Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (born September 21, 1984), better known by his stage name Wale (/ˈwɔːleɪ/ WAH-lay), is an American rapper. He first gained recognition in 2006 when his song "Dig Dug (Shake It)" became popular in his hometown of Washington D.C., leading to Wale gaining local recognition as he continued recording music for the regional audience. Wale met English DJ-producer Mark Ronson in 2006, and signed to his label Allido Records in 2007. While signed to Ronson, Wale released several mixtapes which slowly garnered national attention as he appeared on MTV and various Black America-focused magazines.
In 2008, a three-label bidding war resulted in Wale signing with Interscope Records for US$1.3 million, releasing his debut studio album Attention Deficit in November of the following year. The album was under-shipped and underperformed commercially, but was met with positive reception and marked Wale's first Billboard Hot 100 entry with its lead single, "Chillin" (featuring Lady Gaga). He would reach wider recognition with his guest feature on Waka Flocka Flame's 2010 single "No Hands", which became Wale's highest-charting song to date as it peaked at number thirteen on the Hot 100. In early 2011, Wale signed with Florida rapper Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group, where he and the label's cohorts would release a compilation album, Self Made Vol. 1 in May of that year.
Later the same year, his single "Lotus Flower Bomb" (featuring Miguel) would reach the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, earn a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Song, and precede his second studio album, Ambition (2011). The album, exploring less-lighthearted topics of introspection, was released in November 2011 to further commercial and critical success, reaching number two on the Billboard 200. His third and fourth albums, The Gifted (2013) and The Album About Nothing (2015), would both debut at number-one on the Billboard 200, with the former album spawning Wale's most successful single as a lead artist: "Bad" (featuring Tiara Thomas or Rihanna).
Wale shifted for lighter lyricism and aimed for wider female appeal with his fifth studio album, Shine (2015). Supported by the lead single "My PYT", it was released to a decline in commercial and critical reception. Three extended plays (EP's) would precede his sixth album Wow... That's Crazy (2019), supported by the lead single "On Chill" (featuring Jeremih). The song would reach number twenty-two on the Billboard Hot 100, while its parent album saw a slight commercial improvement at number seven on the Billboard 200. It was followed up with his seventh album, Folarin II (2022). The same year, Wale appeared in the film Ambulance directed by Michael Bay.
