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
Prescription
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The world's too much for the soul to enjoy
I focus on the void and I fill it
Hopin' the depressed ain't give in and give up
So listeners give up your ears, it's your hero
From here on a heroin like high, I give off
Live off my lie and my lullaby
And I refuse to camouflage with other guys
You see my mind is amused of they head noddin'
I so got 'em, as hypnosis of hip-hop
'cause, when I talk they don't just watch
I make 'em feel it, the feelin's' unfamiliar
A rush of your adrenaline you can pick up a buildin'
You can become a killer, if properly scripted
The first one's free, next time I'll be billin' ya
Here go your prescription
Here go your prescription
Here go your prescription
Take your prescription
Don't let the pain getcha
I swear my lane will provide as a painkiller
A painkiller, a 16 of Percoset
Just let it chill Joe
That lil' burn that you feel, feel good don't it?
Just sit back and relax and take it easy
And let the beat play
Close your eyes, whoever uninspired
Pay me no mind, I put Adderol in y'alls
Riddle them with Ritalin, attention deficit
Niggas start listenin', and what I'm givin' them
The drug that they brain need
Them niggas sick of hip-hop so they appointed me
And I invened but the IV inside of me
And ignorance was drug of choice but they OD'd
Couldn't alone leave 'em
I am the sole leader
The young soul that the OG's still believe in
And if you not convinced keep on promotin' them
I breathe life in the game, they are Kevorkian
They provokin' suicide but as soon as signed
I drew designs for consumer's minds so in time
I do it for all y'all, do it for all y'all
Don't gotta wait long
The doctor has arrived just be patient
Please, please
Here go your prescription
Here go your prescription
Here go your prescription
Take your prescription
See, they say one has to know the past to last in the present.
So I, bask in the weather while the presence of these laggers
Lend me they rappin' to give gifts to my brethren.
My nigga this is more than a vocal booth,
This is my, only truth, this is my risin' up.
So you can ask Black Thought if I know my Roots.
Shit, before you? uest my Love for this,
Just know we would play Q-Tip in the Q before you knew T.I.P.
And before you knew T.I.P.
I was tippin' strippers properly to Pussy Poppin'.
So, when you ask me "What you know about that? ",
Ironically I'm askin' you the same question partna'.
I am hip-hop. Past, present and future.
I can rap on some old Primo, sound like the present Sigo
And make it feel like a sequel to the new me, bitch.
I'm Wale, the prescription.
In the song Prescription by Wale, the artist talks about his struggle with mental health and how he uses his music as a means of coping. He mentions feeling overwhelmed by the world and focusing on the void in his life, hoping that those who are depressed do not give up. Wale describes how he feels he is in a heroin-like high that allows him to give off a lie and a lullaby through his music. He notes how he differentiates himself from other artists because he has the ability to make his listeners feel the emotions he is expressing, which are unfamiliar to them. Wale also mentions that he is their doctor and can prescribe the medication they need to feel better. He takes pride in the fact that he is the sole leader of the type of music he creates, and that his music has breathed life into hip hop.
One of the main themes in the song is the idea of needing a prescription to cope with life's difficulties. Wale refers to himself as a doctor who can provide his listeners with the medication they need to alleviate their pain. He indicates that people are sick of the traditional hip hop that has been around for years and that he is the remedy for that feeling of exhaustion. The artist seems to want to make his listeners feel better by providing them with an escape through his music.
Another significant theme explored in the song is the idea of Wale’s place in hip hop. He discusses his roots in the genre and how he has evolved throughout the years. Wale's ability to adapt to different styles of rap allows him to mesh the past, present, and future of hip hop. By acknowledging his past, he is able to create a unique sound that stands out from other artists.
Line by Line Meaning
Simply out of this world by choice
I purposely separate myself from the world because it can be overwhelming
The world's too much for the soul to enjoy
The world is too chaotic for my soul to find peace and happiness
I focus on the void and I fill it
I concentrate on the emptiness within myself and fill it with music and creativity
Hopin' the depressed ain't give in and give up
I hope those struggling with depression don't lose hope and give up on life
So listeners give up your ears, it's your hero
Listen to my words and let me be your hero
From here on a heroin like high, I give off
My music gives listeners a high similar to a heroin rush
Live off my lie and my lullaby
I sustain and thrive off my music and the melody it brings
They itchin' for a new breath here's the calamine
People are searching for something new and refreshing, and my music is the solution
And I refuse to camouflage with other guys
I won't conform to be like other artists in the industry
You see my mind is amused of they head noddin'
My mind is entertained by how my music makes people nod their heads
I so got 'em, as hypnosis of hip-hop
My music has a hypnotic effect on listeners like the power of hip-hop music
'cause, when I talk they don't just watch
When I rap, people don't just listen, they become fully immersed
I make 'em feel it, the feelin's' unfamiliar
I evoke emotions and feelings that people may not be familiar with
A rush of your adrenaline you can pick up a buildin'
My music gives listeners an adrenaline rush so powerful, they could lift a building
You can become a killer, if properly scripted
My lyrics can influence people to do things they may otherwise never do
The first one's free, next time I'll be billin' ya
My music is addictive, the first taste is free, but next time you'll need to pay
Don't let the pain getcha
Don't let the pain of life get to you
I swear my lane will provide as a painkiller
My music will provide comfort as a painkiller for listeners
A painkiller, a 16 of Percoset
My music has the same effect as a powerful painkiller like Percoset
Just let it chill Joe
Relax and let the music take you away
That lil' burn that you feel, feel good don't it?
That slight discomfort that you feel in life can feel good when listening to my music
Just sit back and relax and take it easy
Relax and let the music guide you to a state of ease
And let the beat play
Just listen to the rhythm and let it take over
Close your eyes, whoever uninspired
Even if you feel uninspired, close your eyes and let the music inspire you
Pay me no mind, I put Adderol in y'alls
Don't worry about me, I put Adderall in your music to enhance your listening experience
Riddle them with Ritalin, attention deficit
My music has the power to make listeners focus like they've taken Ritalin
Niggas start listenin', and what I'm givin' them
Once people start listening to my music, they can't get enough
The drug that they brain need
My music is the drug that people need for their brains
Them niggas sick of hip-hop so they appointed me
People are tired of the current state of hip-hop and have chosen me to be their hero
And I invened but the IV inside of me
I created the sound of the future but it is within me
And ignorance was drug of choice but they OD'd
People used to choose ignorance but now it's causing them harm
Couldn't alone leave 'em, I am the sole leader
People couldn't survive without me, I am their leader
The young soul that the OG's still believe in
Even the older generation of hip-hop artists believe in me and my music
And if you not convinced keep on promotin' them
If you're not convinced of my talent, keep promoting the less talented artists
I breathe life in the game, they are Kevorkian
I'm breathing new life into the stagnant industry while other artists kill it
They provokin' suicide but as soon as signed
Other artists are pushing people to kill themselves through their music, but once signed to a record label, they become less authentic
I drew designs for consumer's minds so in time
I created the future sound of music that will appeal to the masses
I do it for all y'all, do it for all y'all
I create music for everyone to enjoy
Don't gotta wait long
You don't have to wait long for my next release
The doctor has arrived just be patient
I have arrived to cure the music industry, just be patient
See, they say one has to know the past to last in the present.
To succeed in the present, one has to be aware of the past
So I, bask in the weather while the presence of these laggers
I thrive in the music industry while others lag behind
Lend me they rappin' to give gifts to my brethren.
I use the music of others to create something special for my fans
My nigga this is more than a vocal booth,
Being in the recording studio is more than just recording music
This is my, only truth, this is my risin' up.
My music is my truth and my way of rising above everything
So you can ask Black Thought if I know my Roots.
Ask an OG like Black Thought if I know and respect the roots of hip-hop
Shit, before you? uest my Love for this,
Before you question my love for hip-hop
Just know we would play Q-Tip in the Q before you knew T.I.P.
We were listening to Q-Tip before T.I.P. became famous
And before you knew T.I.P.
Even before you knew T.I.P.
I was tippin' strippers properly to Pussy Poppin'.
I've been supporting the exotic dancing industry for a long time
So, when you ask me "What you know about that? ",
So, when you question my knowledge
Ironically I'm askin' you the same question partna'.
I'm asking you the same thing, partner
I am hip-hop. Past, present and future.
I represent hip-hop in all forms: past, present, and future
I can rap on some old Primo, sound like the present Sigo
I can create music that sounds like an old DJ Premier beat or a modern Bad Bunny track
And make it feel like a sequel to the new me, bitch.
I can make it sound like a continuation of my modern sound
I'm Wale, the prescription.
I am the medicine for the music industry, I am Wale
Lyrics © CTM Outlander Music LC, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE GRUSIN, OLUBOWALE VICTOR AKINTIMEHIN, CRAIG BALMORIS, TONY PRICE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
maishah salam
the beat is sick, lyrics are unique. and wale is a poet for sure, and the cover is amazing. this song is awesome.
LyChell
Real shit!
tosten
The last verse on this where Wale is just spitting poetry is better than anything any of the other freshmen have ever done. Insane.
Abdul
Attention Deficit is Wale's best album
V8Pills
Nah The album about nothing or Gifted
Jarvase dundy
+ShakenReality I agree. They're both his most lyrical albums as well
V8Pills
+Jarvase O'Brian dundy yea More about nothing is his best mixtape
Jarvase dundy
ShakenReality I was referring to the album lol.
V8Pills
+Jarvase O'Brian dundy ik I was just saying
Victor Numan
Man, I'm so mad that I JUST bought this album. I sure as hell wish i would have bought it last year. I'm going through the tracks now, man, not one bad song on here. Big ups to Wale.