On Wednesday night (Feb. 25), Wale invited a curated list of media, industry figures, and the like to Tom’s Diner, a venue any longtime fan of Seinfeld will find familiar, to enjoy an early listen of The Album About Nothing.
Hosted by veteran journalist Elliott Wilson, Wale spoke candidly about what inspired each track on the album. Hit the jump to see 10 things we learned.
—
Photo: Renell Medrano
The Wale Show
First and foremost, this project is Wale’s most personal to date. So much so that there no one else raps on the project.
Seinfeld-isms
It’s one thing for Wale to say that conversations with legendary comedian Jerry Seinfeld affected the material on his album, but it’s another thing to hear it.
More Benjamins, Because Jackson….
Sample clearance issues are often the reason great songs are omitted from final tracklist. Luckily for Wale, Janet Jackson approved the “Go Deep” sample head on potential hit record “Girls On Drugs.”
Transparency
Wale says he wants this music to make him more transparent, decreasing any ambiguity and allowing him to answer less questions.
Time Capsule
Per the MMG rapper’s explanation, tracks on The Album About Nothing are essentially a time capsule of pinnacle moments he’s experienced throughout his career.
“The Middle Finger”
Above is the name of a track inspired by a conversation Wale had with Rick Ross after one of his famed Twitter beefs with haters.
MMG Is Where The Heart Is
Wale was very candid in crediting Rick Ross for discovering him, despite Mark Ronson giving him his first record deal at Interscope. And the reason you ask? Quite frankly, the rapper loves his creative freedom; in his words, a project like TAAN wound never happen under Ronson’s watch.
Fin.
TAAN is the curtain call of Wale’s “About Nothing” series.
Headphones Required
The Album About Nothing is layered with anecdotes, metaphors, and other jewels, as its clear that Wale put some deep thought into the music. That said, the listening session, while entertaining, didn’t do the album proper justice.
