15.
Wale
The Album About Nothing
Producers: DJ Dahi, Jake One, Soundz, No Credit, Best Kept Secret
MMG/Atlantic
The knock on Wale has always been he saves his best material and concepts for his mixtapes. On his fourth LP he sets out to dispel that notion. He brings to life the third installment of his About Nothing trilogy (Mixtape About Nothing, More About Nothing) his way of commemorating his Seinfeld obsession, with none other than Jerry Seinfeld himself. The legendary actor and comedian joined Wale in studio for much of The Album About Nothing process, recording intros and anecdotes for the DMV rapper, which he turned into some of the most deeply personal music he’s made in his career. The pop efforts were there, be it the Usher-assisted “The Matrimony” or the Jeremih-featured R. Kelly remake, “The Body,” but rather than be the sonic focus, they were the departure from the message Wale was really trying to get across, which was embedded in records like “The White Shoes” or “The Helium Balloon.” That compromise afforded him the best album of his career.
