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
Smile
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I got my squad
And as long as they got me
Then I'll be just fine
So I give God the glory
'Cause I have my child
And America don't want me
That's when I realized
A reason to smile
I said we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
But we gon' survive
That's why we all need
A reason to smile
And a possible bigot slash misogynist is 'bout to run the whole damn thing
('Bout to run the whole damn thing)
And the ballot my sister filled in
In another city didn't do a goddamn thing
Shit I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
But I gotta do my goddamn thing
The Alt Rights hate us
Some black baby mommas hate us
We only learn half of the drama, other side crazy
On behalf of Charlamagne I'm sure he ain't trading sides
Maybe I should meet Tomi Lahren, I'll Lauryn Hill her
Train her, she miseducated anyway
Prolly hate the color of my face
I'm just a young black rapping ass African
Ain't never wanted to have it and now he has it his own way
I'm smoking purple, the law enforcement be murking brothers
The moon lit and I'm Cottonmouth like Mahershala
Its like you got a curse if your currency low
The world is a dirty fucking experiment
They don't care if its hurting us
Black lives matter, 'cause black lives target practice
Can't even imagine what would happen with no phone cameras
Black lives matter, black love the dopest ever
Just wanna remind you, I think it's time that we show it better
I got my family
And I got my squad
And as long as they got me
Then I'll be just fine
So I give God the glory
'Cause I have my child
And America don't want me
That's when I realized
That we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
I said we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
But we gon' survive
That's why we all need
A reason to smile
Giving knowledge and uplifting our brothers and daughters
Is how this whole thing change
(Is how this whole thing change)
But the power that's in the pussy or the dollar
Is enough to make us all insane
Shit I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
But I gotta do my goddamn thing
And I've been living like I got one
A couple hundred on me, still in the gold shotgun
You do the most, stop son
Our people not exempt
They in the land of free
You in the land of free to an extent
Fuck that, I'mma ruffle some feathers
Mess with the temperature, shuffle the weather
Fuck who do ever, Keisha or Heather
Beef is whatever
Kill me, you die and I live forever
When you live without fear
It don't get much better
Naw, hmm
Look at how far that we've come
Look at the world we inspired
And look at the stars that we brung
They think that when that literal big wig starts that we done
They think because Hillary lost the cards will be Trumped
You out you mind nigga
I got my family
And I got my squad
And as long as they got me
Then I'll be just fine
So I give God the glory
'Cause I have my child
And America don't want me
That's what I realized
That we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
I said we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
But we gon' survive
That's why we all need
A reason to smile
The lyrics to Wale's song "Smile" reflect the state of the world we currently live in, and the struggle for black people to find a reason to smile amidst the chaos. The first verse acknowledges the importance of family and friends, as well as faith in God, to find happiness and strength. Wale then touches on the current political climate, where a bigoted and misogynistic leader threatens to take control of the country. He references the futility of voting in some places and the need for a reason to smile in the face of adversity. The chorus then emphasizes the importance of finding reasons to smile and how it can help us survive.
The second verse highlights the struggles of black people, both from external and internal sources. Wale discusses the hate from the alt-right and some black women, as well as the importance of learning the full history and context of issues. He mentions the potential of reaching across the aisle to someone like Tomi Lahren to educate her, while also acknowledging the challenges of being a young black man in America. The second half of the verse shows the frustration with the unequal treatment of black people by authorities, and how it can lead to feelings of hopelessness.
The final verse discusses the need for change, how giving knowledge and uplifting one another is the key to transformation. Wale notes that while the power of the dollar or the female body can cause chaos, it's the courage to stand up and take risks that will make the most significant impact. He encourages people to "ruffle some feathers" and fight for what they believe in, even in the face of danger.
Overall, "Smile" is a powerful call for resilience and unity in the face of adversity. It urges listeners to find reasons to smile, to hold on to their faith and loved ones, and to continue to work towards change, no matter how daunting the odds may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
I got my family
My loved ones are with me
And I got my squad
And I have a strong support system
And as long as they got me
I know everything will be okay as long as they are there for me
Then I'll be just fine
I can face anything with them by my side
So I give God the glory
I acknowledge the role God plays in my life
'Cause I have my child
As a parent, my child brings me joy and purpose
And America don't want me
I feel rejected by my country
That's when I realized
It was then that I understood
That we all need, yeah
That everyone requires
A reason to smile
Something to bring us happiness and hope
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
Things are about to get more difficult
But we gon' survive
But we will make it through
And a possible bigot slash misogynist is 'bout to run the whole damn thing
A person who may hold biased and discriminatory views is about to hold a position of power
('Bout to run the whole damn thing)
(They are about to lead the country)
And the ballot my sister filled in
The vote my sibling cast
In another city didn't do a goddamn thing
Did not make an impact and did not count
The Alt Rights hate us
The Alternative Right dislikes us
Some black baby mommas hate us
Some black mothers of children hate us
We only learn half of the drama, other side crazy
We only hear some of the issues, while the other side is also experiencing difficulties
On behalf of Charlamagne I'm sure he ain't trading sides
For Charlamagne, I am certain he will not switch his beliefs and values
Maybe I should meet Tomi Lahren, I'll Lauryn Hill her
Maybe I should talk to Tomi Lahren and educate her as Lauryn Hill did
Train her, she miseducated anyway
Teach her properly, she has been taught incorrectly
Prolly hate the color of my face
She probably dislikes me because of my skin color
I'm just a young black rapping ass African
I am a young black person who raps and is of African descent
Ain't never wanted to have it and now he has it his own way
He never desired fame, but now he has achieved it on his own terms
I'm smoking purple, the law enforcement be murking brothers
I am smoking marijuana, while police are unfairly killing black men
The moon lit and I'm Cottonmouth like Mahershala
The moon is shining and my mouth is dry, like Mahershala Ali's character in a TV show
Its like you got a curse if your currency low
It feels like a curse when you do not have much money
The world is a dirty fucking experiment
The world is a corrupt and unfair place
They don't care if its hurting us
Those in power do not care about the harm they cause us
Black lives matter, 'cause black lives target practice
The Black Lives Matter movement is important because black individuals are treated as target practice
Can't even imagine what would happen with no phone cameras
It is difficult to envision what would occur if people did not have access to cameras on their phones
Black lives matter, black love the dopest ever
Black lives matter, and the love within the black community is incredibly strong
Just wanna remind you, I think it's time that we show it better
I want to remind you that it is time to display our love and unity in a more public and visible way
Giving knowledge and uplifting our brothers and daughters
Sharing information and inspiring our peers and children
Is how this whole thing change
Is how we can bring about positive change
(Is how this whole thing change)
(This is the key to transformation)
But the power that's in the pussy or the dollar
But the power that money and sex hold
Is enough to make us all insane
Is enough to drive us all crazy
And I've been living like I got one
I have been living like I only have one life
A couple hundred on me, still in the gold shotgun
I have a few hundred dollars on me and am still pursuing my dreams
You do the most, stop son
You are doing the most and need to slow down
Our people not exempt
Our community is not immune
They in the land of free
They are supposed to be in a free country
You in the land of free to an extent
You only have so much freedom in this country
Fuck that, I'mma ruffle some feathers
I am going to stir things up and challenge the status quo
Mess with the temperature, shuffle the weather
I will shake things up and cause a change
Fuck who do ever, Keisha or Heather
I do not care about the opinions of others, whether their names are Keisha or Heather
Beef is whatever
Conflict is insignificant to me
Kill me, you die and I live forever
If you hurt me, I will not allow you to harm me forever
When you live without fear
When you live without being afraid
It don't get much better
Life cannot get much better than this
Look at how far that we've come
Reflect on how much progress we have made
Look at the world we inspired
Observe the positive impact we have had on the world
And look at the stars that we brung
And recognize the famous individuals within our community
They think that when that literal big wig starts that we done
They believe that when Donald Trump takes office, our progress will be halted
They think because Hillary lost the cards will be Trumped
They assume that since Hillary Clinton lost the election, Donald Trump will have all the power
You out you mind nigga
You must be crazy
That's what I realized
That is when I came to understand
That we all need, yeah
That each person requires
A reason to smile
Something that gives us hope and joy
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
Things are about to get even more difficult
But we gon' survive
But we will make it through
That's why we all need
This is why we all require
A reason to smile
Something that brings us happiness and hope
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARVIN GAYE, OLUBOWALE VICTOR AKINTIMEHIN, PHIL ADE, PRO REESE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@civan2855
I got my family
And I got my squad
And as long as they got me
Then I'll be just fine
So I give God the glory
'Cause I have my child
And America don't want me
That's when I realized
That we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
I said we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
But we gon' survive
That's why we all need
A reason to smile
And a possible bigot slash misogynist is 'bout to run the whole damn thing
('Bout to run the whole damn thing)
And the ballot my sister filled in
In another city didn't do a goddamn thing
Shit I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
But I gotta do my goddamn thing
The Alt Rights hate us
Some black baby mommas hate us
We only learn half of the drama, other side crazy
On behalf of Charlamagne I'm sure he ain't trading sides
Maybe I should meet Tomi Lahren, I'll Lauryn Hill her
Train her, she miseducated anyway
Prolly hate the color of my face
I'm just a young black rapping ass African
Ain't never wanted to have it and now he has it his own way
I'm smoking purple, the law enforcement be murking brothers
The moon lit and I'm Cottonmouth like Mahershala
Its like you got a curse if your currency low
The world is a dirty fucking experiment
They don't care if its hurting us
Black lives matter, 'cause black lives target practice
Can't even imagine what would happen with no phone cameras
Black lives matter, black love the dopest ever
Just wanna remind you, I think it's time that we show it better
I got my family
And I got my squad
And as long as they got me
Then I'll be just fine
So I give God the glory
'Cause I have my child
And America don't want me
That's when I realized
That we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
I said we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
But we gon' survive
That's why we all need
A reason to smile
Giving knowledge and uplifting our brothers and daughters
Is how this whole thing change
(Is how this whole thing change)
But the power that's in the pussy or the dollar
Is enough to make us all insane
Shit I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
I'mma go crazy yeah
But I gotta do my goddamn thing
And I've been living like I got one
A couple hundred on me, still in the gold shotgun
You do the most, stop son
Our people not exempt
They in the land of free
You in the land of free to an extent
Fuck that, I'mma ruffle some feathers
Mess with the temperature, shuffle the weather
Fuck who do ever, Keisha or Heather
Beef is whatever
Kill me, you die and I live forever
When you live without fear
It don't get much better
Naw, hmm
Look at how far that we've come
Look at the world we inspired
And look at the stars that we brung
They think that when that literal big wig starts that we done
They think because Hillary lost the cards will be Trumped
You out you mind nigga
I got my family
And I got my squad
And as long as they got me
Then I'll be just fine
So I give God the glory
'Cause I have my child
And America don't want me
That's what I realized
That we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
I said we all need, yeah
A reason to smile
Shit 'bout to be O.D.'d, yeah
But we gon' survive
That's why we all need
A reason to smile
@ishayarhawadwficle4720
this definitely getting played at the family cookouts this summer
@TimXMan1000
For Real this getting played at every Family Function and Cookouts, Partys, Birthdays, Graduation why not lol
@Kevvvy_G
Saw Wale live and now I cant stop playing S.H.I.N.E. Like he said he did this for himself and I am lovin every moment of it.
@TimXMan1000
I GOT MY FAMILY and i got my SQUAD... And as long they got me then I'll be just fine So i give GOD the GLORY. Thats some good stuff right there Wale Giving your fans a Reason to Smile lol
@EmantheHeartbreak
This is one of Wale's best songs
@theophilusomogbai9491
The feel good '90s' laid back vibe is on point and priceless
@feinpain7365
THE WAY HOW IT JUST ENDS IS AMAZING
@setaBC
This needs more views and a video....Wale did the damn thing so did Phil Ade
@jayemmernb22
Wale is a poet and I don’t how people don’t pay attention on his work.
@jamesakim8873
As i finish the album Wale has given me a reason to SMILE