Wale Speaks on His Nigerian Roots & Working With Wizkid and Olamide

Although he had never been to Nigeria before last year, Wale (real name- Adebowale Victor Folarin) has his roots deep in the country. His parents left Nigeria for Austria in the late 70's; they stayed there for a short while before traveling to America in 1979. According to Wale, more than 60% of extended family members are still in Nigeria. So, it was really a big deal for him traveling to the Motherland last year. Wale is a commercially successful Nigerian-American rapper, who rose to prominence in the late 2000's. He is currently signed to Rick Ross's MMG record label.




In a recent interview on Hot 105.1 FM, with The Breakfast Club crew (DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God), he spoke on his Nigerian roots, and what traveling home last year meant to him.







“So, I met my grandfather for the first time. So, it was really intense. And I don’t really show that side of myself. I like to keep my personal life away. Y’all get my emotional, but y’all don’t really get the—y’all don’t know who I’m dating…I use my real, Nigerian name. That’s the first red flag of embracing it. You know what I’m saying? My first album I sampled a famous African record. Did a video for it. I’ve worked with Wizkid. I’ve worked with [Olamide]. I’ve worked with a lot of these people. Just because they not on the U.S. radar—I don’t know if I need to go Lil Wayne on niggas and put the tattoo of a Nigerian scripture, Nigerian Yoruba scriptures on the side of my face so they can be like ‘Yeah.’ I don’t know if I gotta come in wearing an agbada or something like that. But I do my best…That’s like Drake walking around with a yamaka.”

Hmm! Interesting. I know he has done two songs with Wizkid, but I haven't heard the song he did with Olamide. I gotta check for that one...I know it will be dope. For those that don't know who the two people he mentioned are, they are among the biggest stars in Nigeria at the moment. Wizkid is more of a pop star, and Olamide is a rapper, who delivers his verses in a mix of English, broken English, and Yoruba (a local Nigerian dialect).