A quick-witted and diverse rapper able to deliver punch lines at breakneck speed, Washington, D.C.’s Wale debuted and then thrived in the underground mixtape world, releasing a handful of well-received full-lengths before working on his official major-label debut. It’s the reason why “Attention Deficit” had a cult following the day it arrived on shelves, but the unexpected advantage of this 21st century style of artist incubation is that the wide variety of producers (Mark Ronson, DJ Green Lantern, Cool & Dre, and others) and guest vocalists (Lady Gaga, Bun B, Gucci Mane, Pharrell, many more) are surprisingly in tune with this “newcomer”, all obviously aware of his post-Kanye, post-Wayne, alternative-meets-hardcore style. True to its title, the hyperactive album is filled with grand statements, provocative jokes, busy productions, and the obligatory shout out to the “Pretty Girls”.

by Mark Emge and Marijke van Niekerk