Imagine being able to package and sell ambition. You’d be the sole profiteer of the not-so-secret first step to success. Ideas as big as Google, Ford and Coca-Cola would become second-nature because of you. You might even get your own national holiday or perhaps a Nobel Prize.
In the case of sophomore standout rapper, Wale, props from his contemporaries and love from his fans will suffice -- oh, and a Grammy.
Ambition, his second album, is set to drop Nov. 1. However, that hasn’t kept some over-ambitious fans from already getting their hands on it. Earlier this week, the album leaked.
Wale posted snippets of each song on YouTube, and on Wednesday night, he gave New York a taste of the entire thing. The D.C. native played his album for a crowd at the Gansevoort Hotel in Chelsea.
A mix of music executives, bloggers and Hip-Hop heads crowded the room, vibing to the new sounds. Some of the tracks pay homage to the rapper’s DMV roots. Others, like “Miami Nights,” give a clear picture of the glamorous lifestyle he enjoys when visiting Rick Ross in South Beach.
Collaborations with Miguel, Lloyd and Ne-Yo yield a trio of smooth love songs. And on a track called “Legendary” the rapper states his claim for inclusion in the rare air of elite rappers.
Learn more about Wale and his some of his free upcoming concerts here.
