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Jun 28, 2013The Gifted is a horribly disjointed album. If Wale would have gone one way or the other (soulful nostalgic beats or straight up pop-rap), the album would probably be at least a little bit better.
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Jun 25, 2013Names like Just Blaze, Lee Majors, Cardiak, and No Credit supply the beats for this more mature/still flashy release, all of it adding up to Wale's win number three.
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Jul 2, 2013Those expecting Wale to finally take his game to the next level will have to wait as his third record is inconsistent and mostly forgettable.
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Jul 2, 2013The problem is, Wale isn’t at the top, he’s simply borrowing that swagger from the A-list guests that decorate The Gifted.
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Jun 27, 2013The Gifted is a collection of tracks from an unarguably talented emcee, but the point at which a collection of music becomes an album, a singular work with a focus and unity strong enough to truly make an impact, Wale still hasn’t reached that point.... In the meantime, we’re left with a quality album.
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Jun 26, 2013While Wale remains fairly proficient throughout, that clever, memorable wordplay of old is what's most notably absent from this session, and that's a shame.
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Jun 25, 2013While not without its flaws (the “Bad” remix was unnecessary, and probably done simply for the big name feature), those questioning the direction Wale was going post MMG affiliation will more than likely be pleased with The Gifted.
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Jun 27, 2013He’s a competent emcee, especially when speaking about the struggles of young African Americans, but he’s in need of a good producer to rein him in.
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Jun 27, 2013The music on The Gifted sounds fantastic, with intricately arranged keys and strings, stacks of soul and gospel-inspired backup vocals, and deep, rubbery bass lines. The problem is that Wale and his team made a really decent soul rap album without a rapper soulful enough to carry it.
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Jun 25, 2013With no big time faux pas to be found,The Gifted is an extraordinary ‘gift’ to any hip-hop collection.
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Jun 26, 2013I'm not saying Wale is Jay-Z yet--and it's not certain he ever will be--because a Shawn Carter only comes along once in a generation. What I do see on The Gifted though is that potential.
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Jun 25, 2013With The Gifted, his second album for Maybach Music Group, Wale continues to struggle to define himself, which proves even more difficult on a label dominated by broad caricatures.
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Jun 27, 2013The beats are good. The hooks are memorable, if often corny.... [But] Gone is the sense of humor, fearlessness, and willingness to subvert clichés that he flexed on his generally impressive mixtapes.
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Jul 2, 2013Whatever survived of the brain behind Mixtape About Nothing has been permanently atrophied by luxury and laziness. At least the crisp, live-band production, a carryover from Ambition, remains a treat.
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Jun 25, 2013Matching his lyrical abilities with polished production and radio-ready hooks, The Gifted sees Wale inching towards hip-hop’s upper echelon, while still exhibiting the hunger of a young MC on the rise.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 29 out of 47
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Mixed: 14 out of 47
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Negative: 4 out of 47
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Jun 25, 2013
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Jun 25, 2013
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Jun 25, 2013