DC, stand up! REVOLT ranks Wale’s albums from worst to best

Jon Powell
·5 min read

If there's anyone deserving of Washington, D.C.'s GOAT title, it's Wale. Local legends aside, the veteran rapper was a major factor in the U.S. capital's status as an official Hip Hop hub, placing it alongside larger cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Wale's treasure trove of LPs, mixtapes, and featured appearances have long solidified him as a true giant of his city and the culture.

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Following well-received projects like Paint A Picture and Hate Is The New Love, Wale made his major label introduction with Attention Deficit. He would eventually join Floridian talent Rick Ross as part of the Maybach Music collective, during which he made serious waves on the charts with No. 1 albums and gold and platinum plaques.

In addition to his own success, Wale contributed his talents to other notable artists like Miguel, Juicy J, and Waka Flocka Flame, the last of whom went diamond with his DMV peer on the wildly successful "No Hands." He also tapped into his African roots via notable collaborations alongside the likes of ODUMODUBLVCK, Wizkid, Davido, and Olamide.

REVOLT ranked Wale's catalog to see how each album compares. See below!

7. Shine

https://tidal.com/browse/album/73251957

Wale’s fifth studio LP was arguably his most experimental. Partly inspired by the birth of his daughter, Zyla Moon, the 14-song LP was full of uplifting, celebratory vibes on standouts like “My PYT,” “My Love,” and “Fine Girl.” Assists from Major Lazer, Dua Lipa, J Balvin, and Davido helped to give the album a more genre-bending, international feel than other releases. Collaborations with the likes of Lil Wayne, Travis Scott, and Chris Brown added to the well-rounded effort.

"We all need a reason to smile, so hopefully this Shine album could be somebody's reason to,” Wale told iHeart at the time. “There are a lot of positive feelings that I'm trying radiate on this.”

6. Folarin II

https://tidal.com/browse/album/201832472

Like The Album About Nothing, Folarin II revisited one of Wale’s timeless mixtapes while also providing fans an update on where his life and career stood at the time of its release. Elements from D.C. oozed throughout the 15-track LP – beginning with the intro “New Balances.” Singles like “Poke It Out,” a reunion with J. Cole, “Angles” with Chris Brown, and the Yella Beezy and Maxo Kream-assisted “Down South” continued Wale’s penchant for delivering a gumbo of different vibes on a full-length offering.

5. Attention Deficit

https://tidal.com/browse/album/3164657

Attention Deficit was Wale’s official debut LP and formal introduction into the commercial realm. The project was led by the Lady Gaga-assisted “Chillin,” a mix of the DMV talent’s own stylings and the kind of pop-esque influences found on terrestrial radio and MTV at the time. Cuts like “Let It Loose” with Pharrell, “Shades” with Chrisette Michele (an amazing song about growing up with dark skin), and “Beautiful Bliss” with Melanie Fiona and J. Cole showcased Wale’s versatility. Being his first album, it only made sense for him to rep his hometown with “Pretty Girls,” a collaboration with Gucci Mane that sampled a go-go classic and featured the iconic Backyard Band.

4. Wow... That’s Crazy

https://tidal.com/browse/album/119490489

For some, Wow... That’s Crazy represented Wale’s critical and commercial redemption following the polarizing Shine. As he explained to Variety, the 15-song effort was his “most personal project to date.” “It’s unapologetically Black, but it’s also a healing [album],” he added.

Songs like the Bryson Tiller-assisted "Love... (Her Fault),” "Love Me Nina/Semiautomatic," and "Expectations" with 6LACK explored themes of mental health, broken relationships, and Wale’s own personal experiences as a Black man in America. Wow... That’s Crazy wasn’t without the party cuts, with the biggest example being the infectious “Poledancer,” a collaboration alongside then-rising star Megan Thee Stallion.

3. The Gifted

https://tidal.com/browse/album/20899246

Fresh off the massive success of Ambition, Wale returned to the studio to craft The Gifted, a 16-song offering with a wealth of assists from the likes of Meek Mill, CeeLo Green, 2 Chainz, and Rihanna, the last of whom hopped on a remix of the triple-platinum smash hit “Bad.” As a reminder of his background, fans were treated to a haymaker titled “Clappers,” a go-go-inspired drop with A-list firepower in the form of Nicki Minaj and Juicy J.

Overall, the cohesive effort scored Wale his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and a gold certification, effectively solidifying his place at the forefront of his generation.

2. The Album About Nothing

https://tidal.com/browse/album/68604630

Before his first LP entered the atmosphere, Wale amazed fans with The Mixtape About Nothing, a creative concept that merged his special brand of Hip Hop with themes from the seminal television series “Seinfeld.”

For his fourth body of work, not only did he return to that concept from a fresh angle, but he also got thee Jerry Seinfeld to join in on the project’s creation. The result was an exceptional sequel of sorts that landed Wale the second Billboard 200 No. 1 of his career.

1. Ambition

https://tidal.com/browse/album/10182268

While Attention Deficit was the major label introduction, its follow-up, Ambition, was the crowning declaration. With Maybach Music Group providing extra support, the sophomore release is largely considered to be Wale’s hardest-hitting body of work.

Songs like the booming “Chain Music” and the go-go-focused “Bait” kept bodies moving in the clubs while “Legendary,” “No Days Off,” and the Rick Ross and Meek Mill-assisted title track served as inspiration for anyone looking to follow in Wale’s footsteps. The most notable cut on Ambition was the undeniable hit “Lotus Flower Bomb,” a collaboration with Miguel that peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and earned a double-platinum certification.

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