Review: "The Imperfect Storm" EP by Wale
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Wale, often known for his happy, upbeat, and poetic raps has recently switched up his tone a bit. His 2019 project, “Wow… That’s Crazy” focused a lot on the plight of black people. Now that the world has started to shine even more light on this plight, Wale felt it was the perfect time to release a project that addressed the topic more head on and in a unique way.
I believe that most will find themselves confused while listening to this for the very first time. If you don’t listen closely to the words, you may think that this project is supposed to be happy and fun. Wale uses upbeat, bouncy beats that almost make you want to dance. This is a stark contrast from the cover art which showcases a dark, empty street that is on fire.
I believe that Wale had two reasons for doing this. The first is that it shows irony. The second is that it’s a creative way to get people to hear the real issues without listening to extremely melancholy music.
In this short 18 minute project, Wale touches on topics that range from Covid-19, police brutality, needing to protect black women and how America treats people of color.
In the intro, “MOVIN’ DIFFERENT”, Wale raps over an upbeat dance beat about how in 2020, he’s having to watch the way he’s moving in order to avoid being killed. He also uses a skit to touch on how protesters have been getting attacked.
On the song “BLUE YELLOW GREEN PINK WHITE”, Wale raps over a beat that’s almost impossible not to dance to. “Blue, yellow, green, pink, white. I ain’t bout to judge a muhf*****, livin life”, he raps. A very creative way to teach the simple lesson that racism is ridiculous.
“JUNE 5th / QueenZnGodZ” is probably the track with the most serious beat and vibe. Wale touches on two serious topics. The first half of the track speaks on how he feels as a black man in America in 2020. The second half of the track is meant to edify black women and show that they’re appreciated despite how poorly they’re treated.
Wale adds skits throughout the project that shine light on the current state of America. This adds even more depth to the already heavy project. I believe that Wale deserves praise not only for speaking out, but for doing it in a creative way. He mentioned in the project that he wants to try and cheer people up. The beats that play behind these deep topics will do just that.