Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (born September 21, 1984), better known by his stage name
Wale ( ), is an
American rapper from Washington, DC. He rose to prominence in 2006, when his song "Dig Dug (Shake It)" became popular in his hometown. Wale became locally recognized and continued recording music for the regional audience. Producer
Mark Ronson discovered Wale in 2006 and signed him to
Allido Records in 2007. While signed to that label, Wale released several mixtapes and appeared in national media including MTV and various Black-American-focused magazines. A song called "Ridin' in That Black Joint" was featured in the popular video game
Saints Row 2's soundtrack in 2008.