Considering this is Wale’s second album it almost has the feel of a first, considering the hype and anticipation around it and the extra attention in Wales’s direction thanks to signing with Maybach Music.
In a way it kind of is a debut album, because many of Wales fans are new to his music and slept on the first album, and only recently since the move to Maybach hot Wale on their radar. The move to Maybach stunned a few people and left many with questions about what may become of Wale and his type of music at the very street oriented Maybach Music.
Ambition immediately answers all questions about rather or not Maybach music would turn Wale into a thug rapper or would he stay true to his self and stay in the musical alternative rap lane.
For those concerned with any change and not being true to his self, Wale dismisses such claims immediately from the jump on Ambition. Wale proves that he is still him, and still does his brand of music. Its musical, grownup, alternative, two step, go-go influenced Wale music.
Lyrically ,tight, meaningful, heartfelt, versatile, and witty. You can tell someone that takes time with their craft, because his lines are crisp and well put together. His subject range, endless, he talks about some of everything so everyone can relate at some level, he never boxes himself or his listeners in with his verses and thats appreciated. He gets his highest marks for showing a variety of skills from poetic to street and for having a flow that demands attention. Wale literally proves he can rap over anything check "Slight Work" f/ Big Sean.
Sonically its very different, very musical as expected. But its not Kanye type of musical, its a good deal further left than even that. Overall its a niche market style of music, and his core fans will love it and its gone confuse newcomers and take some getting used to for the mainstream.But it gets high points for originality, because its so different from what you expect from a hip hop album, its no where near stereotypical or mundane.
Now on a smaller level the individual production of each song is alright, but it seems like too much of the same types of beats. So beats like the jazzy and poetic "Illest Bitch" and the street cinematic "Ambition" f/ Rick Ross, Meek Millz or the the very simple but effective "Legendary" serve as nice change ups and things a larger audience will gravitate to. If you are a big beat, heavy bass person, or funk type of person, you gone be hard pressed to find that type of production, the production goes in a different direction.
The entertainment level his high, but its the lyrics and the flow that do the shining, not so much the entire package. If you love listening to lyrics and flow you may run quite a few songs back a few times, but for just casual listening I don’t know how many times you’ll listen to it, Ambition is more like mood music. I hope it sells and I hope it encourages others to be more different and take risk with music and explore other options and styles. Its worth checking out even if just to be exposed to something out of the ordinary. It showed growth as an artist but it lacked a certain necessary balance, I give it 3 out of 6 stars.
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