It’s not hard to believe that Maybach Music Group’s resident smooth talker, Wale, started out writing poetry before he pursued a rap career in 2006. Since his early mixtape days in Washington DC, the former collegiate football player wrote down how he felt and used spoken word to express his truths. Whether he was talking about the cut throat world of sports, dating or the music industry, he was able to connect with his fans and eventually, people stopped referring to him as “whale.”
Four albums later, Wale is on top of the world and has the likes of celebrity icons like Jerry Seinfeld to call on when he needs a friend. He’s come a long way from selling shoes in local malls and dodging tackles on the field in college, but the Nigerian lyricist is still true to his feelings– no matter who or what urges him to do the opposite.
Over the years, his legions of fans (especially the female ones) have fallen in love with his honest content and poetic delivery. To get you prepared for his show on the 4th of July, we gathered a list of songs to let you know just why we love Wale.
1. Sabotage ft. Lloyd
2. The Break Up Song
3. Pretty Girls ft. Gucci Mane & Weensey
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4. Lotus Flower Bomb Ft. Miguel
5. Ambitious Girl
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Don’t miss Wale or any of the amazing line up for ESSENCE Fest 2015. Buy your tickets, here.