new car technology: Wale's Journey From Attention Deficit To Ambition

Friday, November 4, 2011

Wale's Journey From Attention Deficit To Ambition

'I had to redefine the hustle. I had to put it all into it,' MC tells 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Wale
Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV News

Ambition may only be Wale's second album, but his latest release has him feeling like a new man. When he appeared on Wednesday's "RapFix Live," the D.C. rapper explained the difference between his new Maybach Music album, distributed by Warner Bros., and his 2009 Allido/Interscope Records debut, Attention Deficit.

"My mental state, just being around my friends [for] this album and being happier," Wale said of the chief differences. "I can call anybody at Warner Bros. whenever I want at any given time; from [the] president to A&R to the mailroom, I can call 'em."

Aside from the support that he gets from his parent label, Wale is also reenergized thanks to the love he gets from his MMG fam. "That's a lot, that reassurance that your team really believes in you. I could talk to Gucci Pucci or Rozay or [Roc Nation's] Rich [Kleinman], or everybody that I have in my life in business at any time."

With Attention Deficit, Wale established himself with radio records like "Pretty Girls" and the Lady Gaga-assisted "Chillin'," but the album was a considerable commercial failure. For his second go-round, the MC has taken all that he learned and applied it to what he has consistently referred to as a classic body of work in Ambition. "I paid a certain amount of dues in the game, with radio and all that stuff, I understand a lot of that. I understand how to make that all work in a day. Hopefully the results will show," he said.

It's more than having a developed business sense, however. Wale claims to now be working harder than ever. He no longer holds on to the spoils of the game and doesn't even have a home to call his own anymore.

"I sacrifice everything. I got rid of my crib; I don't live anywhere right now. Right now, technically, I don't live anywhere," he said. "I had to redefine the hustle. I had to put it all into it."

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