Hipsters, ganstas, nerds, and late-afternoon TBS watchers can finally put down their weapons of cultural warfare and be at peace under the banner of one well-made mixtape. Wale (pronounced wah-lay) recently dropped his Mixtape About Nothing, borrowing from Seinfeld's concept of "a show about nothing." Fittingly, the mixtape begins with the signature bass notes we all identify with Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer. It also includes memorable clips from the show scattered throughout as well as a guest "appearance" by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (the real-life Elaine). Her stint is not-so-made-for-TV as she drops an F-bomb. Though the concept is loosely dedicated to Wale's love for Seinfeld, the mixtape is heavy and substantive and amounts to much more than "nothing." Pitchfork's Jayson Greene says, "His 'mixtape about nothing' is really a mixtape about almost everything, and with it Wale has produced one of the year's most improbable and inspiring successes." I agree. Wale tackles a broad range of issues far beyond the scope of drugs, sex, and violence with a grounded objectivity rarely found in the rap game today. Though Wale has been tagged the next Lupe Fiasco, I find him to be much less "preachy" and hyperbolic than Lupe. He spits his lines with much more reason, as if he chooses to interact with everyday people over stepping onto the soapbox.How much will you have to pay for a Mixtape About Nothing? Nothing, of course. It can be downloaded for free here. Enjoy.
- Joel
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