The Evolution of Wale

Wale didn't get here overnight.

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Wale was born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 21, 1984. His parents, who are from the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria, immigrated to the United States from Austria in 1979. (Shareif Ziyadat/PictureGroup)
D.C. Can Dig It - Wale broke on the scene in the DMV (that's D.C., Maryland and Virginia for the uninitiated) in 2006 with "Dig Dug (Shake It)," which received heavy airplay on local stations. Like much of Wale's early material, the song was heavily influenced by the local go-go music scene. (Photo: Scott Gries/PictureGroup)
Draft Pick - Wale inked his first major label deal in 2007, signing with Grammy-winning producer Mark Ronson's Allido Records and Interscope.(Photos from left: Dave Hogan/Getty Images, Shareif Ziyadat/PictureGroup)In the Mix - Wale turned up the buzz with two acclaimed mixtapes, 100 Miles & Running and Mixtape About Nothing, in 2007 and 2008 respectively. (Photo: Adrian Sidney/PictureGroup)

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Wale was born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 21, 1984. His parents, who are from the Yoruba ethnic group of southwestern Nigeria, immigrated to the United States from Austria in 1979. (Shareif Ziyadat/PictureGroup)

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