Wale Faces Backlash for Celebrating JAY-Z Connection

Wale is making it known that he’s working nearly around the clock, following his recent connection with JAY-Z.

The former Maybach Music Group rapper found himself battling social media trolls just days after witnessing the Dallas Cowboys upset his Washington Commanders NFL squad. Though his team lost, Wale appeared to snag himself a consolation prize by turning his attendance to the game into a networking opportunity with none other than JAY-Z.

“Back to work,” Wale wrote in a tweet on November 25 accompanied by the photo he and HOV took.

However, in his attempt to commemorate the moment he shared with his longtime collaborator and friend, Wale attracted an onslaught of hateful comments from trolls assuming he’s slacking off.

“Can’t stand when rap n##### act like Jigga they Daddy,” a user wrote in a reply in the thread of the original tweet. “Like what u need his blessings to get back to work n###a.”

Though Wale’s rebuttal to the troll’s tweet was the end-all-be-all, it wasn’t the only response the callous remark drew. In the thread another user replied remarking on the pair of MC’s decades-long relationship, referencing the Blueprint 3 Tour HOV brought Folarin along with him for in 2009.

“You never take pics with people you cool with?” the user questioned the troll in a reply.

Wale opted for a more direct approach rooted in reality for his response to the user, whom he put to shame by allowing his strenuous workload to speak on his behalf.

“33 city tour,” he wrote in part in the reply. “Went home for last show. Stayed one week more to see my team… this was my last photo before going back to work. I hope this helps.”

Considering Wale dropped his three-song single “Ghetto Speak” earlier this year in September and hasn’t released a full-length album since his 2022 LP More About Nothing, it’s likely he’s readying new music as we speak. It’s also likely that Folarin and HOV were discussing possible crossover into the league for the DMV-bred rapper — considering JAY-Z and Roc Nation recently extended their partnership with the NFL to curate talent for performances and events.

As for Wale and JAY-Z, their paths have intersected musically and professionally over the years, with their relationship rooted in mutual respect. Early in Wale’s career, JAY-Z provided guidance, even appearing on Wale’s 2009 mixtape, Back to the Feature, on the track “Rather Be With You.” Their connection deepened when Wale signed to Roc Nation for management in 2010.