“Go girl, go girl, go girl! Ambition!” This eight letter word has been transformed over the past year by Maybach Music Group artist Wale. The DC native has become extremely popular over the past two years with the release of several mixtapes. One of Wale’s most popular songs is “The Ambitious Girl”, quoted in the opening of the article. If you are unfamiliar with this song, he describes his ideal girl -one who is enrolled in college, striving to make her dreams become reality. Later in the song, he says
“I wanna see something else in you before I invest in you/ Ambitious Girl, what’s it hittin’ for?/ I’d rather you tell me to hit you later because you gotta finish a paper/ than to be in my face asking me for a Rosé cup”.
This is a rather inspiring song for several ladies who find themselves experiencing writer’s block while writing term papers or dissertations. I myself have had this song at the top of a study playlist I have named, “Ambitious Girl” since the song came out. This is around the time I had noticed how the Ambition Movement had gained popularity.
Since the song’s release, this movement led by Wale has had a snowball effect on the hip hop community. Now, you can find merchandise, such as wristbands and tee-shirts, and even more permanent decoration like tattoos have been seen online, some even re-tweeted by Wale himself.
It has even caused a phenomenon in the collegiate community. “After hearing ‘No Days Off’ and ‘Ambition’ it motivated me and makes me feel more serious about life. It also caused me to take more pride in my race, as I see people grinding harder regarding work and school. More people are starting to look for jobs and are considering graduate degrees,” says VUU Junior Shaquille Thomas.
However, not everyone is feeling the movement that everyone is appreciating and attempting to become involved in #TeamAmbition. “I feel like this has gone too far and become more of a bandwagon thing for some people. Personally, I have been ambitious prior to all of this,” says VUU Junior David Gardner.
In the title track off the album, Wale exclaims “They Gonna Love Me For My Ambition!” Regardless of the myriad of personal viewpoints one may have on the Ambition Movement one thing is certain: it is indeed a movement and Wale and his MMG label mates are on top of the game right now.
