Those uninitiated might believe that Wale’s sophomore album released with MMG, Ambition, was his first album, but before signing with Rick Ross’ crew the 100 Miles & Running rapper had been experimental with his sound and was not risk averse when it came to his music. Now, with his third solo album in the pipeline, Wale says he wants a return to form and he will be trying out new sounds unlike his projects of late.
The D.C. native says he wants to prove to fans that he can do more than just rap over typical MMG style beats, and with his new LP he wants to have a complete album and not just some club bangers thrown together. In an interview with MTV, Wale says, “I just wanna show range. I've proven a lot to my peers and to myself and to my fans, so I just want to take it back to something a little bit more exciting, when the music was most exciting to me. I've been [busy with] my own stuff, doing Self Made and all of those things, and I haven't had an opportunity to stand on my own sonically as an artist.”
He’s already recorded nearly 40 tracks, and he has been creative with the sound, and realizes it may not be for everyone, but feels it’s the only way to grow as an artist. "I've got about 40 songs recorded... I can be like, 'I don't like the strings, I don't like the percussions, let's change the snare,' and I might be doing it myself, so it's a little bit different,” the MMG rapper adds, “It's risky, but without risks, you're just kicking a dead horse. I look at my albums differently than a lot of other artists. I really and truly believe in that body of work."
Fans who didn’t listen to his earlier stuff might be surprised by the sound, but Wale says his fans who have followed him from the beginning will really appreciate the album, “[New fans] are in for a rude awakening in this third go-round while a lot of my older fans are gonna be embracing it easily.”
