The first mainstream rap star from his hometown, Wale fused Washington, D.C.'s go-go sound with acerbic rhymes about sporting trivia and Seinfeld on early mixtapes that brought him national renown. But it was a deal with Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group for his second major label album that made Wale into a radio fixture, with smooth R&B hooks and a down-to-earth approach to romance. Brash and unfiltered when he wants to be, with a versatility that matches his adventurous ear for beats, Wale has expanded his audience without losing the unique perspective that made him a local hero.