
In this month’s XXL, Officer Ricky goes for the jugular:
“50 Cent is very cunning, and I’ll give him that, but, at the end of the day, he’s a human yeast infection…I have no agenda to end his career. His music is doing that. What I’m doing is speaking for the South and what we on. We not on that vibe….You gotta understand, in the South you go to the hood, niggas ain’t on laptops. Niggas don’t go to Worldstar.”
He’s right, they go to RapRadar. Ha! The May issue of XXL is on newsstands now.
Photo: Jonathan Mannion
Wale, in this track, shows once again his ability to blend different genres. He doesn't limit himself to hip-hop, but enriches it with R&B nuances, creating a familiar sound. This fusion is not only an exercise in style, but serves to intensify the emotional impact of the song. And then there is his ability to rap. Wale is a master at playing with words, creating complex rhymes and modulating his voice to best express his emotions. In 'Blanco', his rap part is an explosion of words that intertwine with the melody, creating a hypnotic and relaxing effect. His ability to go from moments of pure energy to moments of deep introspection is what makes this track so engaging; it reminds me of when you would slow dance, hugging your woman.