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WALE
February 29 - Mighty
Noise Pop attendees might be wondering what a 23-year-old, largely unknown rapper from Washington, DC, is doing headlining a show at the festival. But if anyone can get the hipsters' hands out of their pockets and into the air, it's Wale (pronounced wah-lay, which stands for We Ain't Like Everyone). The young MC is already a blog favorite, thanks to an Internet-only Mark Ronson remix of Lily Allen's "Smile" that Wale busted verses on. Wale also appeared alongside hot electro act Justice on the cover of URB Magazine's 150th issue, following the release of "W.A.L.E.D.A.N.C.E.," his remix of the French duo's club hit (which he performed with Ronson's band on the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards). Entertainment Weekly pegged him as one of 8 People to Watch in 2008, calling him the next Lupe Fiasco, which is another way to say he has the crossover appeal of a Kanye West.But probably the most appealing aspect of Wale's music -- at least to rock fans -- is the influence of go-go music in his tunes. Go-go was a DC sub-genre of funk popular in the '70s and '80s that utilized live drums, horns, and call-and-response vocals and which never broke nationally, save for E.U.'s "Da Butt," a minor hit from Spike Lee's School Daze. Several of Wale's singles -- including 2006's "Dig Dug," which became the most requested song by a local artist in DC history -- utilize go-go samples, and he's been known to perform with go-go bands.
The son of Nigerian immigrants, Wale (aka Olubowale Folarin) began rapping as early as age 11. His first regional success came in 2003, when he hooked up with renowned DC tastemaker DJ Alizay for the single "Rhyme of the Century." After several other local hits, he hit the big time with "Dig Dug" and his follow-up "Good Girls," which caught the attention of Amy Winehouse producer Ronson. The New York-based Brit would eventually ask Wale to tour Europe with him and sign to his label, Allido.
Last year, the buzz on Wale got even louder following the release of his third mix-tape, 100 Miles and Running. The break-out single, "Ice Cream Girl" -- featured on HBO series Entourage, a proven rap showcase -- was his best track yet. Over a booming go-go sample and a xylophone-like synth run, Wale raps about a cute young thing with "two scoops" and a cherry he wants to pop. It's the most ludicrous food metaphor since Kelis' "Milkshake," but it's similarly undeniable. Listening to recent iTunes release "Nike Boots" and all his material, it's obvious that Wale is a clever lyricist -- at one point he promises to "keep knocking at [a girl] like a Mormon" -- and a fluid rapper with smooth flow. But can he cross over? "I want to bring eclecticism to hip-hop," Wale said on a recent MTV.com segment, offering one clue. "We need soul, we need live instrumentation, we need showmanship." By Dan Strachota
