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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The Success
Wale Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was poor with the other children
Of course the ills that are less fortunate
Support while they're killing
Graduated from school just to live on their knees
And wonder why the undergrads don't wait for summer for heat
Cause a drug dealer's destiny's still reaching that key
Who are y'all to disagree
Where the lookouts look out and be like "cuckoo, they comin'"
So it's nothin' when the income is nothin'
And the heat never be on so get that heat from the oven
It's humility, still humanized by these memories
You and I could never eye to eye
Cause my style's like 5 guillotines
I'm more head then cutting off 5 foreheads
10 I seen, the tenacity of my swords edge
Boy been built for that
Seen blood get spilt for less
These young bloods like a bad drug
Can't find a cure, take a pill back
Uh, rah rah, D.C. mean "don't come"
A "dick choke" if your ho cum
That was told to me by Curt Bone
And that's fact, shout out Wayne and Corn too
I ain't slang in the 80's but I feel the pain y'all went through
As a hustler's "Ambition" continues
All them side ways niggas try and do you like Bishop
And I'm sorry if you 30, still purchasing nickels
Cause I'm pushing 30 and the nickel be purchasing Wizards
Like "Ted and Zach, I got the bread, let's go and chat"
Man I made so much off of beanies we can go over cap
El Captain of the rappers songs, get at me dog
And I'm Christ' Dior with a crispy cuff over Paranorms
Stuntin', oh oh, I'm stuntin'
Ho-bo if there's shit in the bus scoop us a seven
Avenue livin', whats up
Revenue up the wazoo cause I hustle
Used to listen to Wasalu
I so was "Kick, Push"'ing the product out DTLR
Pardon me I'm just dwelling
Pursuing the exit from the cesspool we ascended
Uh tell me I ain't successful
Wale's "The Success" is a poignant reflection on the paradox of success and the dark shadows that it casts. It opens with a somber apology to God for the sins that they have committed as humans. The first verse focuses on the hardships of growing up poor and being surrounded by violence and crime. Wale raps about how poverty is cyclical, with the less fortunate engaging in unlawful activities, which only lead to more destruction. He highlights the irony of how those criminals' actions are, in a way, a desperate attempt to climb out of the same poverty cycle that created them, often leading to their downfall.
In the second verse, Wale delves into the complexities of success as a rapper. He acknowledges the constant threat from those who want to take advantage of him, like Bishop did to Tupac in the movie Juice. He also reflects on the age inequalities in the industry, with people much older than him still struggling to make a profit from their music. Wale speaks to the profitability of the rap game and the never-ending desire to increase revenue, even at the expense of his and others' safety.
Overall, "The Success" is a deep and introspective take on the cost of success and the desperation to achieve it in the rap industry, punctuated with Wale's signature wordplay and his allusions to DC culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord forgive us, we're sinners
We acknowledge our flaws and ask for forgiveness from a higher power.
Was poor with the other children
I used to be poor and grew up with other poor children.
Of course the ills that are less fortunate
It's understandable that those who are less fortunate may have some problems due to their situation.
Support while they're killing
People tend to support each other even while they engage in destructive behaviors.
Graduated from school just to live on their knees
It's disappointing to graduate from school only to end up in a low-paying job with few opportunities for advancement.
And wonder why the undergrads don't wait for summer for heat
It's confusing why those who have more opportunities don't seem to appreciate them and instead complain about minor inconveniences.
Cause a drug dealer's destiny's still reaching that key
Drug dealers will continue to strive for the key (a reference to a kilogram of drugs) as it's the source of their income and success.
Who are y'all to disagree
Who are you to argue against the lifestyle and means chosen by drug dealers?
While everybody is looking for somethin'
Everyone is searching for something to fulfill them or give them purpose.
Where the lookouts look out and be like "cuckoo, they comin'"
The lookout is alerting the drug dealers of the police or other authorities approaching.
So it's nothin' when the income is nothin'
It's normal to not have much money when there's no income.
And the heat never be on so get that heat from the oven
When there's no heat in the home, the oven can be used instead.
It's humility, still humanized by these memories
Despite his success, the artist is still grounded and reminded of his past struggles and hardships.
You and I could never eye to eye
We have different perspectives and experiences that make it difficult for us to understand each other.
Cause my style's like 5 guillotines
My rap style is so sharp and powerful, it's like five guillotines cutting off heads.
I'm more head then cutting off 5 foreheads
My lyrical abilities are so impressive that they're worth more than the heads of five people.
10 I seen, the tenacity of my swords edge
I've witnessed the strength and sharpness of my skills and abilities through my experiences.
Boy been built for that
I've always had a natural talent for rapping and succeeding in this industry.
Seen blood get spilt for less
People have resorted to violence over smaller conflicts than the ones that arise in the music industry.
These young bloods like a bad drug
The new generation of rappers are like a dangerous drug, addictive and potentially harmful.
Can't find a cure, take a pill back
There's no solution to the problem of these rappers, you just have to deal with the consequences.
Uh, rah rah, D.C. mean "don't come"
In D.C., if someone says "rah rah", it means don't come around here.
A "dick choke" if your ho cum
If your partner cheats on you, you'll be choked up about it.
That was told to me by Curt Bone
This saying was taught to the artist by someone named Curt Bone.
And that's fact, shout out Wayne and Corn too
This saying is true, and the artist gives a shout out to two other people.
I ain't slang in the 80's but I feel the pain y'all went through
I may not have lived in the 80s, but I can empathize with those who did and understand the struggles they faced.
As a hustler's "Ambition" continues
A hustler's ambition and drive will continue to push them forward.
All them side ways niggas try and do you like Bishop
People who are not serious about their hustle will try to bring down those who are, much like the character Bishop in the movie Juice.
And I'm sorry if you 30, still purchasing nickels
It's unfortunate if you're still buying small amounts of drugs even at 30 years old.
Cause I'm pushing 30 and the nickel be purchasing Wizards
The artist is almost 30 and now buys large amounts of drugs instead of small quantities. "Wizards" is a reference to the Washington Wizards basketball team.
Like "Ted and Zach, I got the bread, let's go and chat"
The artist has enough money to make deals with others in the industry, like Ted and Zach.
Man I made so much off of beanies we can go over cap
The artist made a lot of money selling beanies and can now afford to exceed the league's salary cap for his team.
El Captain of the rappers songs, get at me dog
The artist is an expert in rap and songwriting, and challenges others to approach him for collaborations.
And I'm Christ' Dior with a crispy cuff over Paranorms
The artist is wearing luxury clothing from Christian Dior and has his pants cuffed neatly over his shoes, which are likely from the brand ParaNorman.
Stuntin', oh oh, I'm stuntin'
The artist is flaunting his wealth and success.
Ho-bo if there's shit in the bus scoop us a seven
If there's any trouble or danger ahead, the group should leave in a Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG with a license plate that ends in 777.
Avenue livin', whats up
Living in the city and experiencing everything it has to offer, what's up?
Revenue up the wazoo cause I hustle
The artist has a lot of money because he is constantly hustling and making deals.
Used to listen to Wasalu
The artist used to listen to the rapper Lupe Fiasco, whose real name is Wasalu Muhammad Jaco.
I so was "Kick, Push"'ing the product out DTLR
The artist was selling his product (likely music or merchandise) while listening to Lupe Fiasco's popular song "Kick, Push" at DTLR, a popular fashion and footwear store.
Pardon me I'm just dwelling
Sorry for getting lost in thought or daydreaming.
Pursuing the exit from the cesspool we ascended
Trying to leave behind the negative and harmful environment we came from and move towards a better future.
Uh tell me I ain't successful
Despite the struggles and difficulties, the artist has achieved success and wants recognition for it.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: TOM RUSSELL, JONATHAN SEYMOUR, DANIEL STEWART, ROMILY WALDEN, RICHARD WALDRON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind