Wale: “I Wrote ‘Ambition' to Stand the Test of Time”

Wale Met Fans at a Fan-Packed Shoe Store in Largo

Last Tuesday was an ambitious day for rapper Wale. Hip-hop's newest sound dropped his second studio album, "Ambition," and made his promotional rounds in D.C., stopping at several local radio stations and finally heading over to a fan-packed shoe store, DTLR, in Largo, Md., to meet fans and sign autographs.

Earlier in the day, Wale appeared on "106 & Park" with surprise guest Rick Ross, who explained that the two seizures he suffered last month were attributed to a lack of sleep.

Rick wasn't the only guest Wale brought along with him. In the studio were a bus load of kids from Anacostia High School.

"Yeah, it was dope," the rapper, 27, said of the once-in-a-lifetime experience. "You know, some kids I’m all they got as far as somebody to look up to. So I try to be as positive as I can."

Born to Nigerian parents, Wale admits that his chosen career path wasn't necessarily the ideal for his traditional family, but, he says, "I never gave them a chance" to discourage him from his musical aspirations.

It's a good thing he didn't let his family's hesitation stop him, especially after a lackluster debut album, 2009's "Attention: Deficit," which only sold 28,000 copies its first week.

"Ambition" has received critical acclaim as a big step up for the rapper and is already #1 on the iTunes charts. Wale's first-week sales were projected to reach the 190,000 mark.

“I wrote this album to stand the test of time," Wale said. "That’s the goal. I want people to love it. I want successors to love it. I want people from home to love it."

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