PREMIUM+ x Polymathix x Wale.  August 2009. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.  100+ Miles and Still Running…

Interview by Rob Graham / Photos by Clint Servantes

On the day he found out his album was being pushed back to October, we sat down with Wale at the Hard Rock Casino & Hotel to chop it up. We talked about the rigors of being an artist, some public misconceptions and perceptions, his early athletic pursuits and of course – the sneaker game. With everything that he’s done – performances around the world, magazine covers and television guest spots- the DMV homie stays on his grizzlie to ensure much success. Even if he isn’t gaining the recognition he should. There aren’t too many artists whose grind can match Mr. Folarin’s. Find out why…plus more.

Do you find it ironic that you’re involved with the Roc, after your career sort of started with Kenny Burns back in D.C., to now, being co-managed by Roc Nation?

I never really put two and two together, the Kenny part of my career, was the Kenny part of my career. You know, the Jay-z, Tata, John Meneilly, and Rich Kleiman, that’s the Roc Nation part of my career. We rise and we still working, ain’t nothing given, ain’t nothing free.

So, on one of your joints on Back to the Feature, you referenced your brain traveling like Yung Berg’s jewelry, and we don’t really see you wearing jewelry like that. You know, like the “typical rapper.”

I got a couple of pieces…

We seen you with the Roc-a-fella chain at Sneaker Pimps L.A.

My thing with jewelry is that when you wear a specific piece too much you’re kind of identified by that. I got a grill, I got all types of stuff, but I don’t wear it all the time. Most of the time, I’ll wear jewelry when I have a plain outfit on, but I don’t wear it to define me. Because your jewelry begins to define you like, “that’s Blahzay Blah, he has the Blahzay chain.” It’s just not my thing, props to everybody who does that, but sometimes I really just want to be about the outfit I wear or the message that I’m trying to put out.

You been on tour for awhile now, what’s the wildest thing that happened to you on tour?

Probably finding my album got pushed back today. But, other than that, the tour bus caught on fire.

Damn.

Yea, we was probably somewhere around Indianapolis.

What sneaker releases are you looking forward to?

The VIIs, well, I got ‘em now, but I was looking forward to those. The Black/Grey ½ Cents. Mainly, I was looking forward to the VII Pack.

The Orlando Magic VIIs?

Oh those, I think those come out next year…actually I don’t know when those come out, I heard that was a rumor.

The joints with the pin stripe on the side? I think those got scrapped…

Yea, I think they scrapped ‘em, I gotta look for those samples somewhere. Honestly though, probably the High Top Louis Vuitton Kanye joints. It would be nice to see the Silver ½ Cents come out, I mean, I have them, but it would be a good shoe for ‘em. I’ll probably buy two pairs.

How important do you think Streetwear and Sneaker Culture is to Hip Hop?

I don’t think they’re co-related. You know, it’s so funny because you might see Dream wear a Supreme hat and you’re like, “you don’t know what you’re wearing.” And, you may see a Yung Joc wearing some Dunks or SBs. When I say “SBs,” I’m only talking about the Golden Era. R.I.P. SB. Hawaii’s was probably the last [good release], the Whatthedunks, for all intensive hypebeast purposes, but ain’t nothing really come out hot after ’07. You know, the stylists come around and they kind of bastardize it a little bit, I understand they’re just doing their job, but some people take it [personally]. If you’ve been in the shoe game you know how it is, like you can’t be putting that shoe on this dude. You know? Niggas slept outside four days for them joints and you’re just going to give it to Yung Joc?

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