Wale dropped his fourth LP, The Album About Nothing, just about a year ago and he's already planning to release two more solo projects in 2016, in addition to MMG's Self Made Vol. 4., which he's executive producing.
Complex News caught up with the DMV rapper at UMG's Music is Universal space at the JW Marriott hotel in Austin, Texas, during SXSW, and he told us that his next album S.H.I.N.E.—an acronym for Still Here Ignoring Negative Energy—is about 80 percent complete.
“Sonically, I always want to push myself as an artist and I think S.H.I.N.E. is a big example of me pushing myself and trying new things," he explained. "My fifth album is a reason to celebrate, and a lot of the music I’ve been making is very chill. I’m singing—and I’m not singing to be the next Brian McKnight—I’m singing to enhance my songwriting ability and to evolve as an artist.”
Once that's done, he's onto his sixth solo album, and making sure that MMG's Self Made Vol. 4 is a masterpiece.
“I’m producing [Self Made Vol. 4]," he continued. "Rick Ross gave me the keys to the car, and it’s going to have a different sound for sure. Me and Ross want to focus on the guys who haven’t really gotten their time yet, like Fat Trel and Rockie Fresh. We want to make sure other people are shining more, but at the same time, show some unity. Because we’re still tight, we’re still that mob. Maybach is still very strong, and we’re gonna show that on this project."
Watch the full interview with Wale in the video above.
