Wale

After making a gaggle of brilliant (and free) mixtapes, including the slap-bass riddled, Seinfeld-themed 'Mixtape About Nothing', DC rapper Wale was finally integrated into the system by signing to a major in 2008. Typically, this did very little for him, save for an appearance by Lady Gaga on breakout single 'Chillin'', yet with deeper second album 'Ambitiion' freshly released, he remains a hugely engaging wordsmith and a pleasing mid point between the old-school and more Tumblr-rocking hipster rappers.