making music people don’t like.
Wale: “Recognize fool!!!”
Working hard does not necessarily make your ish a piece of art like TPAB. That’s what these rappers have misunderstood.
Spit in one hand and want in the other, see what one fills up first…
Have to earn respect fool… Block Knowledge 101.
‘Respect’?! You the idiot that’s putting out an ‘Album About Nothing’,
threatening COMPLEX Magazine because they didn’t feel you were Top 10 Artists/Albums of the Year (like you can TELL someone what they should think!), & signed, owned & pimped by the BIGGEST FRAUD in Hip Hop history, William ‘Officer Ricky – Fake Rick Ross’ Roberts?!@#!? ‘Respect’?! We have NONE of that for you!
How far must you go to gain respect? Ummmmmmm…
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha good one!!! He does have a fan base but I can’t get into his music cause his delivery is boring.
I like Wale, but he hasn’t yet put out an album that is anywhere near comparable to the three Kendrick has put out.
I’m sure he does work his ass off, but that doesn’t mean the end results will be as good.
This guys a real douche
How come
Cause u a cornball nigga. Your album concept is SEINFELD.
Wale is so bitchy.
Who is this ninja?? The Poland Squad Gang will run all up in this snitch and beat up Wale. My nizzle squeaky will keep Wale anytime in a lyrical battle, and Zeak will beat him up and down like a microwave machine. This snitch don’t know real music, ya heard!!! Master P was telling me last night to go in, so I’m going in like turtle juice on the freeway. Go cop my album snitches and get a life you goo’s.
This is the problem with Wale. He is more concerned about being accepted by the media than doing his part in the music industry which is making good music.
People like J.Cole fly under the radar when it comes to press and attention from mainstream media, but the man still moves units without all the attention. Kendrick Lamar doesn’t really get the media in a uproar like Drake but the man still pushes units, makes millions and the fans support him. Wale stop worrying about press and focus on satisfying your fans because press don’t write your checks, your fans do.
You cant ask for respect. Its earned or its not. Wale is a generic rapper that doesn’t get people excited in any way. Don’t beg for people to like you. If you make music worthy of the like of kendrick then you will draw the attention he does, but you don’t.
Why are some rappers so obsessed with people taking them seriously as artists? it’s really lame.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! GOOD LUCK WITH THAT YOU AVERAGE ASS NIGGA!!!
Sigh. Celebrities with low self-esteem; Low self-esteem about their level of celebrity nonetheless. The people who are respected aren’t the ones walking around sobbing about needing to be respected. The irony: You begging for respect is the reason people don’t respect you. Basically what you’re talking about on your album is truly nothing — The album about me talking about me being so weak that I need validation from my twitter followers. Words can’t even express how annoying this dude is sometimes. Just put dope music out bro.
Stop looking to appease these lames and put that frustration into songs with your culture in it Wale you sounding like a lost Nigerian king in America right now. Your country got extremists running around and the people just voted in a new gov’t who looking like food, but you on Jimmy Fallon with a bunch of materialistic broads singing yet another contrived song. Reread my text because that’s how real it gets. Bet a rack Kendrick would be tracking songs about Nigeria with Nigerian music and culture in it if he was from Nigeria Wale, THAT’S the difference.
Hit it right on the nail. Wale needs to be real with himself first. Respect is earned everywhere not just the rap industry.
Yo, what kind of artist ASKS for respect, you fucking JOKE! You have to EARN YOUR RESPECT IN THIS GAME. That’s great you been working hard and you feel like you’ve been working just as hard as the people that have received their “deserved respect”, but think about it, did any of them get where they are by ASKING, BEGGING for respect? NO. I have no respect for you as an artist because I hear more about you complaining about not being successful than actually earning the success that you feel that you deserve. Humble yourself, work hard, & if your time is meant to come, it will. JUST STOP COMPLAINING AND FOCUS ON WHAT APPARENTLY MATTERS TO YOU: THE FUCKING MUSIC. So tired of hearing this bitch ass fool complain, I haven’t heard ONE song he’s come out with in years. There’s a reason for that. It’s cause you a sore loser man. Nobody wanna fuck with you no more. You done fucked up. Start from scratch and try to change your bitch ass attitude and maybe you’ll gain more fans who actually have respect for you, enough respect for you to buy your music at least. But right now, theres not ONE Wale song that stands out to me in any way whatsoever. These artists that have the respect that you want so bad made music that stood out, that was catchy, that’s how they EARNED their respect. In my opinion you need to throw in the towel or shut the fuck up and get to work.
Lmao this nigga salty. My nigga first get some better beats, and try to be more creative homie.
Just a little bit….. Just a little bit!
nigga u might work as hard as them…but that doesn’t result in respect or the same amount of success they have u fuckin cornball lmao
wale a 30 year old man who still watches wrestling, just think about dat
Whats that suppose to mean?? Who cares? Do you watch Movies and watch ppl pretend to be cops and robbers or killers and Super heroes?? Wow a grown man watching ppl pretend things there’re not for entertainment. Shut the hell up ppl can like what they want. And wrestling has been a around for years and sets attendence records yearly for Wrestlemania so Eat dick hater. And as for Wale I’ve boughten 2 of your 4 albums and have not been impressed thats why I’m not a Fan aslo i met you and your a dick to your fans.
i would like to take back my thoughts on Meek Mills when he had his lil run in with Wale.. Now we all see who fault it really was.. its like this Wale, Kobe Bryant and Jalen Rose both, worked out hard as hell to stay in the NBA, its just that one dropped 81 and the other had to take it lmao hahahahaahahaahahaahhaahahahahaahahahaahahaahahahahah
Wale’s album is just as good……or better. We have people nowadays that really don’t feel music. They are with trends. That’s just all it is to it. Period.
Wale sounding like The Mad Rapper from Big’s kick in the door, “…this is my fourth album yo, this my fourth album I ain’t made a dime yet.”
Lmaoooooooooo
haha you beat me to it. Same context too. really though I feel he’s right in that he should have the same consideration as the others, which he doesn’t get.
That Pimp a Buttafly shit, it was cool, it was cool, I mean, it was cool- but my shit is more John blaze than that ynawmsayin? I I got John blaze shit, an an an an, niggas ain’t recognizin’ it, niggas ain’t recognizin’ it…
This dumb nigga is like the male Azelia Banks or something. Uhm, no shit…..everyone would like more respect, maybe get off your crybaby ass & make things happen you big baby crying like a 30yr old loser.
The saddest part about this whole thing is that he really DID work hard on TAAN and its STILL trash. And I really wanted to like this album too because I loved TMAN… And since you want a reason Wale, I’ll be happy to give it to you: The song concepts where half-assed, the song writing in general was average, you only bodied like one track imo (The Hellium Baloon), the rest of the lyrics are underwhelming, you only brought the go-go sound that made TMAN so dope back for the intro (everything else sounded like a half assed attemp to compete with Drake), you wasted a Cole feature that couldve saved the project, you STILL have way to many songs about bitches on here (most of which feel rigid and formulaic), the best thing about this album was jerry signfield’s words of wisdom… You want people to be like, ‘Your album’s just as good as Kendrick??? GTFO with that fuck shit… and I hope you see this too
“I want people to be like, ‘Your album’s just as good as Kendrick [Lamar]’s or Esperanza Spalding or Beck.’…” So basically he wants people 2 lie.
A life rule in general: Any man who has to ask for respect doesn’t deserve it.
Just make good music. Get good songwriters and producers to write hooks, make dope songs.
Make an album full of bangers
Management!
Co-sign. He ain’t got no winning formula. Work on dat shit then he MIGHT get some respect.
just because you work hard doesn’t mean you’re talented like kendrick.
He needs to stop complaining. Its a lot of ninjas that aint made it to where he is. He on the radio. He getting show money. He need to work on his music…every single he had that got some spins is about the same thing.
Haha, people would respect you if your CD didn’t suck. Make better music.
Sorry but hard work doesn’t always equate to success, especially in the music industry. You ain’t got the Juice bro.