LRG Presents...Wale & 9th Wonder - Back To The Feature

After initial impressions of his poppy work I wasn't a Wale fan. Don't get me wrong I'm a huge fan of D.C. artist's and the city in general, but "Nike Boots" never, ever got any play ova here. After bumpin' Wale's new mixtape "Back To The Feature" however, I might bebeginning to warm up to his musical chops a bit more. Now the cynical part of me attributes my sudden change of heart to the fact that this extensive new tape is mostly produced by 9th Wonder and lets face it, I'm a straight fiend for 9th's beats.....With further investigation though, I discovered I've been grossly unfair to the chocolate city scribe....

While I haven't fully dug into this tape the way I did "The Black Album" or anything, a pretty good once over reveals that Wale definitely has his moments on the mic. I would also venture as far as to say that a huge selling point for the release is the fact that it features Wale alongside a different guest MC(s) on every track (hence the title). It sort of comes off sounding like a new 9th Wonder compilation, which we all know is something the public is clamoring for. Smart business decision on Wale's part to recognize the high marketability of an effort like this and a producer like 9th, who's connections no doubt were heavily utilized to recruit this virtual all-star lineup of MC's....

Wale teaming with Joe Budden for "Tito Santana" probably will get the consensus nod as being the illest track on the whole tape, but before you co-sign ya boys when they allege that, be sure to peep the Mark Ronson produced heat rock "Pot Of Gold", that features Daniel Merriweather. Don't know about you guys, but that's the typa shit that I wanna hear Wale making.... While your likely to find yourself checking the tracklisting numerous times throughout your monitoring, trying in vain to figure out what MC is on what track, take note that Wale did also spotlight some lesser known, but just as capable talent in Duffy, Mike Posner, Kingpin Slim and Daniel Merriweather, so don't lose them in the shuffle of bigger names....

Another track that I'm sure will generate some chatter amongst friends and critics alike is "Nothing To Worry About", if for nothing else it's genre-blurring qualities that seem to be the vogue way to experiment in Hip-Hop nowadays...It wasn't my cup of tea, but I applaud Wale for trying out new musical progressions.....

"Back To The Feature" is my surprise pick of the month man.....really was impressed by the consistency here...and all while Wale is away in Turkey, apparently "preserving Hip-Hop" no less...(lol, listen to the tape and you'll get it).

Big time props has to go to 9th for always having such an open mind for who he works with....I admit fully that when I heard he was doing this tape with Wale I didn't exactly jump up and down, nor did I expect it to be this well done. So yeah, egg on my face and everyone else's who prematurely shoots down peculiar collaborations. For now Wale can bask in light of the fact that he's certainly changed more than a few minds about his creative wherewithal. Perhaps his long-range goals indeed are to some degree more euphonious and less monetary than I first estimated...no question they are here anyway.....

-BIG D O






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