Wow… That’s Crazy sees Wale at his sharpest, making the few misfires all the more frustrating
After spending the last year and a half releasing a handful of well-received EPs, Wale has finally delivered his sixth studio album. Wow… That’s Crazy explores the many facets of the D.C. rapper’s personality, and a variety of topics. While this is one of the project’s strengths, it leads to some very out-of-place moments that keep it from being great.
This album is at its best when showcasing Wale’s poetic lyrics and smooth delivery over lush, layered instrumentals. The 6lack-assisted “Expectations” is a perfect example of this. On this song, Wale speaks on his struggles with expectations, as well as the pressure women face being expected to fit certain beauty standards. On “Set You Free” Wale dissects his own lack of self-love, and its effects on his relationships and mental state, featuring a beautiful vocal performance from R&B legend Kelly Price.
Unfortunately, the album strays away from these moments of maturity and reflection, opting instead for generic, formulaic bangers. “Routine” featuring Meek Mill and Rick Ross follows a run of smooth, R&B-infused songs, making immediately apparent that it doesn’t fit in there. The closer “Poledancer” featuring Megan Thee Stallion is so far removed from the vast majority of the tracks, both sonically and thematically, that it causes the project to end on a sour note.
Overall, Wow… That’s Crazy, is a solid body of work, with a mostly consistent sound and mature content throughout. Unfortunately, a few unnecessary and inconsistent songs keep the album from being as great as it could have been.
7/10
Trial Track: “Expectations”
Star Bar:
“Self-loathing is my addiction amongst
Other things I don’t mention ’cause you be itchin’ to judge
It’s love, it’s overrated and underrated because
It seem like a placebo when it be done” (Wale on “Set You Free”)
