Washington, D.C., is ecstatic. After years without any representation, there’s finally a black man running the city. His swagger is impeccable. His sense of style is on point. His way with words is captivating. His African roots give him universal appeal. We are, or course, referring to the hip-hop game and not the presidency. He’s the people’s champ and his name is Olubowale Folarin, but you can just call him Wale.

Much like President Obama’s rise to power, Wale had to put in a lot of legwork to become the Capital’s first nationally celebrated MC. The 24-year-old’s push actually kicked off back in 2006, when his go-go–fueled track “Dig Dug (Shake It)” got regular radio play in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia areas. That led to the release of two well-received mixtapes—Paint a Picture and Hate Is the New Love—and DJ/producer Mark Ronson signing on as Wale’s running mate. The joint ticket went on to rally more public support with “W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.,” off Wale’s 2007 mixtape, 100 Miles & Running. The record’s success earned the rapper a major-label endorsement from Interscope in 2008, and paved the way for Wale’s inaugural album, Attention: Deficit.

Aside from a few head-scratchin’ lines throughout some songs and his narcissistic tendency to say his own name ad nauseam, Wale creates an impressive body of work for his first term in office. Not only does he stock his cabinet with a diverse list of musical advisers, ranging from DJ Green Lantern to rock band TV on the Radio’s David Sitek, he tackles key issues like education (“Be Right”) and suicide (“Contemplate”) head-on. With hip-hop continuing to take a creative downturn, Attention: Deficit is a long-overdue stimulus package. On the robust “Triumph,” Wale makes one resounding promise to his rap constituency: “I ain’t tryna be politically correct/But I won’t stop until I get my respect.” Finally it appears that through witty lines and worthwhile subject matter, a new sense ‘Hope’ and ‘Change’ have been brought to the nation’s hip-hop game.

Beautiful Bliss ft. J. Cole & Melanie Fiona

Contemplate ft. Rihanna

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