Wale was born to Nigerian immigrant parents in Washington, DC. He grew up on Peabody Street in Northwest DC and moved to Largo, Maryland as a teenager. He attended seven different high schools in Washington, D.C. and Maryland, finally graduating from Quince Orchard High School in 2001. He went to Robert Morris College and Virginia State University on football scholarships, and then Bowie State University but dropped out in 2004 to pursue music full-time. Before music started paying the bills, Wale worked day jobs at Sprint, Up Against The Wall and Downtown Locker Room.
Wale emerged onto the local DC hip hop scene with the help of WKYS-FM's DJ Alizay. Wale began getting radio play in 2004 with a single called "Rhyme of the Century" which got Wale in the June 2005 "Unsigned Hype" section of Source magazine and his buzz started growing.
In November 2006, a feature ran on AllHipHop.com's Breeding Ground about Wale. The day before Thanksgiving, Wale took the stage between Lil Wayne and T.I. during the Southern Invasion tour at the Verizon Center.
In early December 2006, Wale won the award for "D.C. Metro Breakthrough Artist of the Year" at WKYS' Go-Go Awards. 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.
Wale has an upcoming promotional campaign with Remy Martin and XXL Magazine. He has also been linked to boutique streetwear brands The Hundreds, 10 Deep and Good Bully, as well as lifestyle brands Stussy and LRG.
In January 2007, Wale released a new single to radio called "Good Girls." Daniel Weisman gave the song to Mark Ronson and on February 23, 2007, Ronson began playing the song on his East Village Radio show. A week later, at Ronson's studio, Wale recorded a freestyle for Ronson and in exchange, Ronson put Wale on an unreleased remix of Lily Allen's "Smile" which appeared on a number of music blogs around the world on March 13th, 2007. In April of 2007, Ronson asked Wale to join him on a UK tour to promote the release of his newest album. In June of 2007, Wale signed to a production deal with Ronson's Allido Records.
On June 24, 2007, Wale's "Ice Cream Girl" with TCB, was featured on the show Entourage, on HBO.
Wale performed "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.", from his 100 Miles mixtape, at the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards in Las Vegas, NV.
Wale was also featured in the October 2007 issues of XXL and Rolling Stone. The Washington Post profiled Wale on the front page of the Sunday Style section in the October 21st, 2007 edition. Wale is featured on the cover of URB Magazine's 150th issue along with French electro group, Justice.
iTunes released "Nike Boots" as a free download on November 13th, 2007 as its "Single of the Week." On Christmas Day 2007, Wale debuted the "Nike Boots Remix" featuring Lil Wayne and Green Lantern on his myspace page. Wale and Lil Wayne played a Nike Boots event called DC Stand Up at Ibiza Nightclub in DC on January 15, 2008 which was sponsored by Nike and Footaction.
In the November 30th, 2007 issue of Entertainment Weekly, Wale is featured as one of 8 people to watch in 2008 along with actors Simon Pegg and Rachel McAdams.
On March 12, 2008, Wale announced on 93.9 WKYS that he had signed with Interscope.
On April 29, 2008, the new Roots album entitled Rising Down was released, featuring Wale on the final track. Wale's relationship with the Roots began when Black Thought heard a song recorded as a tribute to himself on Wale's 2007 mixtape 100 Miles & Running and contacted Wale.
In the June issue of the German Hip-Hop magazine JUICE Wale announced that his upcoming debut-album will feature production credits from Mark Ronson, Kanye West, Just Blaze, 9th Wonder and the French electronic music duo Justice.
http://www.myspace.com/wale202
BGM
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If someone like you would love me
Uh, look, yeah
I got her in my phone as BGM
And her (ha, one, two, three, go)
Uh, black Benzes
Black fancy
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
Show me a lil' black girl, look
Black Benzes
Black fancy
Black bag full of old white men, issa
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
Show me a lil' black girl magic
Move, if someone like you would love me
Move, if someone like you would love me
Go go go
Go shorty, get it shorty
Every Empire need a Taraji
Go shorty, I'm so proud of ya
Head high you is under nobody
Sometime it be really so hard for ya
White boy paid more same job as you
The least I can do
Is write a song then I'll "mwaah" that part to you (Wale)
Black Benzes
Black fancy
Black bag full of old white men, issa
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
Show me a lil' black girl, look
Black Benzes
Black fancy
Black bag full of old white men, issa
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
Show me a lil' black girl magic
Move, if someone like you would love me
Move, if someone like you would love me (love me)
Ok black is beautiful shorty
Black is bold
Black is black, true, but black is gold
If God a color I know she black for sure
Niggas blasphemy, but God gave me a daughter
Black women I love you
Wish it all coulda worked
But still know that you love me
'Cause I ain't up in the court, look
A lot of animals on my boat
But all the real niggas know that BGM is the GOAT
So let's go, it's your birthday
Got that ice cream, it's sherbet day
Go shorty, I'm so proud of ya
Head high, you was under nobody
Go shorty, it's your birthday
Got that ice cream, it's sherbet day
Go shorty, I'm so proud of ya
Black woman, you was under nobody
Black Benzes
Black fancy
Black bag full of old white men, issa
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
Show me a lil' black girl, look
Black Benzes
Black fancy
Black bag full of old white men, issa
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
Show me a lil' black girl magic
Move, if someone like you would love me
Move, if someone like you would love me
The song "BGM" by Wale is a powerful tribute to black women and an acknowledgement of their strength and beauty. BGM stands for "Black Girl Magic," a term that has gained popularity in recent years as a way to celebrate and empower black women. The opening lines of the song set the tone, as Wale sings, "If someone like you would love me, move if someone like you would love me." This line expresses the longing for acceptance and love, and highlights the deep-seated belief that black women are often under-appreciated and overlooked in society.
The song goes on to talk about the various struggles that black women face, from racist employers who pay them less than their white counterparts, to the constant micro-aggressions that they are forced to endure on a daily basis. However, despite these challenges, Wale celebrates their resilience and the fact that they continue to thrive in the face of adversity. The chorus that repeats throughout the song is a call to action, urging black women to move, to keep pushing forward, and to always believe in their own worth.
The lines "If God a color I know she black for sure" and "Black is black, true, but black is gold" speak to the idea that blackness is something to be proud of, something that is inherently valuable and deserving of respect. The song ends with the repeated line "Black girl, you were under nobody," emphasizing the fact that black women are a force to be reckoned with, and that they are capable of achieving anything they set their minds to.
Line by Line Meaning
If someone like you would love me
If someone as amazing as you were to love me
Uh, look, yeah
Let me tell you something
I got her in my phone as BGM
I have her in my phone saved as background music, always with me
And her (ha, one, two, three, go)
And her energy is contagious, it makes me want to move and dance
Uh, black Benzes
Luxury cars, black in color
Black fancy
Elegant and stylish in black
Black bag full of old white men, issa
A bag filled with white men who are old and influential, a symbol of power and wealth
Whole queen would u hold my hand, would ya
You, a strong and powerful black woman, could you hold my hand and guide me?
Show me a lil' black girl, look
Show me some of the magic and strength that comes from being a black girl
Move, if someone like you would love me
Act, dance, and live as though incredible people like you were to love me
Go go go
Take action, let's go
Go shorty, get it shorty
Go ahead, do your thing
Every Empire need a Taraji
Every powerful entity needs someone like Taraji P. Henson, a strong and successful black actress
Go shorty, I'm so proud of ya
Go ahead, and remember that I am proud of you
Head high you is under nobody
Stand tall, and know that you are not beneath anyone
Sometime it be really so hard for ya
Sometimes it can be incredibly difficult for you
White boy paid more same job as you
A white man doing the same job as you might get paid more
The least I can do
The smallest thing I can offer
Is write a song then I'll "mwaah" that part to you (Wale)
Is to write a song, and dedicate it to you by giving you a kiss through the lyrics (from Wale)
Ok black is beautiful shorty
Okay, let me remind you that black is beautiful
Black is bold
Black is strong, powerful, and courageous
Black is black, true, but black is gold
Black is black, that's true, but it is also worth its weight in gold
If God a color I know she black for sure
If God had a color, I am certain it would be black
Niggas blasphemy, but God gave me a daughter
Some people might see it as sacrilege, but I believe God blessed me with a daughter
Black women I love you
I want to express my love and appreciation for black women
Wish it all coulda worked
I wish things could have turned out differently
But still know that you love me
But know that I am aware of your love for me
'Cause I ain't up in the court, look
I am not in trouble with the law, I am doing okay
A lot of animals on my boat
I have a lot of wild and crazy people with me
But all the real niggas know that BGM is the GOAT
But those who are authentic and genuine know that BGM (black girl magic) is the greatest of all time
So let's go, it's your birthday
Let's celebrate, it's your special day
Got that ice cream, it's sherbet day
We have delicious treats, it's a day for indulging and enjoying
Black woman, you was under nobody
Black woman, you were not beneath anyone
Move, if someone like you would love me (love me)
Live, dance, and act as though someone as amazing as you were to love me (love me)
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Eric A. Bellinger, Francis Esteban, Olubowale Victor Akintimehin
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
syncerecredentials
Nobody makes u appreciate a black woman like Wale does fr !
Team Jon Doe
Factz
Beauty&TheBeast333
Fukin facts tho
CreativeToMakeup
Always!
sghook3
Well Jidenna does too... π
gabriel ochonogor
This is Wale showing off his lyrical expertise once again
Clean black girls on parade.
Thank you Wale for showing off our black queens
Dylon vR
And dating a white girl
i like my cherri sweet
@Dylon vR false. He is with Chole Alexis
Sagittarius Que
All my black people reading this and watching this video I love you!!!
Ebony Queen
I LOVE YOU BACK!!!!π·π·