The Mixtape About Nothing is the fourth mixtape by American rapper Wale, released on May 30, 2008. It was mixed by Nick Catchdubs, and released as a collaboration with New York streetwear brand 10.Deep Clothing as a free download.[1]
| The Mixtape About Nothing | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Mixtape by | ||||
| Released | May 30, 2008 | |||
| Genre | Alternative hip hop | |||
| Length | 72:33 | |||
| Label | 10.Deep | |||
| Producer |
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| Wale chronology | ||||
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Theme
editWale was inspired by the show Seinfeld.[2][3] Wale claims he has "seen every episode".[4] The mixtape samples extensively from Seinfeld, and Wale peppers his raps with frequent reference to jokes and catch phrases from the series. Each track follows the series' naming conventions for episodes, formatting each title with the definitive article "The". In the track "The Kramer," Wale raps about use of the word "nigger," referring to the Michael Richards Laugh Factory incident, which Wale also attacks across the rest of the mixtape. Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who plays the character Elaine Benes in Seinfeld, appears on the mixtape.[5] In 2015, Wale collaborated with Jerry Seinfeld on an album called The Album About Nothing.[6]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Pitchfork Media | (8.4/10)[7] |
| Popmatters |   [8] |
| RapReviews | (8.5/10)[9] |
| The Skinny |   [10] |
| Slant Magazine | [11] |
| Robert Christgau |  [12] |
Upon its release, The Mixtape About Nothing has received favorable reviews from music critics. Arthur Gailes of RapReviews.com gave the album an 8.5 out of 10.
Track listing
editFrom "The Mixtape About Nothing".[1]
| # | Song | Time | Featured guest(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Opening Title Sequence" | 2:43 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 2 | "The Roots Song Wale Is On" | 1:37 | The Roots, Chrisette Michele | Questlove, James Poyser |
| 3 | "The Feature Heavy Song" | 3:37 | Bun B, Pusha T, Tre | Best Kept Secret |
| 4 | "The Freestyle (Roc Boys)" | 4:12 | Sean C & LV | |
| 5 | "The Perfect Plan" | 2:53 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 6 | "The Kramer" | 4:14 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 7 | "The Crazy" | 3:04 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 8 | "The Vacation from Ourselves" | 4:21 | Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Best Kept Secret |
| 9 | "The Remake of a Remake (All I Need)" | 3:00 | Tawiah | Mark Ronson |
| 10 | "The Grown Up" | 4:08 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 11 | "The Manipulation" | 4:16 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 12 | "The Artistic Integrity" | 3:22 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 13 | "The Star" | 5:53 | J Dilla, Questlove, Scott Storch | |
| 14 | "The Skit (Untz Untz)" | 2:21 | ||
| 15 | "The Cliche Lil Wayne Feature (It's the Remix Baby!)" | 3:59 | Lil Wayne | Osinachi |
| 16 | "The Bmore Club Slam" | 3:59 | Scottie B | |
| 17 | "The Chicago Falcon (Remix)" | 3:09 | The Budos Band | Mark Ronson, Eli Escobar |
| 18 | "The Hype" | 5:53 | Best Kept Secret | |
| 19 | "The End Credits" | 5:54 | Best Kept Secret |
References
edit- ^ a b 10.Deep Presents: Wale - The Mixtape About Nothing"
- ^ "URB Magazine: Urb Blogs". Archived from the original on 2008-05-26. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
- ^ The FADER - What's With Wale Rapping So Good?
- ^ "Wale reveals details of 'Seinfeld' mixtape | In the studio, Music | Hollywood Insider | EW.com". Archived from the original on 2008-03-05. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
- ^ Wale Gives the Street a Festivus Treat With Seinfeld-Inspired Mixtape : Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily
- ^ "Wale and Jerry Seinfeld Interview (2014 Cover Story) | Complex". Complex Networks.
- ^ Pitchfork Media review
- ^ Gaerig, Chris (August 14, 2008). "Wale: The Mixtape About Nothing". Popmatters. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ^ Gailes, Arthur (June 14, 2008). "Wale :: The Mixtape About Nothing :: myspace.com/wale202". RapReviews.com. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
- ^ Brown, Ally (June 27, 2008). "Wale – The Mixtape About Nothing". The Skinny. Radge Media. Retrieved March 2, 2015.
- ^ Slantmagazine review
- ^ Consumer Guide Wale Reviews