Wale’s fourth studio album The Album About Nothing dropped March 31, and the 30 year old Nigerian spoke to Billboard magazine about his demons ahead of the anticipated release. Despite having a number one album with Gifted, the artist still feels he does not get the respect he deserves in the music industry. “I was depressed… I wasn’t sleeping. I was drinking all day and I didn’t have anyone to go to. I couldn’t fight it,” said Wale.

Here are some memorable quotes from the interview:

Depression and Drugs

“My confidence was shot, so I’d be taking whatever to keep me in a good mood, to get me in the right mood for an interview. I’m not going into the details as to what I was taking, but there’s definitely something for that. Just like there’s a fuckin’ app for everything, there’s a damn pill for everything. Or something you can pour in your glass. I was depressed not being where I wanna be in my career when I’ve put the work in. I wasn’t sleeping. I was drinking all day and I didn’t have anyone to go to. I couldn’t fight it. Those are some of the demons I talk about on the album.”

Miscarriage with ex-girlfriend

“The girl I was with, we tried for a long time to have a child. And when she finally did [get pregnant], she miscarried at 10 or 11 weeks. I was visualizing my child’s face. We gave it a name and everything. All of that went away. And a couple of months before that, one of my closest friends died in a car accident, a cousin that was there for me through blood, sweat and tears. So I go through all that and I go online and some white kid is saying, ‘You dumb ni—r, you’ll never be as good as J. Cole.” You put all that together…'”

Album 

I gave this my all. I’m not trying to whine about being critically acclaimed or getting in the door, but it breaks my heart. Everyone says, “Be patient. It’ll happen.” But all signs are showing, “No, it won’t happen.” I’m okay with people not liking my music but provide an intelligent reason for why you like or don’t like something or you’re a hater or a dick-rider. This is my fourth album. I want some respect. I want to go to a party and not have Katy Perry tell her security to move me out of the fuckin’ way. We do the same thing. I know there’s no union in the music industry, but have some respect.  I want people to be like, “Your album’s just as good asKendrick [Lamar]‘s or Esperanza Spalding or Beck.” I work just as hard as them.

Seinfeld inspired Wale’s new album The Album About Nothing (TAAN), and features Jerry himself, according to Billboard.

Source: Billboard