Wale‘s The Album About Nothing is projected to sell more than 90,000 copies in its first week, which will earn the project the Number 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart. If the project tops the Billboard albums chart, it will mark Wale’s second Number 1 album. Two years, the rapper’s The Gifted entered the top of the charts, after selling over 150,000 copies in its debut week.
The Album About Nothing features guest appearances from J. Cole, Usher, SZA, Stokley Williams, and Jeremih. Three songs have been released from the album including the lead single, “The Body” featuring Jeremih. The single reached Number 17 on the US Hot Rap Songs chart, and Number 26 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. “The Matrimony” featuring Usher impacted the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart by debuting at Number 41, and the single has also sold an impressive 20,000 digital downloads. The music video for Wale’s most recent single, “The White Shoes,” just premiered a few days ago.
Wale stated that The Album About Nothing is his most personal and best project to date. One of the subjects the album addresses is the rapper’s struggle dealing with fame. “I love making music and I love my fans, but I don’t like being famous,” Wale revealed to MTV News. He added, “I don’t like the responsibility of having to acknowledge every person the way they want to be acknowledged.” Wale admits that meeting his fans gives him anxiety sometimes because every move he makes is scrutinized. “I get anxiety because somebody always feels like you didn’t give them the proper greeting, and that stuff has been a hindrance to me. Some people would come back and say ‘Wale was rude,'” the rapper stated to MTV. Wale continued, “Your every move, your every mannerism is being watched. To think about it, it makes me sweat and my heart beats fast. I’m under a microscope all the time.”
Over the recent years, Wale has been notorious for responding to media and fans who criticize him on social media. Most wonder why he would waste his time responding to the negativity, but Wale feels that sometimes the media and people on social media “hit below the belt.” Wale recalls when a blog mentioned he suffers from anxiety, and some people on Twitter were making jokes about his disorder. “Where’s the joke? I don’t understand how that could be funny. You get death threats daily, then you go the airport [and those same people] want autographs from you,” Wale stated.
The rapper said he’s trying his best to cope with fame, but he doubts he will ever get used to it. Wale revealed that he tried therapy in the past, but he feels the best solution for him is to address his issues with the people who love and support him.
FDRMX Eyes: Be-Boys is an electro-pop band based in Switzerland. The French duo has released a music video entitled “Je Dois Lui Dire.”
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