Attention Deficit (Explicit)

At a time when artists (or their ghostwriters) are cutting through the rigmarole of long-gestating publicity via Twitter , Wale announced his new album title via a photo of shoes . That type of freshness pervaded the D.C. rapper’s take on American institutions like Seinfeld and hip-hop’s one-up culture on 2008’s The Mixtape About Nothing . His clever sonic hijacks go global with Attention Deficit. Wale claims the new album’s moniker is in reference to a crumbling music industry that is producing whack, disposable tunes: “nobody pays attention and I’m trying to change it.” Despite this, fans are definitely lending their ears to the artist born as Olubowale Victor Akintimehin. Deficit features production from Mark Ronson, Glitch Mob, and David Sitek. First single, “Chillin” has a guest spot with NY dance-pop queen Lady Gaga.