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Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (born September 21, 1984), better known by his stage name Wale ( ), is an American rapper. He first gained recognition in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug (Shake It)" became popular in his hometown, leading Wale to became locally recognized as he continued recording music for the regional audience. Wale met English DJ-producer Mark Ronson in 2006 and joined his label, Allido Records in 2007. While signed to that label, Wale released several mixtapes and appeared in national media including MTV and various Black American-focused magazines. A song called "Ridin' in That Black Joint" was featured in the popular video game '' Saints Row 2''s soundtrack in 2008. In 2008, a three-label bidding war resulted in Wale signing with
Interscope Records Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
for $1.3 million, and his debut album '' Attention Deficit'' was released in 2009 with the singles " Chillin" (featuring
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
), " Pretty Girls" (featuring Gucci Mane), and "World Tour" (featuring Jazmine Sullivan). The album, although under-shipped, was met with positive reception from critics. In early 2011, Wale signed with Florida rapper
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
'
Maybach Music Group Maybach Music Group (; abbreviated MMG) is a record label imprint founded by American rapper Rick Ross. Maybach Music Group albums are distributed by Atlantic Records, a division of the Atlantic Records Group. Atlantic took over distribution fo ...
, where members of the label released a compilation album, '' Self Made Vol. 1'' on May 23, 2011. His second studio album, '' Ambition'' was released November 1, 2011, with mixed reviews. His third studio album, '' The Gifted'', was released on June 25, 2013, to mainly positive reviews; it debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. His second ''Billboard'' number one album ''
The Album About Nothing ''The Album About Nothing'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on March 31, 2015, by Maybach Music Group, Allido Records and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a continuation of Wale's ''Seinfeld''-themed mixtap ...
'' was released on March 31, 2015. In 2018, Wale released three EPs titled ''It's Complicated'', ''Self-Promotion'' and ''Free Lunch''. In 2019, Wale released his sixth studio album '' Wow... That's Crazy'', with the album's lead single "
On Chill "On Chill" is a song by American rapper Wale featuring Jeremih, released through Warner Records as the lead single from Wale's sixth studio album '' Wow... That's Crazy'' on July 12, 2019. It reached number 22 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. ...
" (featuring Jeremih) was released on July 12, 2019. The song was met with positive reviews and spent 23 weeks on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 22. In 2021, Wale followed up his 2012 mixtape '' Folarin'' with his seventh studio album ''
Folarin II ''Folarin II'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper Wale (rapper), Wale released on October 22, 2021, by Every Blue Moon, Maybach Music Group and Warner Records. The production on the album was handled by several producers, including Co ...
''. In 2022, Wale appeared in the film '' Ambulance'' directed by
Michael Bay Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965) is an American film director and producer. He is best known for making big-budget, high-concept action films characterized by fast cutting, stylistic cinematography and visuals, and extensive use of ...
.


Biography


1984–2007: Early life and career beginnings

Olubowale Victor Akintimehin was born on September 21, 1984, in Northwest, Washington, D.C. His parents were both from the
Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba consti ...
ethnic group of southwestern
Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...
, and both of them came from
Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
to the United States in 1979. Wale's family first lived in Northwest, Washington, D.C., and then moved to
Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is the most populous county in the state of Maryland. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat and largest municipality is Rockville, although the census-design ...
, when Wale was 10. In 2002, he graduated from the Quince Orchard High School in
Gaithersburg Gaithersburg ( ), officially the City of Gaithersburg, is a city in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. At the time of the 2020 U.S. Census, Gaithersburg had a population of 69,657, making it the ninth-largest location in the state. Ga ...
, and moved to Largo in Prince George's County. Wale attended Robert Morris University and Virginia State University on football scholarships, then transferred to Bowie State University. However, he dropped out due to academic reasons. Wale's love of the game of football and the team then known as Washington Redskins has led to a longstanding rumor that Wale had a tattoo of tight end Chris Cooley.He was affiliated with the Richmond's local group Pearl University, who consisted of him Sidwonder and AK. He's also the cousin of actor Gbenga Akinnagbe, who is best known as for playing Chris Partlow on HBO's ''
The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2, ...
''. Wale's first recorded track, called "Rhyme of the Century", became his first song to ever be played on the local radio. In 2006, he was featured in the "Unsigned Hype" column of '' ''The Source'' magazine'', and later signed to a local label, Studio 43. The track, called "Dig Dug (Shake It)" became popular in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia, and was a tribute to Ronald "Dig Dug" Dixon, who was a percussion player for the go-go band Northeast Groovers. The song became the most requested song by a local artist in Washington D.C. radio history and Wale was the first local artist to get some BDS spins since DJ Kool in the early 1990s. The song was included in Wale's first mixtape, ''Paint a Picture''. In July 2006, Wale found representation in Daniel Weisman, a former club DJ and promoter who had no previous experience in management. Weisman had been tipped off about the rapper by a friend in Washington, D.C. and connected with him through Myspace. In September 2006, after dropping another go-go influenced single, called "Breakdown" (sampled from
Huck-A-Bucks The Huck-a-Bucks was a Washington, D.C.-based go-go band formed in the early 1990s. The band was active in the Washington metropolitan area, producing numerous songs in the Washington music scene and several hits nationwide, including the sin ...
" Sexy Girl") has been getting a mention on ''The Washington Post'', Wale released his first non-go-go original single, called "Uptown Roamers". On September 14, 2006, "Uptown Roamers" debuted on XM Radio Channel 66, where it's been played twice in one day. Both "Breakdown" and "Uptown Roamers" were on Wale's second mixtape, ''Hate Is the New Love''. The song, "Breakdown" was featured on the video game Madden NFL 2009. Wale won the award for "D. C. Metro Breakthrough Artist of the Year" at WKYS's Go-Go Awards in November 2006. On December 15, '' The Fader'' magazine associate editor Nick "Catchdubs" Barat visited Wale for an interview and photo shoot, which appeared in the March 2007 issue of ''The Fader''. Manager Weisman told HitQuarters that the Fader feature, given the magazine's music/culture/fashion orientation, laid an important foundation for Wale to position himself as a "cool, smart, up-and-coming hip-hop artist who might actually be Drake".


2007–2009: National attention and major label signing

In January 2007, Wale released a new single to radio called "Good Girls" produced by Gerard Thomas and Demario Bridges for TeamMusicGroup (LeTroy Davis). Wale later appeared on Mark Ronson's remix of Lily Allen's "Smile" and was a headliner on Ronson's UK tour that year promoting Ronson's second album '' Version''. In June 2007, Wale signed to a production deal with Ronson's Allido Records. In May 2010, Wale abruptly canceled a scheduled performance at DC Black Pride, an annual black gay pride event. In an email to the event's organizer, Wale's manager claimed he was unaware it was a gay event when he agreed to perform. However, on May 28, 2010, it was announced he would perform alongside the headliner for free. Wale released his third
mixtape A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
, '' 100 Miles & Running'', on July 11, 2007, as a free download on his Myspace page. This mixtape includes features from Mark Ronson, Daniel Merriweather, Amy Winehouse, and Lily Allen. It was released on the same day as his performance at the Highline Ballroom, in Manhattan. The Highline show was to promote the US release of Mark Ronson's album and included performances by Mark Ronson, Wale,
Saigon , population_density_km2 = 4,292 , population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2 , population_demonym = Saigonese , blank_name = GRP (Nominal) , blank_info = 2019 , blank1_name = – Total , blank1_ ...
, and Daniel Merriweather. Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Maroon 5, Clive Davis, Eve and Danny Masterson were all in attendance. There, Wale was interviewed by
MTV News MTV News is the news production division of MTV. The service is available in the US with localized versions on MTV's global network. In February 2016, MTV Networks confirmed it would refresh the MTV News brand in 2016, to compete with the likes ...
correspondent J. D. Tuminski for his first national TV feature on August 16, 2007. With Ronson, Wale performed "W. A. L. E. D. A. N. C. E. ", a remix of Justice's " D.A.N.C.E." from Wale's ''100 Miles'' mixtape, at the
2007 MTV Video Music Awards The 2007 MTV Video Music Awards, honoring the best music videos from the previous year between June 2006 to June 2007, took place on September 9, in Las Vegas at The Palms. The 2007 VMAs were the smallest VMAs ever held in MTV history, eliminati ...
in Las Vegas, Nevada. ''The Washington Post'' profiled Wale on the front page of the Sunday Style section in the October 21, 2007, edition. Wale was featured on the cover of the 150th issue of '' URB'' along with French electro group Justice. In March 2008, Wale signed a joint venture deal with Mark Ronson's Allido Records and
Interscope Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Musi ...
, joining
Rhymefest Che Smith (born July 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Rhymefest, is an American rapper from Chicago whose first official album, ''Blue Collar'', was released in 2006. His prominent songwriting credits include co-writing Kanye West's "Je ...
and Daniel Merriweather as Allido artists. Epic Records,
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most ...
, and Def Jam all competed to sign Wale. On May 30, Wale released his fourth mixtape'' The Mixtape About Nothing'', heavily produced by Best Kept Secret. Wale said that the television show ''
Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...
'' inspired ''The Mixtape About Nothing'': "the TV show's 'honest dialogue' mirrors his lyrical style, which frequently references pop culture and politics while avoiding gangster-rap bluster". After signing with Interscope, Wale began recording tracks for his major label debut: in a 2008 interview with '' Express'', a newspaper published by the Washington Post Company, Wale announced that he was recording a song with Chrisette Michele called "Shades", which discusses inter-black racism. Wale also appeared on Interscope label mate DJ Greg Street's single "Dope Boys" which samples Hip Hop classic
T.R.O.Y. "They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)" is a song by Pete Rock & CL Smooth, inspired by the death of their close friend Troy Dixon (better known as "Trouble" T. Roy of Heavy D & the Boyz) in 1990. The song was the lead single off their debut albu ...
alongside
Lupe Fiasco Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( ), is an American rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album, ''Lupe Fiasco's ...
and Kardinal Offishall. Rapper Young Chris of rap duo Young Gunz also began plans for a collaboration mixtape with Wale. Wale and fellow rapper Big Sean in 2009 On June 19, 2009, Wale released his fifth mixtape, ''Back to the Feature'', on which eleven of the tracks were produced by 9th Wonder, with contributions also coming from Mark Ronson and others. The album's title, a play off the name of the movie '' Back to the Future'', referred to the fact that a lengthy list of rappers joined Wale on the songs, including K'naan, Tamere Guess, Talib Kweli,
Joell Ortiz Joell Christopher Ortiz (born July 6, 1980) is an American rapper and a former member of the group Slaughterhouse. Ortiz grew up in the Cooper Park Houses in the East Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, formerly signed to Dr. Dre's Afte ...
, Beanie Sigel, Curren$y,
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
and Bun B. The mixtape received positive reviews from ''Vibe'' magazine and website Pitchfork Media, but Colin McGowan of ''Cokemachineglow'' commented that it represented neither "a step forward or back
or the artist Or or OR may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * "O.R.", a 1974 episode of M*A*S*H * Or (My Treasure), a 2004 movie from Israel (''Or'' means "light" in Hebrew) Music * ''Or'' (album), a 2002 album by Golden Boy with Mi ...
so much as shouting-in-place. " Wale did a guest performance on " Change", a song by the Australian singer-songwriter Daniel Merriweather. It was written by Merriweather and
Andrew Wyatt Andrew Wyatt Blakemore is an American musician, songwriter and record producer. Born and raised in Manhattan, New York, he began his career playing in New York bands such as The A.M. and Black Beetle. He gained wider notability as the frontman ...
and produced by Mark Ronson. It was released on January 30, 2009, in the United States and Canada, and February 2, 2009, in the UK (where the song peaked at no.8). The song is included on Merriweather's album '' Love & War''. On September 13, Wale, alongside the DC-based musicians of UCB (Uncalled 4 Band)- The Board Administration artists, served as the official house band for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.


2009–10: ''Attention Deficit''

Released on November 10, 2009, Wale's debut album, '' Attention Deficit'', had primarily positive reception.
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
, which assigns a standardized score out of 100, rated the album 77 based on 21 reviews. It debuted at the number 21 spot on the ''Billboard'' 200 and sold 28,000 copies in its first week. Interscope claimed that the LP was undershipped and that was the reason for the low sales numbers. Daniel Weisman, Wale's manager, claimed that Interscope didn't ship enough copies of the album. The first single off ''Attention Deficit'' was " Chillin", featuring
Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...
, followed by "Pretty Girls" featuring Gucci Mane and Weensey and " World Tour" featuring Jazmine Sullivan. Other guest artists on the album included Pharrell; Bun B; Chrisette Michele; K'Naan; Marsha Ambrosius;
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
; and Melanie Fiona. In March 2010, Rapper Wale announced he and K'Naan would kick off a short co-headlining tour across the east coast of the US, beginning at the end of March in New York City. According to Wale, he is in the studio with Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame, Roscoe Dash, Sean Garrett, and Drumma Boy. On August 3, 2010, Wale released his sixth mixtape, ''More About Nothing'' hosted by DJ Omega a follow-up to his critically acclaimed '' The Mixtape About Nothing'' under The Board Administration – an independent label co-founded with Marketing Executive Le'Greg O. Harrison. ''More About Nothing'' took the internet by storm resulting in 100,000 plus downloads in 90 minutes. ''More About Nothing'' creatively integrates sitcom material with rhyme and wordplay to present Wale's frustrations on his plight to reach mainstream acceptance and success. Features include Wiz Khalifa,
Waka Flocka Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles " O Let' ...
, Daniel Merriweather, UCB, Board Administration Artists'
Tiara Thomas Tiara Nicole Thomas (born September 12, 1989) is an American R&B singer. In 2013, she was featured on the Wale single " Bad", which has been certified 3× platinum. That same year, Thomas landed a label deal with Interscope Records, a label u ...
,
Black Cobain Marcus Gloster (born April 29, 1986), known professionally as Black Cobain, is an American rapper. He collaborated on the Wale track "4 AM" and was the opening act of Wale's 2011-2012 53-city "Ambition" tour. Background Black Cobain was born i ...
, Fat Trel, and NBA Player and DC Native Kevin Durant. In the last half of 2010, inspired by Kanye West's
G.O.O.D. Fridays GOOD Fridays was a weekly free music release by rapper Kanye West, launched in support of his fifth studio album ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). The original intention was to release a free new song every Friday for a few months to ...
project, Wale re-released a track from one of his previous mixtapes for free-download on his own website every Thursday, calling this enterprise "''Throwback Thursday''". Guests on those tracks included Bun B, Pusha T,
John Mayer John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, Mayer attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, but left and moved to Atlanta in 1997 with ...
, Lil Wayne and K'Naan.


2011: Signing to MMG and ''Ambition''

On February 5, 2011, during Super Bowl XLV festivities he announced his signing to artist Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group. He states that he will still continue to be able to put out the music that he believes in, with the support of Rick Ross. Since 2009, Wale has been signed to Jay-Z's Roc Nation for management along with other artists such as
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
, Mark Ronson, Melanie Fiona and
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
. On May 6, 2011, Wale shared plans with MTV Networks regarding the potential release of two albums in 2011. Later the same month, he confirmed pre-production efforts for ''Ambition'', his second album, slated for a fall 2011 release under Maybach and Warner Music Groups. Production for ''Ambition'' took place at ZAC Recording in Atlanta, Georgia with The Board Administration Producer Tone P. Anticipation for ''Ambition'' was incited through the release and heavy viral promotion of mixtape, ''The Eleven One Eleven Theory'' done under Wale's label, The Board Administration. ''The Eleven One Eleven Theory'' debuted August 17, 2011, on ''Life and Times'' in honor of Wale's Twitter milestone of reaching one million followers and was purposefully made with the intent to build widespread anticipation for the November 1, 2011, scheduled release date of ''Ambition''. This marketing strategy was the
brainchild Brainchild may refer to: * Brainchild (band), a local supergroup from Youngstown, Ohio, 1969–1972 * ''Brainchild'' (Society of Soul album), 1996 * ''Brainchild'' (Circle of Dust album), 1994 * Fictional comic characters in the Marvel Universe: ...
of The Board Administration CEO Le'Greg O. Harrison and was executed through savvy social media integration, resulting in the first shut down of renowned file sharing site Hulkshare in the first 4 seconds of posting the link. Wale is the first mainstream artist to officially crash Hulkshare. On September 7, 2011, Wale announced plans for a 32-city domestic tour titled The ''Ambition'' Tour, which initiated October 2, 2011, in Minneapolis Minnesota and has dates through December 2011. The Board Administration Artist
Black Cobain Marcus Gloster (born April 29, 1986), known professionally as Black Cobain, is an American rapper. He collaborated on the Wale track "4 AM" and was the opening act of Wale's 2011-2012 53-city "Ambition" tour. Background Black Cobain was born i ...
is the official opening act for each date and is followed by a rotation of various artists in select markets which include:
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
, Meek Mill, Pusha T,
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
,
Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
, Miguel, and more. The tour was booked by
NUE Agency Nue Agency is a creative music agency located in New York City. In 2013 they were named to Inc Mag's 500 list as the 3rd fastest growing Media Company. History Nue Agency was founded in 2008 by Jesse Kirshbaum who still serves as the company's ...
. On September 28, 2011, Wale revealed that ''Ambition'' was complete and released the single "Lotus Flower Bomb", featuring Miguel on Twitter. On September 29, 2011, Funk Master Flex debuted Wale's song "Tats on my Arms", featuring Rick Ross. The next day, Wale released the album cover for ''Ambition''. On October 14, 2011, Wale released the single "Focused", featuring
Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
. The official ''Ambition'' track listing includes 15 songs. The Board Administration launched a robust social media campaign integrating never-seen-before social media strategy and savvy to virally promote ''Ambition''. The promotional campaign included a five-part "making of" documentary, a Twitter campaign centered on a hashtag blitz–aptly named #Ambition, daily new music and video releases from Wale, and promotional materials for purchase through
Warner Music Group Warner Music Group Corp. (trade name, d.b.a. Warner Music Group, commonly abbreviated as WMG) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational entertainment and record label Conglomerate (company), conglomerate headquartered in New York C ...
and
Maybach Music Group Maybach Music Group (; abbreviated MMG) is a record label imprint founded by American rapper Rick Ross. Maybach Music Group albums are distributed by Atlantic Records, a division of the Atlantic Records Group. Atlantic took over distribution fo ...
such as ''Ambition'' wristbands and graphic tees. These efforts were also supported by televised "making of" episodes through networks such as MTV that hosted ''Sucker Free Road to Release''. The never-seen-before element of Wale's ''Ambition'' promo blitz included a partnership formed between the current most popular file sharing site Hulkshare and The Board Administration. Greater than 3 million people frequent Hulkshare daily, and through this collaboration could view banner ads on practically every Hulkshare download page flanked with Wale's profile and a clock counting down the days, hours, minutes, and seconds until the album released. On October 27, 2011, Wale unveiled an ''Ambition'' snippet sampler on YouTube for people to preview the album. Later the same day, a private ''Ambition'' media listening event, held at the Gansevoort Hotel of Chelsea New York, was attended by music executives, bloggers, various artists, and hip hop heads. On November 2, 2011, Myspace and Hot 97 presented a complimentary Wale and friends midnight ''Ambition'' release show at The Highline Ballroom in New York City. The event was hosted by
Miss Info Minya Oh, professionally known as Miss Info, is an American radio personality and journalist. Early life and education A native of the North Side of Chicago, Oh is the daughter of Korean immigrants. Oh graduated from Columbia University. C ...
and featured special guest DJ Funkmaster Flex. The album debuted number two on the ''Billboard'' 200, selling 162,600 copies in its first week. The album initially received mixed reviews, including a negative one in Wale's local '' Washington City Paper''. However, the album currently holds a 69/100 score on Metacritic, signifying "generally favorable reviews. "


2012–2017: ''The Gifted,'' ''The Album About Nothing,'' ''Shine''

On November 25, 2011, shortly after the release of ''Ambition'', Wale announced on Twitter that he has already begun working on his third album. In an interview with UpVenue in January 2012, Wale confirmed the third album and the focus will be about his growth as a person. He was featured on Maybach Music Group's second studio album
Self Made II ''Self Made Vol. 2'' is the second compilation album by MMG. The album was released on June 26, 2012, by Maybach Music Group, Warner Bros. Records and Def Jam Recordings. Like the previous album, ''Self Made Vol. 2'' features contributions from ...
. Wale released the mixtape ''Folarin'' on December 24, 2012, which is hosted by DJ Clark Kent. He released a trailer for ''Folarin'' on December 6, 2012. He has also started working on his third studio album which is to be released in 2013. The mixtape features guest spots
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. Prior to releasing his debut single, "Hustlin'", in 2006, Ross was the subject of a bidding war, receiving offers from Sean Combs, D ...
, 2 Chainz, Scarface, Nipsey Hussle, French Montana,
Tiara Thomas Tiara Nicole Thomas (born September 12, 1989) is an American R&B singer. In 2013, she was featured on the Wale single " Bad", which has been certified 3× platinum. That same year, Thomas landed a label deal with Interscope Records, a label u ...
,
Lightshow A laser lighting display or laser light show involves the use of laser light to entertain an audience. A laser light show may consist only of projected laser beams set to music, or may accompany another form of entertainment, typically mus ...
, and Trinidad James among others. Production comes from Hit-Boy,
Jake One Jacob Brian Dutton (born May 11, 1976), known professionally as Jake One, is an American record producer and songwriter.Palermo, Thomas (2008)Jake One Readies New Album, XLR8R, September 5, 2008Matos, Michaelangelo (2004)Rocketship Blowing Up, Se ...
, Cardo, Diplo, Beat Billionaire and Rico Love among others. When speaking of his third studio album Wale would say, "it's going to have one sound, very, very soulful", and said that the first single, "Bad", "is a pretty good indication of the direction I'm going for this project." The album is set to release on June 25, 2013, and with his fourth album is coming a couple months after that. Wale announced he was collaborating with
Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing a Jerry Seinfeld (character), semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom ''Seinfeld'', which he ...
on his fourth studio album to be titled ''The Album About Nothing''. He later said he was also collaborating with producer No I.D. on the album. He also said he would release a collaboration mixtape with Meek Mill during 2013. In December 2012, Wale had announced he was planning on releasing a Go-go album: "I wanna do the album for me. This is the second time I'm announcing it, but I'm doing a Go-Go album after my album. And when I say Go-Go I don't mean like cheesy Go-Go. It's gonna be sequenced. It's gonna be me probably rapping only 40-percent on the album, but getting the sound out." To build hype for ''The Gifted'', Wale released "Sight of the Sun", a remix of the Fun. song of the same name. This was similar to the songs "Bittersweet" and "Fly Away", which he released prior to ''Attention: Deficit''. On September 9, 2014, Wale released the first single from the album ''The Album About Nothing'' titled "The Body" featuring American singer Jeremih. On November 17, 2014, Wale announced a 31-date US tour entitled the Simply Nothing Tour. The tour is in support of his upcoming 2015 album,
The Album About Nothing ''The Album About Nothing'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on March 31, 2015, by Maybach Music Group, Allido Records and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a continuation of Wale's ''Seinfeld''-themed mixtap ...
. On December 24, 2014, Wale released the mixtape Festivus heavily themed by the
Seinfeld ''Seinfeld'' ( ) is an American television sitcom created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. It aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, over nine seasons and List of Seinfeld episodes, 180 episodes. It stars Seinfeld as Jerry Seinfeld ( ...
holiday. Features on the mixtape included Chance The Rapper, A$AP Ferg, and Pusha T, among others. On March 31, 2015, Wale released his fourth studio album ''
The Album About Nothing ''The Album About Nothing'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on March 31, 2015, by Maybach Music Group, Allido Records and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a continuation of Wale's ''Seinfeld''-themed mixtap ...
'', which featured
Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing a Jerry Seinfeld (character), semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom ''Seinfeld'', which he ...
,
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
,
Usher Usher may refer to: Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place: * Usher (occupation) ** Church usher ** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony ** Fiel ...
, and
SZA Solána Imani Rowe (born November 8, 1989), known professionally as SZA ( ), is an American singer and songwriter. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she began making music in the early 2010s, releasing two extended plays before signing with the hip ...
among others. It became his second No. 1 album in the United States. It was revealed that Wale would next serve as the Executive Producer for Maybach Music Group's next collaborative album ''Self Made 4''. Wale also recorded the original music theme for the popular
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
sports talk show First Take, which features journalists/panelists Stephen A. Smith, Max Kellerman and moderator/host Molly Qerim. The two-hour show, which airs twice daily at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
, features Wale's theme at the beginning of the show. Wale's fifth studio album, ''
Shine Shine may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Shine'' (film), a 1996 Australian film based on the life of David Helfgott, a pianist * Shine, a fictional character in the American animated TV series ''Shimmer and Shine'' Lite ...
'' was released on April 28, 2017, selling 28,000 units in its first week.


2018–present: ''It's Complicated'', ''Self Promotion'', Warner Records, ''Free Lunch'', ''Wow... That's Crazy'' and ''Folarin II''

After parting ways with
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most ...
in February, Wale released a surprise four-track EP titled ''It's Complicated'' on March 13, 2018. Two months later, he release a second EP titled ''Self Promotion'' on May 8, 2018. The four-track EP had a single guest feature in R&B singer, Jacquees. On May 16, 2018, it was announced that Wale had been signed to Warner Records. Then on September 14, 2018, he released a third EP titled ''Free Lunch'', with guest appearances from long time friend and collaborator,
J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born on a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained recognition as a rapper following the release of his d ...
and Eric Bellinger. On December 20 and 21, 2018 Wale released two tracks, "Winter Wars" and "Poledancer". Wale's sixth album, '' Wow... That's Crazy'' was released on October 11, 2019. It included the single, "
On Chill "On Chill" is a song by American rapper Wale featuring Jeremih, released through Warner Records as the lead single from Wale's sixth studio album '' Wow... That's Crazy'' on July 12, 2019. It reached number 22 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100. ...
". Wale released an EP, ''The Imperfect Storm'', on June 19, 2020. On October 22, 2021, Wale released ''
Folarin II ''Folarin II'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper Wale (rapper), Wale released on October 22, 2021, by Every Blue Moon, Maybach Music Group and Warner Records. The production on the album was handled by several producers, including Co ...
'', an album follow-up to his 2012 mixtape ''Folarin''.


Musical style

In an interview with ''Flavorwire'', Wale said that he incorporates elements of go-go in his music. Cyril Cordor of
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the dat ...
described go-go as "a more raw, percussion-driven offshoot of disco" that originated in the Washington, D. C. area. Wale's early singles that were played primarily in his local metropolitan area heavily sampled 1990s go-go records. Reviewing ''Attention Deficit'', David Jeffries of allmusic remarked that Wale had a "post-Kanye, post-Lil Wayne, alternative-meets-hardcore style" and commented that Wale's single "Chillin'", which featured Lady Gaga, "crafts an instant floor-filler out of a sample from the 1969 hit '
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" is a 1969 song written and recorded by Paul Leka, Gary DeCarlo and Dale Frashuer, attributed to a then-fictitious band they named "Steam". It was released under the Mercury subsidiary label Fontana and became a ...
'".


Personal life

An avid professional wrestling fan, Wale has made several wrestling references on his songs. Wale hosts the annual WaleMania during WrestleMania weekend. He has also made several appearances on WWE television, where he hosted a rap battle between The New Day and The Usos on the 4 July episode of ''Smackdown Live'' in 2017, and was the guest commentator during Noam Dar and TJP's match on ''205 Live'' in 2018. On October 2, 2019, Wale escorted former
NXT Tag Team champions The NXT Tag Team Championship is a men's professional wrestling tag team championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE. It is defended on the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. Introduced on January 2 ...
The Street Profits to the ring for their title shot versus champions Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly. At WrestleMania 37, Wale escorted former Intercontinental Champion Big E to the ring versus champion Apollo Crews. Wale also performs
Big E Big E may refer to: * Capital letter "E" People * Big E (wrestler) (born 1986), American professional wrestler, born Ettore Ewen, formerly known as "Big E Langston" * Elvin Hayes (born 1945; nicknamed "Big E"), American basketball player and r ...
's new theme song as a singles competitor. Wale is a fan of the Washington Commanders.


Discography

* '' Attention Deficit'' (2009) * '' Ambition'' (2011) * '' The Gifted'' (2013) * ''
The Album About Nothing ''The Album About Nothing'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on March 31, 2015, by Maybach Music Group, Allido Records and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a continuation of Wale's ''Seinfeld''-themed mixtap ...
'' (2015) * ''
Shine Shine may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television * ''Shine'' (film), a 1996 Australian film based on the life of David Helfgott, a pianist * Shine, a fictional character in the American animated TV series ''Shimmer and Shine'' Lite ...
'' (2017) * '' Wow... That's Crazy'' (2019) * ''
Folarin II ''Folarin II'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper Wale (rapper), Wale released on October 22, 2021, by Every Blue Moon, Maybach Music Group and Warner Records. The production on the album was handled by several producers, including Co ...
'' (2021)


Other ventures

Wale teamed up with Philadelphia retailer Ruvilla, and ASICS for a product called "Bottle Rocket" Asics Gel Lyte III in 2015. In 2016, he teamed with ASICS again with a product that features gold and shades of black and blue.


Television appearance

Wale portrays Chango in season 3 of '' American Gods''.


Awards and nominations


African Muzik Magazine Awards

, - , 2014 , Wale , Best Male Diaspora ,


BET Awards

, - , rowspan="2" , 2012 , rowspan="2" , "
Lotus Flower Bomb "Lotus Flower Bomb" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Wale, released as the lead single from his second studio album '' Ambition''. The song was officially released on October 11, 2011 through Allido Records, Maybach Music Group and ...
" , Viewer's Choice , , - , Best Collaboration , , - , 2014 , "
LoveHate Thing "LoveHate Thing" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Wale featuring vocals from Roc Nation singer Sam Dew. It was co-written by both artists, along with Antonio Palmer and Mint Condition's Stokley Williams, who also co-produced the so ...
" , Centric Award ,


BET Hip Hop Awards

, - , 2010 , Wale , Best New Artist , , - , rowspan="2" , 2011 , rowspan="2" , " No Hands" , Best Collaboration , , - , Best Club Banger , , - , rowspan="2" , 2012 , rowspan="2" , "Lotus Flower Bomb" , Best Hip-Hop Video , , - , Perfect Combo , , - , rowspan="2" , 2013 , rowspan="2" , Wale , Album Of The Year , , - , Lyricist Of The Year , , - , , 2015 , ''
The Album About Nothing ''The Album About Nothing'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Wale. It was released on March 31, 2015, by Maybach Music Group, Allido Records and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a continuation of Wale's ''Seinfeld''-themed mixtap ...
'' , Album of the Year ,


Grammy Awards

, - , 2013 , "Lotus Flower Bomb" , Best Rap Song ,


MTV Video Music Awards

, - , 2015 , "The White Shoes" , Best Video with a Social Message ,


Nigeria Entertainment Awards

, - , 2010 , rowspan="2", Himself , Best International Artist , , - , 2014 , Diaspora Artist of the Year ,


Soul Train Awards

, - , 2010 , Wale , Best New Artist , , - , 2012 , "Lotus Flower Bomb" , Best Hip-Hop Song , , - , 2012 , "Lotus Flower Bomb" , Song of the Year , , - , 2013 , Bad (feat.
Tiara Thomas Tiara Nicole Thomas (born September 12, 1989) is an American R&B singer. In 2013, she was featured on the Wale single " Bad", which has been certified 3× platinum. That same year, Thomas landed a label deal with Interscope Records, a label u ...
) , Best Hip Hop Song of the Year ,


References


External links

*
Wale Band
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wale 1984 births Living people American rappers Nigerian male rappers Allido Records artists American male rappers Songwriters from Washington, D.C. American people of Yoruba descent Bowie State University alumni Southern hip hop musicians Interscope Records artists People from Gaithersburg, Maryland People from Largo, Maryland Rappers from Washington, D.C. Musicians from Washington, D.C. Robert Morris Colonials football players Robert Morris University alumni Virginia State Trojans football players Virginia State University alumni Yoruba musicians 21st-century Nigerian musicians American people of Nigerian descent Music of Washington, D.C. 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians African-American male rappers