Rolling Stone Blasts ‘Attention Deficit’

Written by Rizoh. Posted in Gumbo

Published on October 07, 2009 with 24 Comments">24 Comments

AttentionDeficit

I haven’t heard Wale’s Attention Deficit yet. However, if the early verdict is anything to go by, the man who gave us 2008′s best mixtape may be in for a long winter. Peep Rolling Stone‘s take on the eagerly awaited album.


There’s nothing admirably weird on his debut. Wale instead fashions himself Kanye East, a mix of aspiration and anger, given to jazzy moralizing a la the Roots yet not above tapping Lady Gaga for the single “Chillin.” “Everybody’s on me like the ‘A Milli’ beat,” he boasts while blasting phony stuff like implants and reality shows on “TV in the Radio.” The darker moments like “Contemplate,” where he explores insecurity against an elegiac Rihanna sample, prove he’s best as a doubter, not a hater. – Jon Dolan (Rating: 3)

Well, hey, at least he got an XL from XXL.

Rizoh

Rizoh is the most powerful man in all the lands. He lives in Houston where he earned a BS in Nerf Herding. He's the founder of The Rap Up, the editor of Roc4Life.com, and is in the Grammy-awaiting band Pervertable Disciples.

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  • Ivan

    I never use RS as a litmus for rap reviews, but the writer may have a point here. I haven’t been blown away by Wale thus far; I don’t understand the hype.

    Still, I’ve gotta listen to the album to be sure.

  • Ivan

    I never use RS as a litmus for rap reviews, but the writer may have a point here. I haven’t been blown away by Wale thus far; I don’t understand the hype.

    Still, I’ve gotta listen to the album to be sure.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/profile/Rizoh Rizoh

    eh, i’m withholding my judgment until the album drops.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/profile/Rizoh Rizoh

    eh, i’m withholding my judgment until the album drops.

  • Q

    Most hip-hop reviews have been solid in Rolling Stone for at least the last decade. All those people writing hip-hop reviews and features for Rolling Stone are the same ones writing features for XXL, The Source, VIBE, etc. Jon Caramanica, Toure’, Jeff Chang come to mind. So Rolling Stone’s hip-hop coverage shouldn’t be dismissed so quickliy.

    Not familiar with Jon Dolan though. But I’ve always thought Wale’ was average and never understood why people hyped him so much.

  • Q

    Most hip-hop reviews have been solid in Rolling Stone for at least the last decade. All those people writing hip-hop reviews and features for Rolling Stone are the same ones writing features for XXL, The Source, VIBE, etc. Jon Caramanica, Toure’, Jeff Chang come to mind. So Rolling Stone’s hip-hop coverage shouldn’t be dismissed so quickliy.

    Not familiar with Jon Dolan though. But I’ve always thought Wale’ was average and never understood why people hyped him so much.

  • Da

    2008′s best mixtape? are you serious?

  • Da

    2008′s best mixtape? are you serious?

  • ATI

    The Mixtape About Nothing was easily the best mixtape of ’08.

    And in the case of Rolling Stone, there are MANY reasons to discredit them, starting with their consistent lack of insight about the albums they review, their reluctance to praise hip-hop albums that are not already acclaimed by less commercialized sources, and their generally poor scoring ratings when it comes to hip-hop albums.

    And this has nothing to do with the fact that they didn’t like Wale’s album, I haven’t been thrilled bv the material I’ve heard either.

  • ATI

    The Mixtape About Nothing was easily the best mixtape of ’08.

    And in the case of Rolling Stone, there are MANY reasons to discredit them, starting with their consistent lack of insight about the albums they review, their reluctance to praise hip-hop albums that are not already acclaimed by less commercialized sources, and their generally poor scoring ratings when it comes to hip-hop albums.

    And this has nothing to do with the fact that they didn’t like Wale’s album, I haven’t been thrilled bv the material I’ve heard either.

  • ignite mindz

    they gave little brothers Getback a 2 or something crazy like that. It was at least a 4. Wale is good, not amazing but good.

  • ignite mindz

    they gave little brothers Getback a 2 or something crazy like that. It was at least a 4. Wale is good, not amazing but good.

  • J to the AAP

    “2008’s best mixtape? are you serious?”

    Hell to the yes.

    *Cues George Clooney’s Nespresso Commercial*

    “What Else?”

  • J to the AAP

    “2008’s best mixtape? are you serious?”

    Hell to the yes.

    *Cues George Clooney’s Nespresso Commercial*

    “What Else?”

  • me

    i think clipses road til the casket drops was the best by far

  • me

    i think clipses road til the casket drops was the best by far

  • fiasco

    BP3 got a 3 as well…

  • fiasco

    BP3 got a 3 as well…

  • Tiffany

    Never rely on RS for a source of reviews, it’s like asking your great-grandma to review an album for you and she’s deaf.

  • Tiffany

    Never rely on RS for a source of reviews, it’s like asking your great-grandma to review an album for you and she’s deaf.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/xn/detail/u_2zyfwzd7nwlw3 Illmatic620

    Rolling Stone rates very hard, they gave Arcade Fire’s debut a 4/5 in one issue then when the hype built for it by the end of the year they were calling it the best indie rock album in a decade…

    “Mixtape about Nothing” was classic, I liked his mixtape with 9th wonder too, I really dont care if this album is a flop.

  • http://my.rawkus.com/xn/detail/u_2zyfwzd7nwlw3 Illmatic620

    Rolling Stone rates very hard, they gave Arcade Fire’s debut a 4/5 in one issue then when the hype built for it by the end of the year they were calling it the best indie rock album in a decade…

    “Mixtape about Nothing” was classic, I liked his mixtape with 9th wonder too, I really dont care if this album is a flop.

  • Shannon B.

    I will definitely withhold judgment until I hear Wale’s album. It does sound like a miss for RS. They trashed Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, then had to eat their words in a later article.
    Their overall music and cultural coverage is superior to must, but hip-hop album reviews have always been a weak link in their armor.

  • Shannon B.

    I will definitely withhold judgment until I hear Wale’s album. It does sound like a miss for RS. They trashed Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, then had to eat their words in a later article.
    Their overall music and cultural coverage is superior to must, but hip-hop album reviews have always been a weak link in their armor.