Wale

  • Washington, DC
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  • Hip-Hop
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  • 2005
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About Wale

Official Site: http://walemusic.com/ | @Wale | facebook.com/waleofficial


The self-proclaimed "Ambassador of Rap for the Capital," Wale (pronounced "wah-lay") was able to transcend his local sensation status and become a national rap contender using go-go-inspired hip-hop as the vehicle for his clever wordplay and music. Olubowale Victor Akintimehin was born in Washington, D.C. in 1984 to Nigerian immigrants who first arrived in America five years prior. Although the family moved to Maryland when the future rapper was ten years of age, Wale was mostly raised in suburban D.C. He attended both Robert Morris College and Virginia State University on football scholarships, eventually transferring a third time to Bowie State. The music bug had already bit him hard, though, and soon he quit college altogether to turn toward a recording career.

Wale got his first airplay circa 2003-2004 with "Rhyme of the Century," thanks to the help of a local radio DJ who believed in his potential. This landed him in the Unsigned Hype column in Source magazine the following year. In 2006, Wale signed with the local start-up imprint Studio 43, owned by a former VP of Roc-A-Fella Records, and enjoyed a string of hits in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area that year. Many of those records sampled from '80s go-go -- a more raw, percussion-driven offshoot of disco originating in D.C. -- like the popular "Dig Dug," a tribute to Ronald "Dig Dug" Dixon of go-go band the Northeast Groovers. Smart use of the Internet and MySpace was also a big factor in his success, as it helped British über-producer and DJ Mark Ronson (known for his work with Amy Winehouse, Christina Aguilera, and Rhymefest) catch wind of the go-go MC in 2007.

Wale struck a production deal with Ronson's own imprint, Allido, and released the 100 Miles and Running mixtape that summer. Despite not being signed to a major label, he was met with a good deal of positive press, ranging from XXL magazine to The New York Times. After a bidding war that included offers from Epic, Atlantic, and Def Jam, Interscope finally grabbed Wale for its roster in early 2008. The full-length Attention Deficit followed the next year. In 2011 the Ambition album landed along with its single, “Chain Music.” ~ Cyril Cordor, Rovi

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Music

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  • Better Be Good ft. Wale
    wale
    Video
    Better Be Good ft. Wale
  • Bad feat. Tiara Thomas
    wale
    Video
    Bad feat. Tiara Thomas
  • So Many Girls featuring Tyga, Wale & Roscoe Dash
    wale
    Video
    So Many Girls featuring Tyga, Wale & Roscoe Dash
  • Let A N**** Know
    wale
    Video
    Let A N**** Know
  • Better Be Good
    wale
    Video
    Better Be Good
  • Diced Pineapples
    wale
    Video
    Diced Pineapples
  • Home To You featuring Wale
    wale
    Video
    Home To You featuring Wale
  • In & Out
    wale
    Video
    In & Out
  • Actin' Up featuring Wale, French Montana & Rico Love
    wale
    Video
    Actin' Up featuring Wale, French Montana & Rico Love
  • Bag of Money featuring Rick Ross, Meek Mill & T-Pain
    wale
    Video
    Bag of Money featuring Rick Ross, Meek Mill & T-Pain

Interviews & Exclusives

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  • Wale Has Been 'Studying The Greats'
    wale
    video
    Wale Has Been 'Studying The Greats'
  • Wale Reveals Some Of His 'Gifted' Album Collaborators
    wale
    video
    Wale Reveals Some Of His 'Gifted' Album Collaborators
  • Wale Is Going To 'Talk Loud With The Music'
    wale
    video
    Wale Is Going To 'Talk Loud With The Music'
  • Wale's Musical Style Is Coming Back '3-6'
    wale
    video
    Wale's Musical Style Is Coming Back '3-6'
  • Wale Calls Lady Gaga The 'Madonna Of Today'
    wale
    video
    Wale Calls Lady Gaga The 'Madonna Of Today'
  • The Check-In: Maybach Music Group
    wale
    video
    The Check-In: Maybach Music Group
  • Behind The Scenes At Summer Jam 2012
    wale
    video
    Behind The Scenes At Summer Jam 2012
  • 'Meek, Cole, Drake, Sean' Comprise Wale's Dream Tour
    wale
    video
    'Meek, Cole, Drake, Sean' Comprise Wale's Dream Tour
  • PUSH: Wale
    wale
    playlist
    PUSH: Wale
  • Jay-Z Makes His Post-Baby Appearance At Club Reopening
    wale
    video
    Jay-Z Makes His Post-Baby Appearance At Club Reopening

Photos

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  • Wale and Rick Ross kill it during a Maybach Music Group performance at the 2012 BET Awards
    Wale
    Wale and Rick Ross kill it during a Maybach Music Group performance at the 2012 BET Awards
    Getty Images
  • Wale performs "Chillin'" at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Wale
    Wale performs "Chillin'" at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
  • Call and response. Wale gets the crowd involved.
    Wale
    Call and response. Wale gets the crowd involved.
    Picture Group
  • Rapper Wale attends the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 23, 2009 in New York City.
    Wale
    Rapper Wale attends the 2009 VH1 Hip Hop Honors at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on September 23, 2009 in New York City.
    Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images
  • Wale and 3OH!3 perform on stage at Radio City Music Hall during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Wale
    Wale and 3OH!3 perform on stage at Radio City Music Hall during the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Getty
  • Wale and 3OH!3 perform "Don't Trust Me" at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Wale
    Wale and 3OH!3 perform "Don't Trust Me" at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Getty
  • Wale and 3OH!3 perform "Don't Trust Me" at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Wale
    Wale and 3OH!3 perform "Don't Trust Me" at Radio City Music Hall at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
    Getty
  • Kid Cudi and Wale rehearse for the 2009 VMAs.
    Wale
    Kid Cudi and Wale rehearse for the 2009 VMAs.
    John Shearer
  • Wale joins Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3 as they rehearse for their 2009 MTV VMA performance.
    Wale
    Wale joins Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte of 3OH!3 as they rehearse for their 2009 MTV VMA performance.
    John Shearer
  • Wale rehearses for his VMA House Band performances at the 2009 MTV VMAs.
    Wale
    Wale rehearses for his VMA House Band performances at the 2009 MTV VMAs.
    John Shearer

News

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  • Wale
    New Song: Nelly Featuring Nicki Minaj And Pharrell, 'Get Like Me' (NSFW)
    MTV Buzzworthy
    June 19, 2013
    Nicki Minaj and Pharrell offer an assist on Nelly's "Get Like Me." Can we just call out the fact that there's been a TON of collaborating going on...
    Read More
  • Wale
    New Song: Wale Featuring Nicki Minaj And Juicy J, 'Clappers' (NSFW)
    MTV Buzzworthy
    June 18, 2013
    Another song about butts? Sure, WHY NOT?! It's been a second since we've heard from Wale , but what better way to make a grand entrance than by re...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail: What's In A Title?
    MTV News
    June 17, 2013
    Hov emphasizes a set of 'new rules,' being set by himself, Kanye West, J. Cole and Wale.
    Read More
  • Wale
    Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail: What's In A Title?
    MTV News
    June 17, 2013
    Hov emphasizes a set of 'new rules,' being set by himself, Kanye West, J. Cole and Wale.
    Read More
  • Wale
    2 Chainz, Drake And T.I. Party Hard At Atlanta's Birthday Bash
    MTV News
    June 16, 2013
    'Tonight to kinda give back and be out there with Chainz and get that look together was great,' Drake tells MTV News of his surprise Birthday Bash performance in Atlanta.
    Read More
  • Wale
    2 Chainz, Drake And T.I. Party Hard At Atlanta's Birthday Bash
    MTV News
    June 16, 2013
    'Tonight to kinda give back and be out there with Chainz and get that look together was great,' Drake tells MTV News of his surprise Birthday Bash performance in Atlanta.
    Read More
  • Wale
    Still a long way to the top for rapper MC Wale
    music.yahoo.com
    , the major embrace hasn't translated into sales. Wale was best-known and acclaimed for incorporating go-go music, a local style that's little used ou...
    Read More
  • Wale
    N.E.R.D., Wale to Open Jay-Z's Fall Tour
    www.pitchfork.com
    -and-comer Wale doesn't have as much arena experience, but it'll be fun to see how his slippery flow translates to bigger venues. Jay's new protégé J....
    Read More
  • Wale
    Video: Curren$y ft. Wale: "What It Look Like"
    www.pitchfork.com
    Curren$y's new one, The Stoned Immaculate, is out June 5 via Warner Bros., and MTV just premiered its first single, the Wale-featuring "What It Look L...
    Read More
  • Wale
    QA: Jerry Seinfeld on Teaming Up with Wale
    www.rollingstone.com
    Wale has never hidden his fanboy enthusiasm for Seinfeld. The Maybach Music Group rapper's breakout 2008 mixtape, The Mixtape About Nothing, was const...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Q&A;: Jerry Seinfeld on Teaming Up with Wale
    music.yahoo.com
    RELATED CONTENTView Photo Q&A;: Jerry Seinfeld on Teaming Up with Wale Wale has never hidden his fanboy enthusiasm for Seinfeld. The Maybach Music Gro...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Wale On Jerry Seinfeld Collabo: 'I Could Drop Two Albums This Year'
    MTV News
    Some might remember a time not too long ago when a young Wale with freshly locked hair kicked in the door rhyming about his love for Nike boots, his c...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Wale's 'The Gifted': Track-by-Track Preview
    www.rollingstone.com
    Wale Courtesy Atlantic Records Wale's recording career to date has had an amphibious feel of sorts. In 2009, when the Washington, D.C. rapper was sign...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Wale Teams With Rihanna, Nicki Minaj on 'The Gifted'
    music.yahoo.com
    Related ContentView Photo Wale Teams With Rihanna, Nicki Minaj on 'The Gifted' Wale's recording career to date has had an amphibious feel of sorts. In...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Wale And Rihanna Make Good On 'Bad' Remix
    MTV News
    These days, most rap remixes usually consists of a loose collection of MCs collaborating over pre-existing instrumentals, but for the remix to his hit...
    Read More
  • Wale
    Wale Unveils ‘The Gifted’ Tracklist Featuring Nicki Minaj, Wiz Khalifa & More
    idolator.com
    Rihanna x WaleHear Rihanna & Wale on the "Bad" remix. Read More »Rihanna & Wale In NYCThe two artists hang in the studio. Read More »Rick x Lupe x Wal...
    Read More

Tour Dates

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  • Jun 21 Friday
    Greensboro, NC, US Greensboro Coliseum
    Buy Ticket
  • Jun 23 Sunday
    Washington, DC, US Howard Theatre
    Buy Ticket
  • Jun 24 Monday
    New York, NY, US Best Buy Theater
    Buy Ticket
  • Jun 25 Tuesday
    Upper Darby, PA, US Tower Theatre
    Buy Ticket

Discography

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  • The Gifted (2013)
    Wale
    The Gifted (2013)
    Atlantic
  • Ambition (2011)
    Wale
    Ambition (2011)
    Warner Bros.
  • Attention Deficit (2009)
    Wale
    Attention Deficit (2009)
    Allido/Interscope
  • Back to the Feature (2009)
    Wale
    Back to the Feature (2009)
    Modulor
  • The Mixtape About Nothing (2008)
    Wale
    The Mixtape About Nothing (2008)
  • 100 Miles and Running (2007)
    Wale
    100 Miles and Running (2007)
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