2011 from the Hip Hop artist. You pronounce his name Wah-Lay! Born the son of Nigerian immigrants and raised in our nation's capital (Washington D.C.), Wale was exposed to all sorts of music growing up that has helped to influence his unique sound. Twenty-six-year-old Wale Folarin first broke out and broke ground in 2005, appearing in the Source Magazine's "Unsigned Hype" column - the same column that launched the careers of the Notorious B.I.G., Common and Mobb Deep.