"You're not artistic, and you have no intergrity!" Jerry Seinfeld

 Sometimes I randomly come up with lines or songs that I think are post worthy. Other times I'm more intentional. I have a playlist that I drop post worthy songs into. The other day an early Wale song came on, and it reminded me of just how skilled of an MC he was is. Soon thereafter, my joy turned into disappointment, then sadness. While he has grown in terms of fame, notoriety, and finances, his overall craft has suffered. It's selfish, but I feel cheated of his talents. 
Wale crafts some of the dopest sports metaphors in rap so I am going to try and use one here. Billy Owens was a dominant college player, who's game just never developed once he made it to the NBA. Once Wale signed to a major label he regressed as an MC. 


I remember listening to Wale for the first time and I was incredibly impressed. He seemed to be a 5-tool player. He had flow, personality, sense of humor, infectious voice, and was versatile with his content. It was all there. His selection of beats had a Go-Go spirit infused with traditional hip-hop sounds.

I've blogged about it before but, I had been telling my man about him, and was psyched to go check him at the Rock the Bells tour. Two days before I was reading an interview with him in the Boston Phoenix. It was in that I learned that he signed a label deal with Universal Records. The reporter asked him if the signing would change him and or his music. What followed was a pretty convincing answer as to how he would maintain his artistic integrity. I hoped for the best, but my guttural instincts and history told me better. 

Fast forward to now and I dont want to spend anymore time lamenting what could have been and what could still be. I have read many articles on the topic and it does not make me feel any better. Good music does. So this is my last post about in the the "woulda, coulda shoulda" spirit. I am just going to honor and celebrate all of the terrific art that Mr. Folarin has created, and hope that he creates more. 

Below is a dope Wale song. Dope period (no qualifiers).