WALE

Few rap artists have been as versatile for as long as Wale. Since unloading his breakout project, 2008’s A Mixtape About Nothing, the DC rhymer has helped permanently collapse the worlds of backpack rap and the Billboard Hot 100, packaging spurts of striking social commentary with braggadocious bars, Seinfeld-indebted irony, and anthemic tales of romance and aspiration. In the process, he earned Platinum and Gold plaques while establishing himself as the one of most accomplished MCs the DMV’s ever produced. And he’s still pushing forward with his newest album, Folarin II, a sequel to 2012’s fan-favorite mixtape Folarin. With its kaleidoscopic blend of fly-guy theme songs, infectious R&B collaborations, and genuine soul-searching, the record reaffirms his status as one of rap’s most innovative, exciting, and enduring curators.