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.
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Gullible
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you believe that?
TV killed the radio
TV killed the radio
Let's get it, what if they told you this music was bogus?
The government run it, they controllin' the culture
Would you believe that? If you read that?
They see all of your browsin' and know you be in your apps
And Twitter and Instagram is really like middle men
And internet soldiers, everybody was carrying Macs
What if they said Obama was in a raid
He actually got a good ass tan and a swag to appear black
Would you believe that? Niggas impeach that, look
How bout they tell you you dyin' if you ain't voting?
So now you go put one in and relying off that emotion and believe that
You know you do wit' your weak ass
What if they make a list? Tellin' you what is dope
Tellin' you was it, but never let they mother jump
Pardon the flow but consistence controlling many souls
I know there's niggas that's molded by television shows
Opinion sold but most's stay null and void
A little gossip make little people feel more important
So don't believe them, how they need it for the allure
A lot of bullets are prodigal to the gullible
I turn down the radio just to turn the TV on (on, on)
I live my whole life in stereo, always singing my own song (song, song)
As it flows into my vein (wake up, wake up wake up)
As it flows into my vein (wake up, wake up wake up)
TV killed the radio
TV killed the radio
TV killed the radio
And then the internet slit the television throat
And the world star model fell up out the orbit
And for that broad a rapper is now behind his mortgage
And 'notha the rappers would visit shawty, shawty be goin'
And everybody be laughin' at him, he doesn't know it
'Cause he believed her, thought he couldn't be G'd by such a sweet girl
(News flash, news flash, it's a cruel world)
(And no one's too thorough to lose it on to a girl uh)
What if they told you your chick was a grouupie
You know, like a ho, the type that be choosin'
You gon' play it like nah homie, soon as the car pull up
Tell her you'll holler at us and get in and go and lose it
TV killed the radio
TV killed the radio
TV killed fuck it,
And then the internet slit the television throat
But not before I gave birth to several episodes
Our generation is cursed, we got too many clones
We just believe they gon' repeat what we was told
And know that bullets are prodigal to the gullible
I turn down the radio just to turn the TV on (on, on)
I live my whole life in stereo, always singing my own song (song, song)
As it flows into my vein (wake up, wake up wake up)
As it flows into my vein
I'd like to thank all the beautiful people that came out here tonight
Mrs Reese, I see you in the back baby, oh yea
Oh shout to the slutty boys to
You hear that? Uh, hear the Adapt Kings in the back, young Dallas
Two bitches, two bitches, I feel good right now
I just want to talk to my people without preaching
Unbelievable, get down!
The song "Gullible" by Wale feat. CeeLo Green is a commentary on how people's beliefs and opinions are shaped by the media. The lyrics suggest that people are too trusting and easily fooled by what they see on TV or read on the internet. The song starts by questioning the idea that TV killed the radio and goes on to explore many other scenarios, such as whether the government controls the music industry or whether Obama is actually black. The lyrics highlight how the media can manipulate people's opinions and beliefs and offers a warning to remain skeptical and not fall for what is presented to us.
Throughout the song, Wale criticizes the way the media operates and how it affects society. He suggests that people are too reliant on the internet and social media and that these platforms are used to control people. He also points out that people tend to believe what they are told, even if it's not true, and this makes them vulnerable to exploitation. The song is a powerful commentary on the media and its influence on our lives, encouraging people to question what they see and hear and think for themselves.
Overall, "Gullible" is a thought-provoking and insightful song that sheds light on some of the problems with the media and how it affects people's beliefs and opinions.
Line by Line Meaning
Would you believe that?
What if someone told you something outrageous?
If you believe that?
Would you accept something you know is untrue?
TV killed the radio
Television replaced the radio as the primary source of entertainment and information.
Let's get it, what if they told you this music was bogus?
Suppose they told you your favorite music is phony or fake music.
The government run it, they controllin' the culture
They claim that the government manipulates popular culture.
Would you believe that? If you read that?
Would you consider to believe this claim if you saw it on the internet?
Yeah, what if they told you the iPhone was tapped?
Suppose they told you that your phone is being monitored.
They see all of your browsin' and know you be in your apps
They can track your internet usage and the apps you use.
And Twitter and Instagram is really like middle men
Social media platforms act as intermediaries between users and advertisers
And internet soldiers, everybody was carrying Macs
People who speak out online against any injustice or unfairness and use Macs extensively.
What if they said Obama was in a raid
Suppose they said President Obama was involved in a military operation.
He actually got a good ass tan and a swag to appear black
Actually, Obama is just attractive and has a certain sense of style.
Would you believe that? N**gas impeach that, look
Would you believe that claim? People would take action against the ones who made this remark.
How bout they tell you you dyin' if you ain't voting?
Suppose they said that you might die if you don't vote in the election.
So now you go put one in and relying off that emotion and believe that
So you go vote based on your emotions rather than focusing on facts.
You know you do wit' your weak ass
You already know that you have weak arguments supporting your ultimate decision.
What if they make a list? Tellin' you what is dope
Suppose they make a list telling you what is fabulous or great.
Tellin' you was it, but never let they mother jump
The list tells you what's popular, but does not say why.
Pardon the flow but consistence controlling many souls
Excuse the style of delivery, but consistency is controlling the minds of the masses.
I know there's niggas that's molded by television shows
Some people are greatly influenced by television programming.
Opinion sold but most's stay null and void
People do have opinions that are not their own but most are meaningless.
A little gossip make little people feel more important
Spreading rumors and gossip is a way for people to feel more important than they are.
So don't believe them, how they need it for the allure
So, don't be fooled by their motives, as they do it to keep others interested.
A lot of bullets are prodigal to the gullible
Many people are easily tricked, and therefore, scams are everywhere.
I turn down the radio just to turn the TV on (on, on)
I lower the contrast between opposing ideas just to agree with the one I prefer.
I live my whole life in stereo, always singing my own song (song, song)
I live life in a manner of looking at both sides of a situation and forming my unique opinion.
As it flows into my vein (wake up, wake up wake up)
As it slowly starts to sink into my mind, I realize that I need to be more alert.
And the world star model fell up out the orbit
The world model of excellence is becoming less and less significant each day.
And for that broad a rapper is now behind his mortgage
The rapper is producing music to keep up with their lifestyle and pay off their debts.
'Cause he believed her, thought he couldn't be G'd by such a sweet girl
He fell for her tactics of manipulation which were covered in sweetness and grace.
What if they told you your chick was a grouupie
Suppose they said your significant other was a fan or supporter of famous people.
You know, like a ho, the type that be choosin
You know, like a prostitute, the one who selects their victim or customer.
You gon' play it like nah homie, soon as the car pull up
You would deny it in front of your friends but at the earliest opportunity drive off with your new girl.
I'd like to thank all the beautiful people that came out here tonight
The artist is thanking everyone who attended the performance.
Mrs Reese, I see you in the back baby, oh yea
The singer addresses Mrs. Reese, who is sitting in the back of the room.
Oh shout to the slutty boys to
The artist acknowledges to the male experimentalist audience who are boisterous.
And know that bullets are prodigal to the gullible
Be aware that many people are readily scammed.
But not before I gave birth to several episodes
Before it fell from grace, I bestowed upon entertainment several enjoyable experiences.
Our generation is cursed, we got too many clones
The present generation is engulfed in toxic behavior and is encouraged to mimic personalities.
We just believe they gon' repeat what we was told
We assume that others will just re-say what we already know.
And the world star model fell up out the orbit
The model of excellence in the world is out of control and people are no longer following their original path.
And for that broad a rapper is now behind his mortgage
The rapper will now have to suffer financial hardship because he was not able to keep up with his reputation.
'Cause he believed her, thought he couldn't be G'd by such a sweet girl
The rapper was fooled because he thought that the girl was too sweet to have ulterior motives.
Unbelievable, get down!
The concertgoers should get ready for fun.
Lyrics © NUNG RIVER PUBLISHING, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: OLUBOWALE AKINTIMEHIN, STOKLEY M. WILLIAMS, SAMUEL DEW, KEVIN BION SPENCER, CHRISTOPHER HUNT, TREVOR FLANDERS, OLUBOWALE VICTOR AKINTIMEHIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@angestelow7700
8 years later and only a Wale fan base, would understand how much this album is GENIUS
@patrickn8355
Make it a decade ❤
@joeballantine
This whole album was so underrated. I forgot what rap album won the Grammy that year but this one got absolutely snubbed of a nomination
@MastaMan88
You gotta be gey or trannly to get that.
@Ghaneuiddrisu2
This song was way ahead of it's time 😱
@OnMyGrindEveryDay
Besides the raps, the production on this song is crazyyyyyyyyyy... especially @ the end.
@OnMyGrindEveryDay
those horns...... #dreamchasers
@GuyWithoutEyes
Tv killed the radio, the internet slit the televisions throat, and youtube unleashed a horde of vicious trolls on the internet...
@sankofax8082
bwahah... tru dat
@VaticToxic
GuyWithoutEyes There were vicious trolls on the internet log before youtube.