Marsha Ambrosius 'Late Nights & Early Mornings' Washington D.C. Listening Session

DTLR and Unruly conducted a listening session with Marsha Ambrosius and previewing tracks for her upcoming album. Legendary producer and hip hop purveyor Busy Bee make a short appearance.

Marsha Ambrosius Late Nights & Early Mornings on J- Records arrives March 1st!

Little Brother Perform Live In DC

Little Brother performed live at the Black Cat in Washington DC on their Farewell Tour Friday May 14 promoting Leftback.

Little Brother Farewell Tour Dates:
Wed May 19 - Chicago, IL at the Double Door
Wed May 26 - San Diego, CA at 4th And B
Thu May 27 - West Hollywood, CA at the Key Club
Fri May 28 - San Francisco, CA at The Independent

Little Brother Left Back on Hall of Justus in stores and online now!

(video courtesy of S-Roc)

The Roots With John Legend, Sting & Others At Earth Day Climate Rally In Washington DC

via The Washington Post

Sting, Mavis Staples, the Roots -- some big stars came to Washington to perform at Sunday's (April 25) Earth Day Climate Rally on the National Mall. But there was one unexpected surprise guest. Ladies and gentlemen, the sun!

It punched holes through the overcast early in the day -- a welcome change for an annual concert that's been particularly soggy in recent years. Last year's event was gray and drippy, and 2008's concert was thunderstormed out before the Roots, who were headlining, could even walk onstage.

Mother Nature must have gotten the memo that this year's awareness-raising, free-admission concert, organized by the Earth Day Network, marked the 40th anniversary of the environmentalist event. Tens of thousands gathered on the grounds between the Capitol and the Washington Monument to hear activists, celebrities and Congress-folk speak about the importance of renewable energy, green jobs and shrinking carbon footprints.

Oh, and there was some music, too. The Roots, the great hip-hop group that recently, finally earned household-name status as the house band on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," made a triumphant return to the Mall, scheduled to back performances from Sting, John Legend and a slew of others.



Sting was one of many of Sunday's high-profile performers.

They took the stage late in the afternoon, propelled by Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson's firecracker drumming and Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter's dexterous rhymes. But their set ended rather unceremoniously when the sound system blew out.



Once organizers resuscitated the P.A., the Roots returned with Staples, the great soul-gospel singer, in tow. After that came Fall Out Boy singer Patrick Stump, who crooned Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now." As surprising as this transformation from emo-dude to blue-eyed soulman: Stump has slimmed down into quite the trim Fall Out Man.

Up next, micro-performances from the inimitable Booker T, the intolerable Joss Stone and Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead -- the Roots playing it cool throughout.

Read the rest of the article here:
Washington Post - Earth Day's moment in the sun

Photo links from the Earth Day Climate Rally concert with Sting, The Roots, John Legend, Jimmy Cliff and others in Washington D.C.:
Washington Post
Getty Images
Wire Image
Film Magic
Rex Features
WENN Photo

more fan shot video below.









(video courtesy of Run In DC & godieinhell2)

yU: Diamond District Alumni Announces 'Before Taxes' New Release Coming April 13

via the press release

(March 24, 2010 - Brooklyn, NY) yU, a member of the celebrated hip-hop group Diamond District, is proud to announce the release of his solo album Before Taxes. The album showcases the incomparable skill and talent displayed on his group effort, while pushing this dynamic artist into new territory. Before Taxes will be released April 13th, 2010 via Mello Music Group.

Before Taxes is yU's answer to hip-hop fans' cry for a return to real hip-hop. The artist describes hip-hop's golden era of boom-bap greatness as being akin to one's personal finances... before taxes, that is. With watered-down commercial rap eating away at the cultural wallets of hip-hop fans worldwide, with his new album the DMV MC looks to take great strides at filling his listeners' pockets with a rich cultural currency.

The album is an exciting step forward for yU. After helping put the Washington DC/Maryland hip-hop scene back on the map with the seminal Diamond District album In The Ruff, the celebrated emcee has a lot to live up to. "Before Taxes is different than In The Ruff in a lot of ways," says yU. "I've been told that the sound is more mellow or experimental at times. There's different subject matter and approach to the rhymes." While perfectly capable of flooring listeners without his Diamond District crew, yU brings a few other friends along to help turn up the heat. Underground hero Grap Luva appears on "Brainwash," a cautionary tale of the ills that befall urban life, while appearances by Bilal Salaam, EyeQ, ERK, Omun, Op Swamp 81, Finale and yU's partner in rhyme from The 1978ers, SlimKat round out the remainder of the album.

In the spirit of evolving as a multi-faceted talent, yU took on the lion's share of the work behind the boards for Before Taxes, including producing the only completely instrumental track on the album. "I produced half of [the album], recorded and mixed all but one, and, along with Slimkat, was in total control of the direction of the project," explains yU. Bilal Salaam, Isabella Banneker and Kev Brown were also on hand to provide beats for Before Taxes, while Diamond District member Oddisee's lush production provided the soundscape for "Native," a track that seamlessly fuses heartfelt classic soul with yU's thoughtful delivery and Native American-influenced rhymes. Before Taxes will serve as one of two releases for yU in 2010, with a follow up solo full-length, TheEARN, scheduled for a fall release.

Hear the bonus track from Before Taxes "On Ya Head" here:
"On Ya Head"

Oddisee Interview With The Stand

Oddisee, one third of Diamond District, sits down for an interview with The Stand. Oddisee's latest album Traveling Man, is now available digitally.

Jay-Z BP3 Washington DC Concert Recap

Photo courtesy of Ricky Carioti / Washington Post

As reported by Sarah Godfrey at the Washington Post

(Wednesday, March 3 at the Verizon Center) Despite that rap star entry, he seemed way too mellow during “Run This Town,” “D.O.A” and “On to the Next” from “The Blueprint 3.” Jay, who has been treading that fine line between getting his grown man on and getting his old man on for a while now, took the ultra-cool, laid-back “new Sinatra” thing a bit too far. Is 30 the new 20 or…the new 70? Watching an over-zealous fan rush the stage and get tossed by security was more thrilling.

The lull continued with the new school New York anthem “Empire State of Mind,” as a singer who wasn’t Alicia Keys appeared to sing the hook. Things looked up when Georgia rapper Young Jeezy emerged and the two men dug into “Real As It Gets,” but, again, Jay seemed to be sleep-rapping.

Only in the DMV could Jeezy bring up the energy level at a Jay-Z show. As the rapper said over and over again, quoting “Circulate” from “The Recession”: "They love me out in D.C., just like go-go.” Truth in advertising: the Snowman’s powerhouse solo set included “I Luv It” and “Put On,” which brought the first real insane crowd reaction of the night.

And at that point, S. Carter seemed to realize that he must try harder: when Jay-Z reemerged, he and Jeezy performed the remix of “My President,” followed by Jay’s rousing “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” (preceded by the famous clip of President Obama, on the campaign trail, dismissing haters by brushing the dirt off of his suit jacket).

After “Thank You” from “BP3,” and a fake “goodnight!” Jay announced, “[Expletive] it -- let’s go into overtime,” and launched into a magical set just for fans of 1996’s “Reasonable Doubt,” 1997’s “In My Lifetime, Vol. 1” 1998’s “Vol. 2: Hard Knock Life” and 1999’s “Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter.”

For someone who has been critical of fans who prefer his early material over his new stuff, Hov perked up considerably during “Excuse Me Miss,” “La La La,” “Big Pimpin’” and other older hits. Quiet during the early part of show, he began bouncing around and letting off the little bragging asides he’s known for: “Let me know if I’m going too far back!” “I’ve got a million of these!”

After the classic “Can I Live,” the crowd finally starts chanting “Ho-va! Ho-va!” and for an encore, there was “The Black Album”’s “Encore,” which showed that Hov definitely still has the goods.

Read the full review here:
Washington Post - In concert: Jay-Z

Fan shot video below.





(video courtesy of mikeinbmore & DCABESHA)

Photos:
Getty Images
Flickr - Brandon Wu

Jay-Z's BP3 2010 Tour dates:

Mar 05 Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun
Mar 06 East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
Mar 07 Norfolk, VA - Scope Arena
Mar 11 Boston, MA - TD Garden
Mar 12 Uniondale, NY - Nassau Coliseum
Mar 14 Detroit, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
Mar 16 Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
Mar 18 Chicago, IL - United Center
Mar 19 St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
Mar 20 Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse
Mar 22 Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
Mar 24 San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
Mar 26 Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center

Wale Live In Vegas

spotted on Hip Hip Site

Video of Wale performing live at XS Nightclub in Las Vegas on Monday, February 22. Performing "Pretty Girls" & "Chillin'".

Raheem DeVaughn: 'The Love & War MasterPeace' Interview

via Artist Direct

Artist Direct: So did Bootsy Collins end up on Masterpeace?

Raheem DeVaughn: I wish Bootsy was on MasterPeace! The week that I actually flew out there to work with Bootsy, we already had the master. I'm doing stuff on his new album. I'm actually going to start the blueprint for my next album right now though. That's usually how it works. At some point while I'm working on the current album, I usually get inspired to start working on the next one. I've been lining people up that I want to work with on that. He's definitely one of those individuals.

Artist Direct: What's the story behind "I Don't Care?"

Raheem DeVaughn: That record is actually the only song on the album that I didn't write or co-write on. I'm big on self-expression, so I've written or arranged 99.9 percent of what I've released throughout my career. I'm always making sure the track is right. However, "I Don't Care" was a record that was done already. It's one of three in my career like that. Sometimes, as an artist you have to know how to humble yourself and step outside of yourself. You say, "Alright, there's something I'm looking for and I might not be able to create it." I put out so much energy in the stuff that I know that I can do. This is a tempo record, but it doesn't feel like it's not me, per se. The message isn't crazy, and I didn't second-think it. Ne-Yo wrote this record. As a fan of his, this was a great opportunity to try a different lane. I feel like I definitely made the record mine.

Artist Direct: If you were to compare this record to a movie, what would you compare it to?

Raheem DeVaughn: I'd compare it to Purple Rain! I think this is my breakout album. I think that it's definitely going to put people in channel with my star power. It's definitely an album that's centered around my life. We get into the war stuff. For example, there's "Soldier Story." I've got personal friends that went to the war and lost limbs. I've got friends in the services in Haiti right now that are giving it to me play by play—not the CNN play-by-play, but the real deal. There's a lot of heavy stuff going on in the world. I feel like this album is actually a fusion of Prince's Sign of the Times and Marvin Gaye's I Want You. I think I really captured both sides of the theme with The Love & War MasterPeace. It's very edgy. It's some of my best work, but at the same time, it's some of my most raw and emotional work.

Artist Direct: Any tracks that stand out to you off the top of your head?

Raheem DeVaughn: I have one record called "Nobody Wins a War," which features Jill Scott, myself of course, Anthony Hamilton, Dwele, Chrisette Michele, Citizen Cope, Chico DeBarge, Ledesi, Bilal and my home girl Shelby from Black Gypsy—she's been working with Prince since he did the Superbowl. There's a gang of people on this one joint. It's ironic that I was able to get with all of these folks. It's the first record of its kind for soul artists.

Artist Direct: Is soul coming back?

Raheem DeVaughn: I feel like soul never left! Definitely the attention is back on it with Maxwell's comeback and now Sade coming out. It re-confirms that if you make something with substance, you can come back out and have a following.

Read the full interview here:
Artist Direct - Raheem DeVaughn Interview

Wale Performs Haitian Benefit At Howard University

via MTV

On Thursday night (January 21), Washington, D.C. rapper Wale rocked the party in the name of charity and good will at last night's Hands for Haiti Benefit Concert at Howard University. 1,500 people crammed into Crampton Auditorium for the MC's extra-boisterous blend of hip-hop that, for at least one night, was delivered in the spirit of charity. Because of the desperate need for resources and aid in Haiti, 100 percent of the proceeds from the concert — a grand total of over $15,000 — will go toward the Haiti Relief Fund.

Wale's set was the centerpiece, but there was also dancing, singing, rapping, and spoken-word pieces performed by students, alumni and local D.C. artists, highlighted by the solemn, moving performance by spoken-word artist and Howard alum Messiah. With every break in the program, students danced in the aisles and waved Haitian flags in support of earthquake victims on the island.

When Wale took the stage in the headlining spot and did not disappoint. His stage presence alone brought everyone up to their feet and rushing to the front of the theater. He clearly thrives in intimate venues like this, as he hopped off the stage to perform top tracks like "Nike Boots," "90210" and "Beautiful Bliss" amidst a sea of singing, arm-waving fans. Everybody walked out happy, not only because they saw an excellent night of music and song but also because they did their bit to reach out to disaster victims in Port-au-Prince.

more fan shot footage below.



(video courtesy of Justplainjones808)

Cheech & Chong On The Legalization Of Marijuana

Sean 'Diddy' Combs At BET Honors Pre-Party + BET Honors Show Photo Links

about the 3rd Annual BET Honors via the press release

THE BET HONORS Premieres on Monday, February 1, at 9:00 p.m.

NEW YORK, Jan. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- With the help of the entertainment industry's finest, BET Networks honored distinguished African Americans performing at exceptional levels in their fields by presenting the third annual BET HONORS. Hosted by the beautiful and talented actress Gabrielle Union, this phenomenal show will premiere during Black History Month, on Monday, February 1 at 9:00 p.m.

The 2010 honorees included legendary songstress Whitney Houston (Entertainment), multi-faceted entertainer Queen Latifah (Media), respected business mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs (Entrepreneur), accomplished educator Dr. Ruth Simmons (Education), and world-renowned neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Black (Public Service). Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, India.Arie, ELEW and others will pay tribute to these phenomenal stars with riveting performances.

BET Networks Chairman and CEO Debra L. Lee and the Honorable Mayor Adrian Fenty of Washington, D.C. welcomed the audience. Both Lee and Mayor Fenty called out to viewers and audience members alike to support relief efforts for those who were affected by the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti. Lee also referenced BET's own initiatives as part of the worldwide effort to aid Haiti.

"Before this disaster, BET Networks, in celebration of its 30th anniversary, was set to donate thirty thousand dollars every month for a year to an organization that has dedicated itself to working towards a brighter future for the African American community," said Lee in her remarks. "In light of the devastation in Haiti, BET plans to donate the first grant to immediate emergency relief in Haiti."

Following Lee's remarks, Stevie Wonder, Trey Songz and India.Arie delivered a soulful rendition of the "Wake Up Everybody" in memory of the recent passing of soul-man extraordinaire, Teddy Pendergrass and his message of hope and commitment to the community.

Queen Latifah, this year's recipient of the BET Honor for Media, was presented with her award by the talented and always hilarious Taraji P. Henson, while R&B songstress Jazmine Sullivan performed soul-stirring interpretations of "Unforgettable" and "Rock Steady." Next, the powerhouse legend Patti Labelle performed "If Only You Knew." Actor and comedian Chris Tucker then introduced the Public Service award honoree, neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Black, who was treated to an extraordinary performance of "Can't Imagine Love Without You" by the iconic Stevie Wonder accompanied by Take 6.

Hip-hop pioneer Andre Harrell presented his longtime friend Sean "Diddy" Combs with the Entrepreneur BET Honor. 2009 BET HONORS recipient Mary J. Blige performed a medley of her greatest hits "Love No Limit," "I Love You," and "Be Happy," as a personal tribute to her mentor and friend. During his heartfelt acceptance speech, Diddy attributed his success to his mother's tireless work ethic, also giving credit to the hip-hop community.

BET Networks also paid tribute to Dr. Ruth Simmons (Public Service), who was presented with her award by veteran actress Victoria Rowell. It was followed by the moving performance by India.Arie, who was accompanied by pianist ELEW (Eric Lewis), with songs "Beautiful Flower" and "Someday We'll All Be Free."

Lastly, Whitney Houston was on her feet for a surprise soul-rousing performance by one of her favorite artists, gospel great Kim Burrell singing "I Believe In You and Me." And if that wasn't enough, Jennifer Hudson brought the crowd to its feet singing Houston's chart-topping "I Will Always Love You," as she was presented with The BET Honor for Entertainment by Ne-Yo.

Other highlights of the show included Trey Songz and Stevie Wonder's medley of each other's hits, "That Girl" and "Invented Sex," as well as Ryan Leslie performing his latest single "I Choose You." Maxwell also performed "Fist Full of Tears" and "Forgive Me."

3rd Annual BET Honors in Washington DC, PHOTOS here:
Getty Images - Arrivals
Getty Images - Show
Wire Image - Arrivals
Wire Image - Show
Rex Features - Arrivals
PR Photos - Arrivals
WENN Photo - Arrivals

Raheem Devaughn 'Mr. February March Madness' Free Mixtape

A prelude to Raheem Devaughn's 'The Love & War MasterPeace' on Jive/368 Music Group coming March 2.

'Mr. February March Madness' Mixtape Tracklisting:

01. Intro
02. I'm Good ft. Phil Ade
03. Pretty Girls- Wale ft. Phil Ade and Raheem DeVaughn
04. Bonita Applebum Remix (prod. by Supreme)
05. Know What I Mean
06. Take Home Remix- XO ft. Phil Ade and Raheem DeVaughn
07. Slow Love (Slow Dance Remix)
08. Fever - Tabi Bonney ft. Raheem DeVaughn
09. Re-Invented Sex
10. West Coast Love
11. Never Too Much (Remake)
12. Die For You (Remake)
13. Lying To Myself
14. Solider Of Love Remix - Sade ft. Raheem DeVaughn
15. PSA
16. Village Ghetto Land (Remake)
17. Birthday Cake
18. Redemption Song (Remake)
19. We Are - DJ Jazzy Jeff ft. Cy Young and Raheem DeVaughn
20. We Are One (Remake)
21. Love Experience Remix Pt. 2
ft. Omar Retnuh - Urban Ave 31
22. Until (Unplugged Live Version)
23. Outro PSA

Download here:
'Mr. February March Madness' Mixtape

Wale, J. Cole & Phil Ade New Year's Day Show In DC @ 9:30 Club

Wale's Setlist:
Mama Told Me
Dig Dug
Nike Boots
Mirrors
World Tour
Shades
W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.
(UCB Set)
Breakdown
Let It Loose
Pretty Girls
90210
Chillin
Encore:
Beautiful Bliss
Prescription
(source)

(video courtesy of Jaime Aquino)

Watch: Nas And Damian Marley At National Geographic Event Panel In DC

Watch live streaming video from distantrelatives at livestream.com

Damian Marley & Nas - 'Distant Relatives' thru Universal in-stores March 16, 2010.

Related:
Nas And Damian Marley Scheduled To Appear At National Geographic Event

Nas And Damian Marley Scheduled To Appear At National Geographic Event

via the Los Angeles Examiner

Prepping for their upcoming collaboration album Distant Relatives, Nas and Damian Marley will be headlining a "Distant Relatives" event at National Geographic's Grosvenor Auditorium in Washington DC on December 12th. The event itself will be a roundtable discussion on the origins of early hip hop and its liason with Carribean and African culture.

Joining the duo for this event are Sway Calloway, whom is moderating the discussion, along with Rakim, Daddy U-Roy, King Jammy, Jeff Chang, DJ Red Alert and the hip hop pioneer himself, DJ Kool Herc.

The event will be taped and used for a Distant Relatives documentary which will debut sometime in 2010. The documentary will coincide with Nas and Damian Marley's highly anticipated anticipated album of the same name which is also slated to be relased sometime during early 2010. (source)

Wale 'Attention Deficit' On Track To Sell 25k-28k First Week

According to Hits Daily Double based on first day sales, Wale 'Attention Deficit' is on track to sell between 25k-28k in it's first week of release. The Hits Daily Double numbers will become more firmer a day prior (on Tuesday, November 17) to the Nielsen/Soundscan (the industry standard) numbers as we will see next Wednesday, November 18.

Wale: Los Angeles Times Q & A

As reported by Jeff Weiss at the Los Angeles Times

L.A. Times: Like many of the more blog-buzzed rappers, you’ve been subject to a lot of rumors, beefs real or fabricated, and a level of media attention that rappers a generation ago may have had to face, but certainly not on as large of a scale. Has this been a difficult thing for you to cope with?

Wale: Q-Tip once told me that 15 years ago, all people had to judge you on was your album, one or two interviews, your record for the radio and the picture on the album cover. That’s it. The only way you can remain relevant is to give yourself up, unless you’re blessed to be in one of those every-once-in-a-while Drake situations. But that’s not even a once-in-a-while thing; that’s a one-time thing.

L.A. Times: Do you ever think that you’re angling more for a Mos Def-type fan base than say, a Drake-type fan base?

Wale: I don’t know. I really don’t know what my fan base is. I don’t think anyone knows. It’s so weird. On one hand, they’re like, Wale is the new Common or Mos Def, and on the other hand, people say Wale is the other Drake. On the other end, people are like, Wale is the new Jay-Z. On the other, they’re like, Wale is the new Talib Kweli. I don’t think anybody knows. There’s definitely some commercial appeal, but I’m not sure if I can put my finger on it. It’s interesting, because when I did my radio tour, all these people, all these pop stations spoke to me, and I was like, "Dawg, you don’t care about me. You only care about me because I did a record about Gaga."

In a lot of urban markets, they know who I was, they cared about me, they knew my grind and my struggle, but there wasn’t anything for me to give them at that point. It’s something I’m still trying to figure out. Still, we sell out shows all the time.

Read the full interview:
Los Angeles Times - Wale watch: The D.C. rapper on the blog age, Twitter and his debut album 'Attention Deficit'

Ludacris Speaks At The National Press Club In Washington D.C.

(video courtesy of Politico)

via ABC News reported by Kristina Wong

Rapper Christopher Brian Bridges, better known as "Ludacris," came to Washington D.C. this weekend to promote his philanthropic organization, the Ludacris Foundation, which aims to help underserved children and communities in the U.S. and some places around the world.

Speaking to audience at the National Press Club, the rapper joked about his appearance there today.

"Why would I come here? Why would they invite me here? What would Ludacris have to say?" he asked.

Running for President in 2012? I'm here to let you know you don't have to worry about that"

Read more of the article here:
ABC News

PHOTOS from the press conference:
Rex Features
Getty Images

Wale In Concert At Virgin Mobile Free Fest Video And Photos Posted

Virgin Mobile Free Fest at Merriweather Post Pavillion Columbia, Maryland on Sunday August 30 with DC's finest Wale.

Photos:
Wire Image

(video footage courtesy of djsnowflake410, Fortunekookieboy and dhoneywe03)

Wale announces "Attention:Deficit" album release date

Wale "Attention:Deficit" out September 22 on AlliDo/Interscope Records.

(via press release)
SANTA MONICA, Calif., July 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Of this time yet unafraid to move beyond this moment, rugged yet introspective, Wale--hip-hop's newest sensation and the first D.C. rapper to gain national attention in more than a decade--demands to be heard with his debut album Attention: Deficit (Allido/Interscope), releasing September 22, 2009. With its initial single, "Chillin'" featuring Lady Gaga, gaining spins on Rhythmic Radio, boosted by a video from Grammy-nominated director Chris Robinson, Attention: Deficit catapults Wale to hip-hop's center stage.

The 24-year-old D.C.-born son of Nigerian immigrants, Wale has previously issued a series of acclaimed, go-go/rap mash-up mixtapes that gained notice and airplay in the DMV (D.C.-Maryland-Virginia) and beyond. In 2007 super producer Mark Ronson--responsible for new luminaries such as Amy Winehouse-- began playing Wale's "Good Girls" on his East Village radio show. Soon after, Ronson added Wale to a remix of Lily Allen's bubbly pop record "Smile" and recruited him for a U.K. tour for his latest album. Wale also turned "D.A.N.C.E." from French electro-house stars Justice into a hip-hop banger renamed "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.," which he performed at the MTV Video Music Awards.

In 2008 Ronson signed Wale to his and Rich Kleiman's Allido Records and subsequently to its joint venture with Interscope. That year, Wale appeared on The Roots' single "Rising Up" from their Rising Down album before remixing his own "Nike Boots" track to feature Lil' Wayne. Most recently, Wale inked a co-management deal with Jay-Z's Roc Nation and this summer headlined his first tour, which sold out a number of venues.

Along with Ronson ("Mirrors" feat. Bun B, "90210"), some producers on Attention: Deficit include Cool and Dre ("Chillin'" and "World Tour" feat. Jazmine Sullivan), Dave Sitek of TV On The Radio ("Warrior" feat. K'Naan), Sean C and LV ("OG"), and Sleepwalkers ("Diary" feat. Marsha Ambrosius).

Proclaimed "The Great Rap Hope" by The Washington Post (October 2007), Wale fulfills his promise of a new voice in hip-hop with Attention: Deficit.