The internet is ablaze today after streamer Kai Cenat snubbed Wale at the BET Awards and mispronounced his name “Wally” before being corrected by his fans. It’s a silly thing of course but also shows just how quickly your time in the sun can come and go. So inevitably I decided to take a bit of a trip down memory lane and take Wale’s The Gifted for a spin this afternoon. I played the absolute hell out of “LoveHate Thing” when it first came out in 2013, almost religiously. The introspective lyricism combined with poetic flair and a whole helluva lot of soul was a perfect mix for me at the time. It sounds just as great today. Wale has always had a really great blend of old-school cool mixed with contemporary hooks, and The Gifted certainly threads that needle.
Standout Songs: “LoveHate Things”, “Golden Salvation (Jesus Piece)”, “Bad (feat. Rihanna)”, “Rotation”
