2009 is looking bright for newcomer Wale. The Washington, D.C. native has already recorded several songs with production duo Cool & Dre and recently hooked up with one unlikely artist for his debut album.

Last weekend, the “rapper with a conscience” hit a New York studio with pop star Lady GaGa for an unspecified collaboration. The “Nike Boots” MC and “Just Dance” songstress are labelmates at Interscope Records.

While details of their recording were not available, the 24-year-old did tell staging-rapup.kinsta.cloud, “I just try to have a lot of subject and a lot of content in the music. I feel like one of the most important things is to have content and to truly be saying something.”

Wale was named one of Rap-Up‘s five artists to watch in 2009. Pick up the Winter 08/09 issue to read his Class of 2009 profile.