"Mama told me everyday's like this, but I ain't never ever think there'd be a day like this..."

What I've been bumpinn

There's much debate that there's a set "freshman class" or "upcoming rapper" category in hip hop, and again there's much debate who's at the top of that list. I'm here to tell you that I recognize that Drake, Kid Cudi, and Wale are at the top of that list. I'd say that they're all equally at the top. But wait, there can only be one! I know right? So I'm going to base it off their freshman albums. I think its fair, because in all honesty, a strong debut album will secure your spot in history. Look at Nas' "Illmatic", Jay-Z' "Reasonable Doubt", and Kanye's "The College Dropout". Three very solid albums. Three very solid careers. Nuff Said.
A few posts ago i did a review on Kid Cudi's "Man on the Moon: The End of Days", and I'm back to do Wale's "Attention Deficit."



The first run through of the album made me go "wow." All of Wale's previous mixtapes were VERY good, and I think its fair to call "Attention Deficit" an ALBUM and not just a mixtape. It's that good. Sure, some tracks are very radio friendly, but it's not like Wale can't spit. Because there's no doubt that he can't. My favorites include "Mama Told Me", "World Tour", and "Beautiful Bliss". These however are not the ONLY good tracks on the album. The guest appearances were from a broad spectrum of artists. On one hand you've got Bun B and Marsha Ambrosius (Floetry). And then you've got up and coming artists J. Cole and K'naan. In all, the album is solid; it's a great mix of both radio hits and lyrical bliss.
Rating:

But hey, you gave that same rating for Kid Cudi's debut album. I'm going to say that Wale has a slight edge over Kid Cudi...just because at this day in age, lyricism isn't enough. Being a good MC isn't enough either. When you crossover into the mainstream, you have to attain a kind of widespread radio presence and public presence. Cudi did this with "Day N Nite", but with his latest album, the public is going to have to get used to his style. Wale crossed over with "Chillin", and soon with "Pretty Girls" and "Let it Loose". That's why I'm giving Wale the slight edge in terms of success in the music industry. As an artist, Wale is slightly better than Kid Cudi. Drake, when are you going to drop something? Your LP was full of old songs.