Walé - The Mixtape About Nothing

Rating: 8.9

Release Date: May 30, 2008
Label: Self-Released

At the beginning of the “Perfect Plan”, an audio clip of Jerry Seinfeld is heard saying “It’s the perfect plan. So inspired - so devious - yet, so simple!” with George Costanza smuggly recountering “This is what I do”. This is kind of how this mixtape works. We all stand back in awe like Jerry, while Walé basks in his own accidental genius, very much like George himself, only with a higher success rate.
Inspired? Oh yeah. As Lil Wayne predicted, 2008 was a year-long drought for rap music, sans Weezy’s own effort. Tracks from Tha Carter III monopolized the radiowaves all year long like he was Microsoft in the 90s. When Walé came out with this one, it was almost completely ignored until the end of the year. The beats and production are so crazy and the lyrics are fresh to death.
Devious? Well, on the topic of lyrics, TMAN could very well be seen as a practice in overanalysis. With it’s theme revolving around the sitcom Seinfeld, Walé managed to come up with one of the greatest concept albums in hip-hop history ever. Looking beyond the nothingness of each episode and their topics, he seems to read them as an outward commentary on society. Well at least that’s how he incorporates them into his raps. He uses Seinfeld as a never-ending allegory for hip-hop. Whether it be talking about self-loathing racism (“The Kramer”), the decline of the industry (aforementioned “The Perfect Plan”), selling out (“The Artistic Integrity”), and even (un)intentional parody of Lil Wayne’s 2008 throne (aptly titled “The Cliché Lil Wayne Feature”).
Yet, so simple. At 73-minutes, The Mixtape About Nothing never outstays it’s welcome, and for an album so full of surprises, the biggest surprise is definitely it’s replayability factor (well except for the Julia-Louis Dreyfus cameo, but what’re you gonna do?). While exploring every nook and cranny of the hip-hop pond while it was drained due to drought, Walé made a mixtape that’s not just a hypemaker for his upcoming official debut, he made a full-fledged album, the best hip-hop album of last year, in fact.