Poor Decisions
{{Infobox song
| name = Poor Decisions
| cover = PoorDecisionsWale.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Wale featuring Rick Ross & Lupe Fiasco
| album = Self Made Vol. 3
| released = {{start date|2013|07|02}}
| recorded = 2013
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{duration|m=5|s=06}}
| label = {{hlist|Allido|Maybach|Atlantic}}
| writer = {{hlist|Olubowale Akintimehin|Wasalu Jaco|William Leonard Roberts II}}
| producer = Jake One
| chronology = Wale
| prev_title = Bounce It
| prev_year = 2013
| next_title = Clappers
| next_year = 2013
| misc = {{Extra chronology
| artist = Rick Ross
| type = Singles
| prev_title = No New Friends
| prev_year = 2013
| title = Poor Decisions
| year = 2013
| next_title = I Wanna Be with You
| next_year = 2013
}}
{{Extra chronology
| artist = Lupe Fiasco
| type = Singles
| prev_title = Battle Scars
| prev_year = 2012
| title = Poor Decisions
| year = 2013
| next_title = Old School Love
| next_year = 2013
}}
}}
"Poor Decisions" is a song by American rapper Wale featuring fellow American rappers Rick Ross and Lupe Fiasco, released as the lead single from the Maybach Music Group (owned by Ross) compilation album, Self Made Vol. 3. The song peaked on the US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles at number nine.
Background
On June 3, 2013, "Poor Decisions" was officially premiered by Vibe.{{cite web|url=http://www.vibe.com/article/vibe-premiere-wale-feat-rick-ross-lupe-fiasco-poor-decisions |title=Premiere: Wale Feat. Rick Ross & Lupe Fiasco 'Poor Decisions' |publisher=Vibe |date=2013-06-03 |access-date=2013-09-07}} It was originally thought to be a track from Wale's third studio album The Gifted.{{cite web|last=Huynh |first=Davis |url=http://hypetrak.com/2013/06/wale-featuring-rick-ross-and-lupe-fiasco-poor-decisions-produced-by-jake-one/ |title=Wale featuring Rick Ross and Lupe Fiasco – Poor Decisions (Produced by Jake One) |publisher=Hypetrak |access-date=2013-09-07}} On June 4, 2013, Rick Ross revealed the first two songs from Self Made Vol. 3, "God Is Great" by Rockie Fresh,{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2013/06/rockie-fresh-god-is-great |title=Rockie Fresh "God Is Great" |publisher=Complex |date=2013-06-03 |access-date=2013-06-07}} and "Poor Decisions" by Wale featuring Ross and Lupe Fiasco.{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/singles/id.24601/title.Wale+f.+Rick+Ross+%26+Lupe+Fiasco-Poor+Decisions |title=Wale f. Rick Ross & Lupe Fiasco - Poor Decisions |publisher=HipHop DX |date=2013-06-03 |access-date=2013-06-07}} On July 2, 2013 "Poor Decisions" along with, "Levels" by Meek Mill would be sent to iTunes as the album's first and second singles.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/poor-decisions-feat.-rick/id665522858 |title=iTunes - Music - Poor Decisions (feat. Rick Ross & Lupe Fiasco) - Single by MMG |publisher=iTunes |date=2013-07-02 |access-date=2013-08-24}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
Coincidentally all three artists had recently gone through controversy around the release of the song. From Rick Ross rhyming about date rape on "U.O.E.N.O.", to Wale who recently got into an argument with a basketball announcer who chose to insult the D.C.-based rapper and Fiasco who had gotten in trouble for publicly criticizing Barack Obama during an inauguration party. However, the song does not mention any of the issues, and is based around "positive vibes".{{cite web|url=https://www.spin.com/2013/06/wale-rick-ross-lupe-fiasco-poor-decisions-stream-mmg/ |title=Poor Decision-Makers Rick Ross, Wale, and Lupe Fiasco Rap About 'Poor Decisions' | SPIN | SPIN Mix | Songs |publisher=SPIN |date=2013-06-04 |access-date=2013-09-07}} The song's verses were described as "introspective" by Rap-Up.{{cite web|url=http://www.rap-up.com/2013/06/03/new-music-wale-f-rick-ross-lupe-fiasco-poor-decisions/ |title=New Music: Wale f/ Rick Ross & Lupe Fiasco – 'Poor Decisions' |publisher=Rap-Up.com |access-date=2013-09-07}}
Music video
On June 5, 2013, The DRE Films directed music video for "Poor Decisions" was released, along with the "God Is Great" and "Oil Money Gang" music videos.{{cite web|url=http://rapfix.mtv.com/2013/06/05/wale-joined-by-rick-ross-and-lupe-fiasco-in-poor-decisions-video/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610155346/http://rapfix.mtv.com/2013/06/05/wale-joined-by-rick-ross-and-lupe-fiasco-in-poor-decisions-video |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 10, 2013 |title=Wale Joined By Rick Ross And Lupe Fiasco In 'Poor Decisions' Video |publisher=Rapfix.mtv.com |date=2013-06-06 |access-date=2013-09-07}}{{cite web|author=Nigel D. |url=http://realtalkny.uproxx.com/2013/06/topic/topic/videos/music-videos/video-wale-ft-rick-ross-and-lupe-fiasco-poor-decisions/ |title=Video: Wale ft. Rick Ross and Lupe Fiasco - Poor Decisions » RealTalkNY Brought To You By Nigel D |publisher=Realtalkny.uproxx.com |date=2013-01-11 |access-date=2013-09-07}}
Critical reception
Bruce Smith of HipHopDX praised Lupe Fiasco's verse on "Poor Decisions" as the biggest highlight of Self Made 3 and that it should be in the running for one of the best verses of 2013.{{cite web|last=Smith |first=Bruce |url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.2148/title.maybach-music-group-self-made-vol-3 |title=Maybach Music Group - Self Made Vol. 3 |publisher=HipHop DX |date=2013-09-18 |access-date=2013-09-29}} Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine called the song, a "somber huddle that emerges as Wale takes on one of his signature social messages, which Ross mostly uses as an excuse to shame those less successful at imaginary crime than him.{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/maybach-music-group-self-made-vol.-3 |title=Maybach Music Group: Self Made, Vol. 3 | Music Review |publisher=Slant Magazine |access-date=2013-09-29}}
Chart performance
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2013)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (Billboard){{cite web | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=wale|chart=Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} | title=Wale – Chart History: Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | work=Billboard | publisher=Prometheus Global Media | access-date=September 5, 2013}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 9 |
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Maybach Music Group}}
{{Wale}}
{{Rick Ross}}
{{Lupe Fiasco singles}}
Category:Songs written by Wale (rapper)
Category:Songs written by Rick Ross
Category:Songs written by Lupe Fiasco