1 / 17

The Rundown: Wale, The Gifted - This one's for the history books. Wale's third studio album is a talent show of new and approved artists alike. It's an AP course for the types of sounds that raised the DC hip hop scene, and a psych paper on the mindset of the unforgettable. It's a competition with himself to be better than who he was on 2011's Ambition, and, he is. Find out how on this track-by-track review of The Gifted.-- Sia Barnes (Photo: Courtesy of Maybach Music Group)

2 / 17

"The Curse of the Gifted" - With wailing keyboards and '90s R&B crooning, Wale makes it immediately clear that being one of the gifted is not a blessing that comes without its curses — doubt and restlessness. "They thought I wouldn't win in a crew full of trappers/ But I do, I f---ed the game and came out a gold rapper/ I should be loving my accomplishments/ But a brand new Maserati got me plottin' on another hit ... satisfaction's for suckers," he spits.(Photo: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for BET)

3 / 17

"LoveHate Thing" featuring Sam Dew - The Gifted's second single, "LoveHate Thing" features the grown-and-ready vocals of newcomer Sam Dew and borrows from the late Marvin Gaye to create a mood that is simultaneously uplifting and firmly set in reality. "From the city that made me, love you forever for it/ Hope you celebrate every moment; forever, ignore it/ You made me what I am, you made me what I'm not/ They gon' love you a little different when you at the top," Wale raps.(Photos: Roc Nation; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

4 / 17

"Sunshine" - Olubowale broadens his reach into world music with "Sunshine," making it more believable that what he's working with is "new Black soul." He explains, "See me, I thought money would change it, it got worse/ But it's a lot better than screamin', 'Who got work?' (Who got work?)/ From openin' for Back to packin' out 9:30/ I never sold crack when crack rappin' was workin'."(Photo: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Heineken)

5 / 17

"Heaven's Afternoon" featuring Meek Mill - The cinematic strings on "Heaven's Afternoon" help to make MMG's influence really felt for the first time on The Gifted. Wale and Meek Mill use the opportunity to exchange verses, with the Philly emcee offering jewels like, "When I was dead broke, used to always tell myself, 'I'ma still be the s---'/ Tol' my P.O., she lock me up/ 'I'ma do the time, come home and still be this rich.'"(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images For BET)

6 / 17

"Golden Salvation" (Jesus Piece) - On "Golden Salvation," Wale continues his church session with a full drum kit and a question: "What would you do for the price of fame?" He answers it with stories about a Bugatti and diamonds — hitting several metaphoric layers at once — and ending with "It is such a shame."(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images For BET)

7 / 17

"Vanity" - On "Vanity," Wale asks another thought-provoking question, but this time he and producer No Credit picked up Gary Jules' "Mad World" and MMG's Magazeen to make a song in the vein of Kanye West's sense of humor: "Look at me, look at me/ How much vanity you see?"(Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images)

8 / 17

"Gullible" featuring Cee-Lo Green - Cee-Lo Green's soulful melody leaves hauntingly beautiful track marks on "Gullible" while Wale delivers a School Daze-esque "wake up" call, explaining how easy it is to become swept up in the matrix of "Internet soldiers" ("e'rybody is carrying macs").(Photos: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images; Isaac Brekken/Getty Images)

9 / 17

"Bricks" featuring Yo Gotti and Lyfe Jennings - Back in that MMG zone, Wale this time has Yo Gotti to coach the mathletes and Lyfe Jennings for the assist as he hits the mid-album stride with the most potent message to Gifted listeners, "Lil' n----s on the scene, ain't got to dream it now."(Photos: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for BET; Candice Lawler/BET; Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup)

10 / 17

"Clappers" featuring Nicki Minaj and Juicy J - "Shawty got a big ol' butt, oh yeah" Folarin the Genuis announces over a beat that's a throwback to the era when Run DMC were kings of rock, and when E.U.'s "Da Butt" topped the Billboard R&B chart. He then passes to Memphis's Juicy J and to NYC's Nicki Minaj to round out the stripper's anthem trifecta, and closes with a signature go-go roll call.(Photos: Jason Merritt/Getty Images For BET; Ethan Miller/Getty Images; Dan Harr/Splash News)

11 / 17

"Bad (Remix)" featuring Rihanna - On this, Wale's second single to crack Billboard's "Top 40" gets the Rih-mix treatment. The Bajan singer came in to take on the seductive chorus and add some flirty exchanges. She sounds like she's playfully pouting almost as much as Wale is when he says, "Forget it, all you bad b----es always unapologetic."(Photo: Instagram via Walemmg)

12 / 17

"Tired of Dreaming" featuring Ne-Yo and Rick Ross - It's summertime, though, so Wale breaks up to make up on "Tired of Dreaming," his most made-for-mainstream-radio track. It's a solid effort and consistent chart toppers Ne-Yo (with his infectious, "Get out of my head, get into my bed") and Rick Ross help to distract listeners from its only drawback, the fact that Wale didn't word play as much as we've come to expect.(Photos: Fernando Leon/PictureGroup; Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images; C.Smith/WENN.com)

13 / 17

"Rotation" featuring Wiz Khalifa and 2 Chainz - Then, 2 Chainz, Wiz and Wale share strains of success in this perfect-for-college-radio cypher over echoing drums called "Rotation." It's dope.(Photos: Chris McKay/Getty Images for BET [2]; F. Leon/PictureGroup)

14 / 17

"Simple Man" - Backed by boom bap on "Simple Man," Wale channels Digital Underground's "Same Song" in his flow, and Tupac's "How Do U Want It" in context: "All I want is money, f--- fame, I'm a simple man," he declares.(Photo: Christopher Polk/Getty Images For BET)

15 / 17

"88" - But even if he is a simple man, being gifted gets him a Just Blaze beat for this, the most Maybach Music-sounding track on The Gifted. Gving a nod to his squad, Wale's feeling like he's at the top of his game, MJ, '88 — when a 25-year-old Jordan was leading the league in scoring, won his first NBA MVP award and was named the Defensive Player of the Year.(Photo: John Ricard/BET)

16 / 17

"Black Heroes/Outro About Nothing" featuring Jerry Seinfeld - On "Black Heroes," Wale officially hopes to ignite the gift in everyone who lives the #nodaysoff life: "Maybe this music will inspire a future mountain mover or two," he says in a rap song that eases into spoken word and morphs in an interlude with Jerry Seinfeld.(Photos: Moses Robinson/Getty Images for BET; Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Photo By Photos: Moses Robinson/Getty Images for BET; Jemal Countess/Getty Images

17 / 17

"Bad" featuring Tiara Thomas - Wale closes out the digital album with the original version of "Bad" (featuring Tiara Thomas). Even though the song has its ratchet premise, there's something innocently endearing about it — it's the foundation of some of his best choices thus far as a burgeoning A&R, and it's the home of this lyrical gem: "Heard you winter time cold, shawty, fall through."(Photos: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images; Lloyd Bishop/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)