Olubowale Folari, better known by his stage name Wale, made a visit to the campus of Florida A&M.
He was here to serve as a panelist for the “I am a Black Man” forum that was held Thursday night in the grand ballroom.
“I want black male students to gain a peace of mind from the forum,” said Wale. “I hope male students will be able to relate to at least one of the panelists.”
When asked what challenges he feels black men face, he said, “pride issues are a big deal with our species.”
Wale said that the people are his inspiration more so than other musicians. He explained that he will get inspired by people while riding on trains inside taxi-cabs.
After the drop of his debut album “Attention Deficit”, he will be working Honey magazine, ESPN, and pursuing fashion endeavors.
The devastation in Haiti was something that also hit home with Wale.
“The world needs to wake up, not just black people but all of mankind.”
He added that the devastation was unfortunate but it is inspiring to see the urban community, which has such a negative reputation, show people that we can do something other than play sports and make songs.