It isn’t my intention to use mixtapes on every one of these “Monday Mornin’ Melody” entries, but I can’t help myself. Driving home yesterday from a Sunday afternoon drink session I was jamming to this tune and a couple lines caught my attention and I couldn’t get them out of my head.

I downloaded Wale’s latest mixtape last week and it only took a couple listens for it to grow on me. Partly because it splices in audio snippets from Seinfeld, which in of itself makes this mixtape tight. The tape is titled “More About Nothing” so you can see how Seinfeld works into the theme.

Today’s jam gets top billing because of one line that was so sly that I couldn’t believe that it was actually uttered, or the fact that I understood the reference. At the 2:23 mark of “Black N Gold feat. Sam Sparro” Wale remarks, “I turn ducks into bucks, Luke Ridnour”. For those who don’t know why I am freaking out about this line, here is the scoop.

Luke Ridnour

Ridnour came on the scene back in 2001 when he led the Oregon Ducks to the Elite Eight as a sophomore. He has since moved on to a semi-successful NBA career, which started with the former Seattle Sonics, then to the Milwaukee Bucks, and he is currently employed by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Ridnour just signed a 4-year $16 million contract with the Timberwolves on July 25, 2010.

Sure this shows my extreme nerdom when it comes to former college basketball players, but you do have to admit that it is rather creative. Other sports references in the jam include Stephen Strasburg, Alex Ovechkin, along with Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton. Wale is from the D.C. area, explaining the Strasburg and Ovechkin drops.

Download: Wale – “More About Nothing”

PS
He also claims that, “I’m well aware, Ya’ll Mario Bros. I’m Metal Gear”. Hells yes got to love a Metal Gear reference.