Artist Spotlight: Wale

Every now and then, when you think hip-hop is becoming a playground full of familiar faces, a new artist crashes through the fence and recharges the game. Wale is one such artist. The 23-year old MC doesn't fit your typical hip-hop profile though. He was born in D.C. to Nigerian immigrants (D.C. is not exactly your ideal hip-hop breeding ground); he's a fan of J.U.S.T.I.C.E.; he's heavily cosigned by Lindsay Lohan; he rhymes as much about Seinfeld as he does NIKE boots; and his style is a unique blend of go-go music and braggart lyricism. After spending the last two years honing his skills as a smart rapper, Wale caught the ears of Grammy-winning producer Mark Ronson (Amy Winehouse, Rhymefest), which led to a record deal with Ronson's Allido Records.

With a goal to conquer the climate of mediocrity and a journey towards greatness, Wale is certainly worth keeping an eye on.

• Wale - Nike Boots [Download]
• Wale - 100 Miles & Running Mixtape [Download]
• Wale's MySpace