A singular figure will emerge amidst the THC-infused clouds overhanging the Intramural Fields on Friday night. A man with ramen hair, trimmed goatee, and drip oozing from his jacket. His presence is pastoral, his rhymes herd hips and hearts to a land of Ambition, Lotus Flowers, and Love. Following the footsteps of legends like Cher, Prince, and Jesus, this man only goes by one name: Wale.
Students’ excitement for the concert has been buzzing around campus. “Wale is a pretty big name in rap,” said Caleb Henman ‘22, music expert of Whitman Annex. “A lot of people around campus have heard of him. It looks to be a fun party.”
Although Wale is popular among rap enthusiasts, he is less known to other students on campus. “I looked him up after I heard the announcement at Java,” said Jenny Brayton ‘22. “I knew one song. It’s a definite bop.”
According to Wale himself, he is “one of the greatest rappers of all time.” Music critics have called Wale “the first nationally known rapper from the District (Washington D.C.).” His resume includes a Grammy win in 2013 for Best Rap Song, a BET award in 2012 for Best Collaboration, and several BET Hip Hop award nominations. He has a following on social media that is equally as impressive: 6.03 million on Twitter, 3.4 million on Instagram.
Wale’s road to stardom began on a college campus like our own. He attended Robert Morris University and Virginia State University for football before dropping out of Bowie State University because of academics. He gained regional attention in 2006 when he was 22, and, in 2011, his second album, “Ambition,” launched him into the national conversation. He has stayed relevant ever since.
The music of the past shapes much of Wale’s songs. In some of his songs, he uses a smoothness reminiscent of 90s R&B to accompany his modern beats and rhythms. In others, the music of Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder comes to mind as he swoons in between verses.
Known for his showmanship, critics have called the D.C. artist a “personable MC.” He wears his emotions on a sleeve and admits to moments of anger, but genuinely cares about his fanbase. He occasionally shows his dedication on Twitter, responding to fan’s questions with a sincerity many rappers lack today. In a recent post, he writes to a fan about his new album: “Most different experience ever ..the range of personal “real life” emotions I was going through while making this ..is enough to make anybody walk away from it all.”
Despite his fame, the rap star faces high expectations from the SLU crowd. “People know who he is, but B.O.B. was sick,” said Sam Fox ‘21 “He had chicks twerking on him and one of my buddies got tackled by security.”
Although many people in the area are intrigued by the concert, some students have criticized the Association for Campus Entertainment (ACE) for the selecting Wale for Fall Fest. “I think it’s crazy that it is Wale because there were a lot of other solid options,” said Cal Stief ‘22. “They simply needed to be booked much farther in advance.”
Fall Fest comes 5 days after Wale announced his newest album release, Wow… That’s Crazy. The much-anticipated album, featuring the hit single “On Chill,” is set to arrive October 11. He begins the “Everything Is Fine” tour on September 30 in Fort Lauderdale and will be on tour for all of October.
Flipp Dinero will also be performing alongside Wale. The concert doors will open at 6 pm on Friday at the Intramural Fields next to J-lot. Students are limited to 4 tickets each: $10 each for the first 2 tickets, $20 each for the 3rd and 4th.