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
Outro
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Why thy fuckin' plottin' on mine? Touchin' my 5 grades
A girl's face, friend of mine say yea I came
They such a drag but they say it's a nay nay
Stevie Wonder had them visual problems
It's a wonder my 20-20's can see tomorrow
You 20 something, those rockets jumpin' like Vietnam
As mama be within me importantly grip tighter
Ain't no hope for a young nigga
Ain't no goals for a young nigga
Too short for a sport nigga
That be horrific, we glorifyin' them drug dealers
Yea, so where yo keys at Playboy?
I sling high, purple leafs at a warp speed
Usain Bolt runnin' from ready set bang go
Throw it out my face, nothing the bank doin'
I paid for em, they layin' more that I paid more
The X showin' to sell your love, try to thank do it
I must influence some better music, let the hate show up
When ladies show up we make noise, that mechanic noise
Coke boys, just stay up on em, wants to get em open
Go and slaughter, haters trading thoughts with brain storms
We all existing for dreams whether music a ball
Wonder who in the song or simply pursuing them all
Just paint a picture, I'll ignore the mission
Have my fun at district everything but monumental
I ain't gotta mention all the little flaws
Where the stairs it's the boys, ride on heart to follow politicians
And they marrying yo bro, yea I have Barry Saunders
Nother one that be gangster, put them dirty pads up
The mad route, try and get my pants off
The stash bright, I was mastering with the slam walk
Slide out, I ain't right, double white offs
Is the rhyme got the whole city taking my row
Taking my row
Hey nigga that is my house
Black hero
Ain't no black hero
Ain't no hope for a young nigga
Ain't no goals for a young nigga
Too short for a sport nigga
That be horrific, we glorifyin' them drug dealers
Ain't no goals for a young nigga
Too short for a sport nigga
That be horrific, we glorifyin' them drug dealers
Ain't no goals for a young nigga
Too short for a sport nigga
Say we all get
We all get aha
And we all and we all and we all
And we all get aha
And we all and we all and we all
And I wrote this album without a care in the world
But the outcome as long as long it's an out pour of em
Came out they downfall like an overblown round ball before my sound off
Or maybe this music will inspire a future mountain mover or two
And if I ever rush more music out to you
Then know that I'm overworking myself 'cause my heart and mind into it
Ain't been a black hero since Robert Townsend
So for meeting your man I hope you found something profound
And enough to expand on before the sound falters
Ha ha, before the sound falters
Yea, so yea, how come uh
Yea, I came in to do the album, right
I thought we're doing the album today
How come? What happened?
When are we doing that?
Are we still doing that?
Do you wanna do it?
Album about nothing, when are we doing that?
I thought we were doing that
I just wanted to see if I can get you here, I'm here
I came here to do it
I don't really have much for you right now
I don't know what to do
Well when are you gonna have it?
When am I doing it?
I'm ready to do it right now, I wanna do it
I'm not too sure Jerry
Well who is sure? Who is in charge of this
This is Gifted, this is The Gifted session
This isn't album about nothing, this is The Gifted session
Oh this is The Gifted session
Yea, for the album that I got now, okay
Alright then I guess I'll come back, please
The lyrics to Wale feat. Jerry Seinfeld's song Black Heroes/Outro About Nothing address the struggles and feelings of being a young Black man in America. The lyrics express the disappointment and lack of hope that young Black men face, with no goals or heroes to look up to. The song mentions drug dealers being glorified, and the lack of opportunities for those who are too short for sports, leading to no direction and prospects for the future. The lyrics also mention the visual problems Stevie Wonder faced, highlighting the negative impact that society can have on young people's perceptions of those who are different.
The song's verses develop a theme of disillusionment and feelings of being directionless, and not being given opportunities. The lack of black heroes and direction leads to frustration and disappointment among young Black men who are trying to make a difference in their own lives and their communities. The song ends on an optimistic note, expressing hope that Wale's music and message can inspire a future generation of "mountain movers" who can make a difference.
Line by Line Meaning
Now they sippity brothers kickin' me everyday
I am constantly facing hostility from these individuals
Why thy fuckin' plottin' on mine? Touchin' my 5 grades
Why are they scheming against me and trying to disrupt my success?
A girl’s face, friend of mine say yea I came
A friend of mine showed me a picture of a pretty girl he knows
They such a drag but they say it’s a nay nay
They are uninteresting people, but they claim to have negative opinions about me
Stevie Wonder had them visual problems
Stevie Wonder had issues with his eyesight
It’s a wonder my 20-20’s can see tomorrow
Despite the challenges I face, I am confident in my ability to navigate the future
You 20 something, those rockets jumpin' like Vietnam
If you are in your twenties, life can be as unpredictable and dangerous as the Vietnam War
As mama be within me importantly grip tighter
I hold onto the love and guidance of my mother as a source of strength
Ain’t no hope for a young nigga
Young black men struggle to find opportunities and success in society
Ain’t no goals for a young nigga
There are few clear aspirations or paths to success for young black men
Too short for a sport nigga
Many young black men face physical limitations that prevent them from excelling in athletics
That be horrific, we glorifyin' them drug dealers
It is tragic that society often celebrates drug dealers, who perpetuate violence and harm in communities
Yea, so where yo keys at Playboy?
Hey man, do you know where your keys are?
I sling high, purple leafs at a warp speed
I sell drugs quickly and efficiently
Usain Bolt runnin' from ready set bang go
I move quickly and with agility when needed
Throw it out my face, nothing the bank doin'
I don't care about money, so don't try to bribe or impress me with it
I paid for em, they layin' more that I paid more
I bought these clothes, but they are now being praised more than they are worth
The X showin' to sell your love, try to thank do it
The things people do to gain love and acceptance are often misguided
I must influence some better music, let the hate show up
I want to inspire positive change through my music, even if it means facing criticism and negativity
When ladies show up we make noise, that mechanic noise
When women come around, we start acting loud and obnoxious
Coke boys, just stay up on em, wants to get em open
My crew, the Coke boys, always want to keep people hooked on our product
Go and slaughter, haters trading thoughts with brain storms
I am taking down my enemies who are trying to undermine me with their words
We all existing for dreams whether music a ball
We all have aspirations and dreams, whether they are related to music or sports
Wonder who in the song or simply pursuing them all
I wonder who is actively pursuing their goals and dreams, and who is just talking about it in their music
Just paint a picture, I’ll ignore the mission
If you can paint a vivid enough picture for me, I can forget what I was supposed to be doing
Have my fun at district everything but monumental
I enjoy life's pleasures, but I'm not really interested in doing anything that will make a big impact
I ain’t gotta mention all the little flaws
I don't need to point out every small mistake or issue
Where the stairs it’s the boys, ride on heart to follow politicians
Where I come from, young men are encouraged to pursue politics as a path to success
And they marrying yo bro, yea I have Barry Saunders
Even my own friends are getting married, like Barry Saunders
Nother one that be gangster, put them dirty pads up
Another person who acts tough and tries to be a gangster should stop their violent behavior
The mad route, try and get my pants off
People are trying to provoke me and make me angry, but I won't let them get under my skin
The stash bright, I was mastering with the slam walk
I was confident and in control, even when I was hiding my stash
Slide out, I ain’t right, double white offs
I am leaving this situation, even though I know it isn't the right thing to do
Is the rhyme got the whole city taking my row
My music is so popular that it is taking over the entire city
Taking my row
My style and sound are becoming synonymous with the city's music scene
Black hero
There is a need for positive role models and leaders in the black community
Ain’t no black hero
We need more black leaders and role models to look up to, but there aren't many right now
Say we all get
We will all receive our just rewards eventually
We all get aha
We will all have moments of realization and understanding
And we all and we all and we all
Everyone is included in this statement
And I wrote this album without a care in the world
I wrote this album without worrying about the opinions of others
But the outcome as long as long it’s an out pour of em
As long as the music is well-received and appreciated, that is all that matters
Came out they downfall like an overblown round ball before my sound off
My music came out with a bang and proved to be a hit before I even had a chance to promote it
Or maybe this music will inspire a future mountain mover or two
Perhaps my music will inspire someone to become a future leader or influencer
And if I ever rush more music out to you
If I release more music quickly, know that it is because I am truly dedicated to my craft
Then know that I’m overworking myself ‘cause my heart and mind into it
I am putting in a lot of effort and time into my music because it is something that I truly care about
Ain’t been a black hero since Robert Townsend
There haven't been many black celebrities or influencers that have been truly inspiring lately
So for meeting your man I hope you found something profound
I hope that the person who inspired this song has found something truly meaningful or inspiring in my music
And enough to expand on before the sound falters
I hope that they will continue to be inspired and build on this experience before my music loses its relevance
Ha ha, before the sound falters
I am laughing at myself for worrying about my music losing relevance, because I know it will continue to be relevant and inspiring
Yea, so yea, how come uh
Hey, I wanted to ask you something
Yea, I came in to do the album, right
I came here to work on my album
I thought we’re doing the album today
I thought today was the day to work on the album
How come? What happened?
Why aren't we working on the album today? What changed?
When are we doing that?
When will we start working on the album again?
Are we still doing that?
Is the album still happening, or has something changed?
Do you wanna do it?
Do you want to work on the album with me?
Album about nothing, when are we doing that?
When are we going to start working on the 'Album About Nothing' project?
I thought we were doing that
I had assumed that we had set a date to work on that particular project
I just wanted to see if I can get you here, I’m here
I just wanted to make sure that you were available and ready to work on music with me
I came here to do it
I came to this location to work on music
I don’t really have much for you right now
I don't have any new music or ideas to share at the moment
I don’t know what to do
I am feeling stuck and unsure about how to proceed with my music
Well when are you gonna have it?
When will you have new music or ideas to share with me?
When am I doing it?
When will I be able to work on new music or projects?
I’m ready to do it right now, I wanna do it
I am eager to start working on music and would love to do it as soon as possible
I’m not too sure Jerry
I am uncertain and not confident about what to do next, Jerry
Well who is sure? Who is in charge of this
Who is in charge of deciding when and how we work on music projects?
This is Gifted, this is The Gifted session
This is a session for working on music related to my album 'The Gifted'
Oh this is The Gifted session
Oh, I see, this is a work session for my album 'The Gifted'
Yea, for the album that I got now, okay
Yes, we are working on music related to my current album
Alright then I guess I’ll come back, please
Okay, I will leave for now and come back at another time to work on music
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEIGH MOLLINGS, OLUBOWALE AKINTEMEHIN, SAM DEW, STOKELY WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
FGAlele
Underrated Song with a Great Message...#SolidAlbum
Alex
factsss
basedjj93
FGAlele facts
The Sports Fellowship
As a black leader this is one of my songs that motivates me to be great!! 💪🏽💪🏽
jjs zim
Rappers should make more music like this!
Progress Chijioke
I love him
Quincy X
wale is a great rapper poet and artist
basedjj93
Crazy Grown Kid facts
basedjj93
Can't believe the views &, sales of this album. It was legendary
BleekizKing
Had this album for months and just recently started listening and boy was I sleeping on a few tracks! His flow is very underrated