Tomorrow is the big day for DC rapper Wale who is preparing to release his fourth artist album The Album About Nothing. The album is Seinfeld themed — with Jerry Seinfeld getting an executive production credit on the album. The pair worked on the album together that is incredibly personal for Wale who discusses issues like his own depression, drug and alcohol use and miscarriage. He spoke to Billboard about these topics in a personal interview diving into the topics that "The Pessimist" rapper discusses on his album.
Wale reflects on his role in the music industry and why he sensitive towards comments made by anonymous people online about him and his work.
"You can say I'm sensitive, but music is why I live. Other people have kids or a strong woman in their lives; all I have is my music. I constantly work my ass off and I'm not in these magazines — all I can go by is the people and what they say. People ask, 'Why do you check social media comments?' But what else do I have, bro?"
He later says, "People say, 'You're such a bitch online.' That's all I have — my opportunity to connect with you. I didn't want to be the guy that everyone was like, 'He's got such a bad attitude.' But I've been through shit."
He explains the story behind his single with Usher "The Matrimony" that talks about a miscarriage.
"The girl I was with, we tried for a long time to have a child. And when she finally did [get pregnant], she miscarried at 10 or 11 weeks. I was visualizing my child's face. We gave it a name and everything."
Wale was in a dark place and used pills and alcohol as his means of escape, despite the fact that he has been a very successful rapper over the past several years as hateful comments kept on coming in.
"Just like there's a f*ckin' app for everything, there's a damn pill for everything. Or something you can pour in your glass. I was depressed not being where I wanna be in my career when I've put the work in. I wasn't sleeping. I was drinking all day and I didn't have anyone to go to. I couldn't fight it. Those are some of the demons I talk about on the album."
Read the full interview over at Billboard here.
