Album Review: The Gifted

The morning of June 24th brought a new day, along with a brand new album from DC rapper Wale. This is his 3rd studio album, following "Attention Deficit" and "Ambition". Personally, I feel like this time Wale has done it right (not that he hadn’t with the others). This one just feels fresh, and I truly can feel Wale’s emotion behind his rap. Let me break down some of the most memorable songs/parts from "The Gifted."

The first track of the album, "The Curse of the Gifted" really opens the mind of the person listening to let them experience what Wale is feeling. Lines like “I should be loving my accomplishments/But a brand new Maserati got me plotting on another hit/Success is like a never ending battle” really proves that in the game, people are always looking for more, thinking of the future, and never enjoying the moment. Hence the name, The Curse of the Gifted.

Wale then teams up with R&B artist Sam Dew to create one of the most catchy songs of the album, "LoveHate Thing". It is just one of those feel-good songs. Sam Dew provides the smooth chorus, while Wale gives it his all with his killer rap, earning it the title of my favorite song of the album. 

The next memorable track from “The Gifted”, has Wale teaming up with two of the rap industry’s greatest, Juicy J. and Nicki Minaj for “Clappers”. First time hearing this blew my mind. It’s the type of track that has that strip club feel, and definitely deserves to be on the playlist at your next party. See the Behind the Scenes video Nicki released for the song below.

The last song from the album I want to talk about goes by the name of “Bad” and features RnB singer Tiara Thomas. This track basically, well, describes how hard it is for Wale to find the right girl. I can assure you that you will walk away from listening still singing it in your head. Wale also provides a remixed version with Rihanna, respectively.

The Verdict: I really like Wale’s "The Gifted". I feel like he has gotten to the point in his career where he can really rap about whatever he wants, and not have to worry about what the critics say. Some of the songs on the album really describe his life and his struggles, while others seem like they are meant mostly for the club, like Clappers (not that it’s necessarily a bad thing). Although, when it comes to that, its like everyone else in the rap game. It seems that it is almost impossible to write a club song with a meaning other than sex. The only thing is that, while I do like the message behind some of the songs, I feel like some of them try to get pity for himself for having a rough life.

In my opinion, this album deserves 8 out of 10 stars.

Overall, I say go out and buy it. You won’t regret it.