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
Skool Daze
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That public school bullshit I went through
Or whatever if you want to call it you know
Understand where I'm coming from
School daze in this mother fucker
Vick and Mohammed told me ride on these niggas
I told them stop it that's a problem cause I fathered these niggas
They got rich up off my image what they gonna do when I switch it
I got bitches on bitches cause my penmanship pimping
Fuck a pen man my mind is a palette fuck around turn a track to a picture
Hold up this art class for them trap doors and react to it
I was out there when them packs moved
But never got to it cause I had school
That's a fact too my class full when I had to
No gym class for your bitch ass you can get cut up with a number 2
Come through with that gun too how a rap nigga make me uncomfortable
Nigga wouldn't believe it only me and a teacher
Up in woodshop class without a tool
Just another nigga with an attitude
Slinging adder all to a latitude
Couple blacks and Latin's I was astronaut
Then when the spaceman jump man I need the loot
Short bus on the way to school
Hoes putting this game to lose but I came to won
Went to school with some cold blood niggas I ain't finna be scared of y'all God damn
Few shining star few shining star
Know exactly who you are
Few shining star
Few shining star ah ha ah ha
Few shining stars few shining star
Know exactly who you are
Few shining star ah ah ahah
Bitch
Few shining star
Every intention to ride on these niggas
Eating free lunch Monday through Friday just like all of these niggas
But I ain't tryna grow up like all of these niggas
But I ain't tryna be in wars with all of these niggas
I'm a blend in I'm a get in where I fit in I'm a do me
See some white kids in the hallway they get all A's but they do E
Truthfully as far as shooting fouls I was 2 and 3
My record doe they respect it doe
Cause them group home niggas was just too deep
And we was too deep and it's a big difference
Niggas talking bout bullies I saw children on dippers
Mothers is strippers trouble was frequent
Survival of the fittest weaklings don't make it a weekend
And to think these rappers still tryna scare somebody
Still never hit a body wrote a million songs about it
And meanwhile I'm the shit like a fully functioning somersaulting porta potty
Still I'm off to college
School daze
Few shining star few shining star
Know exactly who you are
Few shining star
Few shining star ah ha ah ha
Few shining star few shining star
Know exactly who you are
Few shining star ah ah ahah
Few shining star
Fuck fame
Fuck money
Few shining star
Few shining star
Few shining star ah ha ah ha
Fuck fame
Fuck money
Few shining star know exactly who you are
Few shining star ah ah ahah
Few shining star
In the start of the song, Wale is reminiscing about his experiences in public school. He talks about how he was asked by his friends Vick and Mohammed to ride on someone, but he refused, saying that he had fathered these individuals. He mentions how his vision and image had played an important role in the success of his peers, and questions what they would do when he changes his focus. Wale also boasts about his skills as a rapper, saying that he can turn a track into a vivid picture with his penmanship. He then moves on to talking about the difficult conditions he had to endure at school, with no gym class, no tools in the woodshop class, and no way to defend himself from threats. Wale juxtaposes the rough environment at school with the few shining stars who managed to succeed despite the odds.
As the song progresses, Wale talks about his plans to not conform to the mold of his peers, stating that he wouldn't eat free lunch like others, and that he wouldn't get involved in any wars. He then mentions that he was good at basketball, with his record being 2 and 3. He talks about how his group home buddies were too deep to get involved in any trouble. Wale then compares his experience with those of children who wear diapers and whose mothers were strippers. He talks about how survival is key in school and only the fittest survive the weekend. He then ends the song by echoing the refrain of "few shining star" and saying that he doesn't care about fame and fortune.
Line by Line Meaning
Paint that picture real quick you know what am saying
Let me give you a quick rundown of the bullshit I went through in public school
That public school bullshit I went through
Reflecting on my experience in public school
Understand where I'm coming from
I want you to see my perspective
Vick and Mohammed told me ride on these niggas
My friends wanted me to start trouble with some guys
I told them stop it that's a problem cause I fathered these niggas
I can't go against my own influence on these guys
You see a lot of these niggas just is part of my vision
Many of these guys were inspired by me
They got rich up off my image what they gonna do when I switch it
These guys gained success from following my image, but what happens when I change it up?
I got bitches on bitches cause my penmanship pimping
My writing skills are attracting a lot of women
Fuck a pen man my mind is a palette fuck around turn a track to a picture
I don't need a pen to create, I can turn a track into a painting with my mind
Hold up this art class for them trap doors and react to it
I can use my artistic talent to trap people in my music and make them react to it
I was out there when them packs moved
I was involved in the drug scene when I was younger
But never got to it cause I had school
I didn't fully get involved with drugs because I was still focused on school
No gym class for your bitch ass you can get cut up with a number 2
I didn't take gym class but I can still take you down with a pencil
Come through with that gun too how a rap nigga make me uncomfortable
I'm not scared of rappers who talk about guns, it just makes me uncomfortable
Nigga wouldn't believe it only me and a teacher
There were times when it was just me and a teacher in class
Up in woodshop class without a tool
I was in woodshop class but didn't have any tools
Just another nigga with an attitude
I was seen as just another angry black guy
Slinging adder all to a latitude
I was involved in dealing drugs
Couple blacks and Latin's I was astronaut
I made friends with black and Latin students and felt like an astronaut among them
Then when the spaceman jump man I need the loot
When I leave this environment, I need to make money
Short bus on the way to school
I rode the 'short bus' to school because of my ADHD
Hoes putting this game to lose but I came to won
Girls were trying to distract me from my goals but I came out successful
Went to school with some cold blood niggas I ain't finna be scared of y'all God damn
I grew up with tough guys, so I'm not afraid of anyone
Few shining star few shining star
There are only a few truly special people
Know exactly who you are
These people know their worth and identity
Bitch
Empowered by my confidence
Every intention to ride on these niggas
I had every intention to start trouble with these guys
Eating free lunch Monday through Friday just like all of these niggas
I was just like the other kids, eating free school lunch
But I ain't tryna grow up like all of these niggas
I didn't want to end up like the other kids in my school
But I ain't tryna be in wars with all of these niggas
I didn't want to get into fights with everyone
I'm a blend in I'm a get in where I fit in I'm a do me
I'm going to fit in where I can and do my own thing
See some white kids in the hallway they get all A's but they do E
I saw some white students who were getting good grades but still doing drugs
Truthfully as far as shooting fouls I was 2 and 3
I wasn't good at basketball, only had 2 to 3 shooting fouls
My record doe they respect it doe
Despite my lack of basketball skill, people still respected my record
Cause them group home niggas was just too deep
The guys from the group home where I lived were too tough to beat when we played basketball
And we was too deep and it's a big difference
Our group of friends was also very tough, but there was a big skill difference between us and the group home guys
Niggas talking bout bullies I saw children on dippers
People talk about bullying but I saw kids in diapers
Mothers is strippers trouble was frequent
Many of my classmates had mothers who were strippers and it caused a lot of trouble
Survival of the fittest weaklings don't make it a weekend
It was tough to survive in that environment, and the weak didn't last long
And to think these rappers still tryna scare somebody
Some rappers still try to come off as scary
Still never hit a body wrote a million songs about it
Despite all their tough talk, they've never actually killed anyone
And meanwhile I'm the shit like a fully functioning somersaulting porta potty
I'm confident in my abilities and feel like a fully functioning machine
Still I'm off to college
Despite everything, I'm still going to college
Fuck fame
I don't care about being famous
Fuck money
I'm not in this for the money
Few shining star
Only a select few are truly special
Few shining star know exactly who you are
These people know their worth and identity
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind