Ambition has played a big roll in Wale Folarin’s career thus far.

His ambition to stretch boundaries lead him to rap over popular dance tracks by J.U.S.T.I.C.E. and recruit members of the Seinfeld cast for his aptly titled “Mixtape About Nothing” which won him a “mixtape of the year” award in 2008.

On “Ambitious Girl” his ode to hardworking women Wale paraded his poetic skill and showed appreciation to the women whose strides are overlooked & otherwise down played in his genre.

Now, after his critically acclaimed yet under-shipped debut album 2009’s “Attention Deficit” didn’t reach the commercial success he’d wished for, Wale takes a new direction with his sophomore album “Ambition.”

The result is a collection of radio-ready songs in a less cohesive format, along with more tracks that command immediate response from his audience than those that will require listeners to sit and comb over lyrics in order to decipher.

Under the new management of the Rick Ross founded “Maybach Music Group” Wale’s ambitions seem to have changed.

No more Gucci Mane, or Lady Gaga features to tap into fan bases that otherwise are outside his core.

Instead he enlists G.O.O.D. music representative Big Sean and Kid Cudi, R&B crooners Miguel, Ne-Yo, Jeremih and Lloyd, along with his own label mates Rick Ross and Meek Mill.

One thing that does remain throughout is Folarin’s Go-Go dance influence thanks to Tone P. of Washington D.C.’s “Best Kept Secret” production team.

Ironically and possibly purposely, Wale’s best moments are his most ambitious ones. On songs like “Legendary,” “Ambition,” “No Days Off,” and “Focused,” Wale takes a break from the fly talk and exhibits his and more humbled rhymes.

“Legendary,” one of the album’s strongest tracks, moreover produced by the legendary DJ Toomp boasts hypnotic horns, go-go drums and some of Wale’s most potent lyrics.

Other standout tracks are the smooth and seductive single “Lotus Flower Bomb” and the boastful club bangers “Slight Work” featuring Big Sean, with extraordinary production by Diplo as well as “Chain Music” which incorporates a clever Rick Ross vocal sample.

Though Wale aspires to be the next trend setter in hip-hop overall “Ambition” suffers from a list of filler tracks.

Possibly what Wale should’ve learned from his label mate Rick Ross is that the omission of a few unnecessary tracks can be the difference between a fluent and a disoriented experience.

In the video trailer for “Ambition,” Wale asks his audience why he couldn’t aspire to create an album “better than [Jay-Z’s] Reasonable Doubt?” “Ambition” proves that he still has much to strive for before he can truly contend with Jay as a worldwide star, but does stand as an entertaining piece of work.

Notable tracks: Double M Genius, Legendary, Lotus Flower Bomb, Chain Music, Slight Work

7.25 Spins Out Of 10