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  1. Tracks
  2. Wale
  3. The Gifted
  4. Vanity

TRACK

Wale

Vanity

Release date: 25th June 2013

From The Gifted
Spotify
More on Wale

About This Track

'Vanity' cuts straight to the point: Wale spends four and a half minutes cataloguing the vanities of wealth, status and the hunger for validation that drives them. The track samples 'Mad World', a cover that sits uneasily against Wale's boasts about black cards, chain weight and the women drawn to spending power. The juxtaposition is deliberate. Whilst Wale raps about the trappings of success, the sample's refrain of familiar faces and worn-out places pulls in the opposite direction, suggesting that all this display amounts to a kind of emptiness. The song's real target is not Wale's own materialism but the economics of attention that make it work. He raps about paying for opinions, about women whose presence validates his conceit, about the theatre of Instagram stunting. It is a critique dressed as a confession, and the execution wavers between the two registers. The production sits somewhere between braggadocio and unease, which is where the song's tension lives.

"Vanity" is a track by Wale, from the album The Gifted, released 25th June 2013. Full lyrics are available below.

About the Artist

Wale

Wale

Lyrics

Vanity

[Intro]

I promise it comes with a gift

How awesome is this narcissism?

You save your hard earnings

To pay for these nigga's opinions

[Chorus]

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see

[Verse 1]

Said it ain't on me so I need more bottles

Okay, these lames gon' see that a nigga ball harder

See, I got it to a T 'cause my T cost dollars

Still, my chain so big, can't pop my collar

Cold stunna

Rose-gold, four somethin'

Conchords wet as shit ho, these Oceans 11's

Club jumping

And it's like I got a black heart

Ever since I swiped that black card

And I think that shit with 10 bills

Let these niggas know we in the building

Because I spend these 7 bills

Bitches tryna give me all their feelings

[Pre-Chorus: The Wise Guys]

All around me are familiar faces

Worn out places, worn out faces

Bright and early for the daily races

Going nowhere, going nowhere

Went to school and I was very nervous

No one knew me, no one knew me

Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson

Look right through me, look right through me

[Chorus]

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see

[Verse 2]

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Ya ain't paying for no pussy but you pay for what she see

M.O.B., M.O.B

Yes, as far as I can see

But these broads jocking me is validating my conceit

Obviously, show your bread

Don't you wonder why she here?

Open bottles, open convos, open wallets, open legs

Open cleavage, open eyes, open ride, open thighs

Oh behave

My old school got more vroom than your new ride

Look at me, look at me

Now he creeping up the street

Couple thousand on that V, got you stuntin' on IG-

Ram, damn, plan, scheme

Just to show you that he got it 'til they raaaa ra raaaaa (gun sounds)

Must of been plotting while they twatching

Living for these bitches

Niggas dying over 'posites, bitches dying for attention

Niggas drop it just to bop 'em

Is it really that important, is it really that serious?

I'm curious, this really shit we living for opinions

[Pre-Chorus: The Wise Guys]

All around me are familiar faces

Worn out places, worn out faces

Bright and early for the daily races

Going nowhere, going nowhere

Went to school and I was very nervous

No one knew me, no one knew me

Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson

Look right through me, look right through me

[Chorus]

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see?

Now look at me, look at me

How much vanity you see

[Outro: Magazeen]

We're fucking up the club now, club now

D'Usse and the Rose now, Rose now

They say how far we pulling in, pulling in

Watch me make me do me thing, do me thing

We're fucking up the club now, club now

D'Usse and the Rose now, Rose now

They say how far we pulling in, pulling in

Watch me make me do me thing, do me thing

Take it

Lyrics provided by LRCLIB

View full lyrics page →

Track details

From The Gifted

2013
Listen
Album
The Gifted
The Gifted
Wale
Release year
2013
  1. —MFS
  2. —One Eye Kitten (Remix)
  3. —Hella
  4. —Heaven’s Afternoon
  5. —Rotation
  6. —Tired of Dreaming
  7. —Vanity
  8. —LoveHate Thing
  9. —Clappers
  10. —88
  11. —Sunshine
  12. —Simple Man
  13. —The Curse of the Gifted
  14. —Gullible
  15. —Golden Salvation (Jesus Piece)
  16. —Bricks
  17. —Black Heroes / Outro About Nothing

More from Wale

Albums & EPs

Wow... That's Crazy
Wow... That's Crazy
2019
My Love (feat. Major Lazer, WizKid & Dua Lipa) [Remixes] - Single
My Love (feat. Major Lazer, WizKid & Dua Lipa) [Remixes] - Single
2017
SHINE
SHINE
2017
Festivus
Festivus
2014
Folarin
Folarin
2012
Ambition (Deluxe Version)
Ambition (Deluxe Version)
2011

Explore

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  5. Corner Bottleseverything is a lot.
  6. CRG Freestyle
  7. Damage Control
  8. Fly Awayeverything is a lot.
  9. Like Ieverything is a lot.
  10. Lonelyeverything is a lot.

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Credits

Production & Engineering

Writer
Deputy, No Credit, Wale
Producer
No Credit
Guitar
David Linaburg
Keyboards
Deputy
Additional Programming
Deputy
Additional Recording
Derek Pacuk
Assistant Engineer
Daniela Rivera
Mastering Engineer
Chris Athens
Mixing Engineer
Phil Tan
Recording Engineer
No Credit
READ MORE ABOUT WALEREAD MORE ABOUT WALE
READ MORE ABOUT WALEREAD MORE ABOUT WALE

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