Attention:Deficit VS Before I Self Destruct

VS


SO THE LONG-AWAITED DAY IS HERE... WALE, WITH HIS FRESHMAN ALBUM, ATTENTION:DEFICIT, BACKED BY KANYE'S G.O.O.D. MUSIC LABEL, FACES OFF AGAINST RAP JUGGERNAUT, 50 CENT, WHO ALSO RELEASED HIS ALBUM TODAY, ENTITLED BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT.

SO WHO HAS THE BETTER ALBUM? I'LL GIVE A BREAKDOWN HERE:

AT A TIME WHEN ARTISTS (OR THEIR GHOSTWRITERS) ARE CUTTING THROUGH THE RIGMAROLE OF LONG-GESTATING PUBLICITY VIA TWITTER , WALE ANNOUNCED HIS NEW ALBUM TITLE VIA A PHOTO OF SHOES. THAT TYPE OF FRESHNESS PERVADED THE DC RAPPER’S TAKE ON AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS LIKE SEINFELD AND HIP-HOP’S ONE-UP CULTURE ON 2008’S THE MIXTAPE ABOUT NOTHING . HIS CLEVER SONIC HIJACKS GO GLOBAL WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT. WALE CLAIMS THE NEW ALBUM’S MONIKER IS IN REFERENCE TO A CRUMBLING MUSIC INDUSTRY THAT IS PRODUCING WHACK, DISPOSABLE TUNES: “NOBODY PAYS ATTENTION AND I’M TRYING TO CHANGE IT.” DESPITE THIS, FANS ARE DEFINITELY LENDING THEIR EARS TO THE ARTIST BORN AS OLUBOWALE VICTOR AKINTIMEHIN FOLARIN. DEFICIT FEATURES PRODUCTION FROM MARK RONSON, GLITCH MOB, AND DAVID SITEK. ASIDE FROM HIS POPULAR COLLABO-SINGLE CHILLIN' WITH LADY GAGA, 90210, TV IN THE RADIO, AND PRETTY GIRLS FEATURING GUCCI MANE, ARE FRESH TRACKS... MAYBE WALE'S GOT SOMETHING HERE WITH INCORPORATING DC-POPULAR GO-GO MUSIC.
RATING:

THE PRESSURE IS ON 50 CENT. AFTER LOSING A VERY PUBLIC SALES BATTLE WITH KANYE WEST, HE HAS PROMISED THAT BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT, HIS FOURTH STUDIO ALBUM, WILL REVOLUTIONIZE HIP-HOP, IT WILL BE THE CULMINATING STATEMENT OF THE FIRST PHASE OF HIS MUSIC CAREER, AND THAT IT IS A COMPANION PIECE TO HIS FIRST FEATURE DIRECTING EFFORT. 50 CENT HAS DESCRIBED BEFORE I SELF DESTRUCT AS “DARKER AND MORE AGGRESSIVE,” WITH FEWER GUEST APPEARANCES AND A CONCEPT THAT WILL SET THE NEXT PHASE OF HIS MUSICAL CAREER. “GET UP,” THE FIRST SINGLE FROM THE ALBUM, WAS PRODUCED BY SCOTT STORCH. LET ME JUST SAY THAT A COUPLE MORE GUEST APPEARANCES WOULD HAVE HELPED THI ALBUM. 50 CENT IS MY MAN, WITHOUT A DOUBT. I HAVE MAD RESPECT FOR THE JAMAICA-QUEENS RAPPER, BUT IT SEEMS THAT HE CAN’T REACH THE PINNACLE OF HIS RAP CAREER THAT HE ACHIEVED WITH GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN’. MOST OF THE ALBUM HAS LESS-THAN-“REVOLUTIONARY” BEATS AND IT SEEMS LIKE I’VE HEARD THESE SOME OF THE LYRICS BEFORE ON A COUPLE TRACKS. HOWEVER, 50 MASTER’S THE HIGH-PITCH-SAMPLE WITH “DO YOU THINK ABOUT ME”. FIRE TRACKS ARE ALSO PROVIDED BY DR. DRE – “DEATH TO MY ENEMIES”, “OK. YOU’RE RIGHT”, AND A SICK COLLABO WITH EMINIEM (“PSYCHO”). OVERALL, THIS IS A PRETTY ALRIGHT ALBUM.
RATING:

FINAL DECISION: WALE WINS ONE FOR DC, MARYLAND, AND VIRGINIA... AND MUSIC IN GENERAL.