Artists have hopped onto the streaming wave with full force as it has become the primary way that their music reaches the masses. The new generation of rappers, in particular, have mastered the art of becoming platinum-selling artists without ever even going on their first tour or being included in radio station rotations. We're seeing 14-track records with 16-minute run times and artists releasing music faster than fans can download it. We're in a new era, but not everyone is adjusting to transition as quickly as others.
Just days ago, Wale announced that his sixth studio album, Wow...That's Crazy will hit the streets on October 11. He's shared a few singles with us this year including "Black Girl Magic" and "On Chill" featuring Jeremih, and while he's remaining hush-hush as to what fans can expect from his next project, he chatted with Billboard about releasing music in the streaming era.
Wale admitted that he's still trying to navigate making music because he "was a hard album kinda guy," but he's less concerned about streaming and more focused on creating art. "I think the infrastructure of labels and music became more microwaved," he said. "We've always had different types of music, but it became more disposable around that time. It seems like more of it's coming out faster than ever, so it's hard to cut through all the noise sometimes, which makes it kind of frustrating when you're trying to say things."
He admitted that he isn't making stream-friendly music because he isn't completely sure what that looks like. "You can do the algorithm thing and inspire features and all of that, but I don't really know. If I could crack the code, maybe," he continued. "I just try to make the best music I can because a lot of songs go top 20 and then they’re gone in a week. It’s more rewarding [with 'On Chill'] because I feel we got it out of the mud," he said of his single's success. "Some people go right to the charts when they drop anything, and I just feel like how I got it means more to me." Are you looking forward to Wow...That's Crazy?