Usually, an 8-ball in the corner pocket signals the end of a game. But in the case of Wale’s eighth album, it has far more to do with his hubris, his candor, and the reality that he’s one of the few still releasing music for true public consumption, not a sign of finality.
The DMV’s hometown hope tackles an array of topics on this project titled everything is a lot. From a conversation with himself where he pleads for validation in moments of self-doubt, leading to self-realization (Mirroronnabenz), to navigating the pain of fallen soldiers and survivor’s guilt (Survive), all while admitting to functional depression and the pressure to self-medicate in order to “perform” in certain rooms (Corner Bottles, Blanco).
He circles back to his roots on the Afrobeat-infused Big Head, after eagerly expressing his romantic interest in a young woman on Tomorrow Today. It’s clear that the rapper’s agenda was to confront mental health themes that are often ignored and battled internally and privately.
There’s a yearning throughout the album, a yearning for love, forgiveness, and understanding, and how those desires complicate the search for connection, especially as a public figure. It all adds to the beautiful dichotomy that has always defined his music.
It gives the impression that he’s ready for love yet emotionally unavailable at the same time, leaving the hopeless romantic stuck in the same cycle and circle of love… It’s a real conundrum.
Lonely is not only the final song on the project, but also serves as the album’s closing statement, which causes us to ask: Does he find the healing and love he’s been searching for? We often assume that success and notoriety will mend what’s broken and attract an oasis of suitors, but for Wale, it has only magnified his untreated traumas and pushed him deeper into survival mode.
The 18-track LP includes a plethora of samples and interpolations that could feel like overkill depending on the listener, but they make sense—just as the featured artists do. We know his vulnerability is his superpower, but one thing this album makes clear is his ability to effortlessly tap into different genres.
The cadence, paired with mature subject matter that leans into the uncomfortable, might sound like a cry for help or a troubled soul, but it’s really an individual being honest about life’s growing pains. It’s also a reminder that Wale’s ability to emote and rap well at the same time gives that vulnerability an even greater impact.
everything is a lot sounds like a Black man’s emotional reckoning with masculinity and self. It has the makings of a magnum opus and reminds us that time is linear and that everything will always feel like a lot.
