Chris DeLine

After breaking out with last year’s Seinfeld-themed Mixtape About Nothing, Wale continued to stomp on the scene with the undeniably tight single “Nike Boots.”* Coming back this year with the glossy sounds of his first full length studio release, Attention Deficit, Wale is primed to bridge the gap between mainstream and backpack rap. Aside from “Boots,” the Cool & Dre produced “Chillin’” comes as the first taste from the new album, and quite the taste it is. On the surface a Lady Gaga collaboration seems like an odd pairing for the MC, but her “Macarena”-meets-M.I.A. groove mixed with a thumping beat goes a long way in enhancing the song (no matter how ridiculous the description might sound). Toss in a sample of Steam’s “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” for good measure and “Chillin’” might very well be the best single of the year from a song built on a shaky premise.

[This post was first published by Culture Bully.]