Joe and Jada Podcast

Episode: Wale tells WILD Kanye West story, talks Rihanna and Usher collabs & new album
Date: November 6, 2025
Hosts: Fat Joe & Jadakiss
Guest: Wale

Main Theme

This episode features DMV rapper and sneaker aficionado Wale in a lively conversation with Fat Joe and Jadakiss. They cover Wale's upcoming album Everything Is A Lot, dive into collaborations with Rihanna and Usher, tell wild behind-the-scenes stories (including a Kanye West saga), and reflect on the current state of hip-hop, the music industry, and sports culture. The vibe is honest, playful, and deeply reflective, balancing laughs and wisdom.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Wale’s Upbringing, Sneaker Culture, and DMV Roots

• Sneakers and Culture
  • Wale credits his love for sneakers to growing up in Black culture and the DMV scene, starting heavy on collecting after getting his first jobs.

    "If you was Black, you was on sneakers, you know what I'm saying?... Now, I'm more like, I get clearance rack shit and just pop it off." — Wale (06:18–06:46)

  • He reflects that the passion in sneaker culture had become commercialized and less authentic.
• DMV & Its Spirit
  • The crew shouts out D’Angelo (DMV’s own), Go Go music, and the deep-rooted influence of the region:

    “He just represented a certain type of Black man… in that era.” — Wale (07:40–08:02)

  • Fat Joe reminisces about the importance of BET and Howard University in his early career (04:35–05:14).

2. New Album: Everything Is A Lot

• The Wait & Inspiration
  • Wale discusses his four-year break, management shifts, and industry layoffs influencing the album’s themes.

    “It’s really about everything that’s been happening from my last album to now—like, with me, like, in my mind and my surroundings.” — Wale (09:38–09:49)

• Sound & Authenticity
  • Fat Joe praises the album’s artistry, specifically the Afrobeat influences, calling it Wale’s most authentic work.
  • Wale clarifies: he’s “African, yes. My full name is Olubawale…Nigerian” (14:29–14:31), and both parents immigrated to DC in the 1980s.

    "You did it right… You sounded African on this." — Fat Joe (14:00–14:29)

• Collabs & Songwriting
  • The intro track is highlighted with a Keith Sweat sample.
  • Wale breaks down the making of “Mirror Mirror on the Bands,” a song about self-reflection and affirmation (16:39–18:40).
  • Discussion on unnamed features, keeping credits mysterious (“let people absorb me”)—echoes industry tradition like LL Cool J's hits where features were unknown (19:23–20:40).

3. Behind-the-Scenes Stories: Collaborations with Rihanna, Usher & Kanye

• The Rihanna Story
  • Wale recounts finally recording with Rihanna after years of industry proximity:

    “I met her... at Glastonbury ‘backstage’... Then, when I was finally on Roc Nation, she was like, ‘I want to get on the song’… I remember the night she was ready, I said ‘bro, everybody get the fuck out’…” — Wale (26:19–27:10)

  • The anxiety of waiting for a clearance after getting her vocals:

    "I hope…this should get cleared." — Wale (27:28)

• Kanye West: Wild Story
  • Wale describes writing for Kanye in Paris, trying to get him on a track:

    “He was like ‘nah, nah, nah, this is the one’... And then, when it came time, [Def Jam] wouldn’t clear it… He got mad at me like, ‘I gave you one of your biggest songs ever’ — and I’m like, damn, you didn’t even clear it!”—Wale (27:55–28:55)

  • “Ain’t over til it’s over with these clearances.” — Wale (28:59) “Now he delusional.” — Fat Joe (28:55)

• Usher & Hitmaking Process
  • “One of my favorite songs in the world…” — Fat Joe (30:03)
  • Wale shares the art of working with different producers for each hit; credits Jake One and Sam Dew for the Usher joint.
  • Fat Joe jokes about chasing Usher for a feature and some rare Jordans (31:06–32:52).

4. Music Industry Reflection & Evolution

• Industry Changes
  • Massive turnover in four years: styles, subgenres, “industry plant” debates, fans’ awareness, harder to break through.

    “There’s been artists that came and went in that time… Industry plant stuff… It’s the wild, wild west right now.” — Wale (49:05–49:29)

• Generational Shift
  • Fat Joe and Jada note how labels like Def Jam are filled with Gen Z staffers.

    "It's a bunch of young kids... they in control." — Jada (49:33–50:01)

  • Both hosts and Wale bemoan the lack of passion in today’s music business, the fast pace, and loss of old-school mentorship.

    “There’s not a lot of passion…When you find people that rock with you...keep them…” — Wale & Jada (51:21–51:42)

• Kanye, Protocol & Gatekeeping
  • Discussion about how megastars are often forced to negotiate with low-level execs, even when they generate most of the business.

    “He a billion-dollar dude and they put him to talk to somebody's son…” — Fat Joe (52:52–53:27)

  • “Still protocol.” — Jada (53:27)

  • Advice on embracing both youthful energy and experience in the industry.

5. Mental Health, Addiction, & Pressures of Fame

• Wale on Industry Trauma
  • Wale admits most artists in the space end up dealing with trauma, vices, and reprogramming their brains to cope:

    “If you’ve been in this zone longer than like six years, you’ve been through some traumatic shit…We all have indulged in vices at particular moments…” — Wale (60:10–60:46)

• Fat Joe:

  “Yo, sometimes they try to kill me Wale, I’m not even lying.” (60:50)

  • There’s a moment of real solidarity about surviving the high demands and hypervisibility of rap fame.

6. Sports, Sneaker Talk, and New York Hopes

• Sports Fandom
  • Fat Joe explains his loyalty to the Knicks and Chiefs, while Wale roots for Washington teams.
• Sneaker Flex
  • Banter over who’s got the rarest connections (Usher’s Jordan exclusives, Fat Joe’s 20-year-old pairs) (32:39–33:41).
• Basketball “Delusions”
  • Fat Joe claims the Knicks are taking the chip this year:

    "We're winning the chip this year... Basketball's my life, guys." — Fat Joe (44:27–44:35)

  • Wale and Jada both laugh at his optimism ("delusional," they joke).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "Everything’s a lot." — Wale
• “You did it right… You sounded African on this.” — Fat Joe (14:00)
• “He got some incredible features on your life for your career…” — Jada (25:38)
• "I hope, I hope, I hope... this should get cleared." — Wale (27:28) (on Rihanna vocals)
• "Kanye did that to me." — Wale (27:49)
• "Ain't over til it's over with these clearances." — Wale (28:59)
• "We're winning the chip this year. That's what I'm trying to tell you." — Fat Joe (44:27)
• "If you’ve been in this zone longer than like six years, you’ve been through some traumatic shit…" — Wale (60:15)
• "There’s not a lot of passion at all… when you find people that rock with you… keep them." — Jada (51:21)

Highlight Segments (Timestamps)

• Intro & Wale’s DMV/Sneaker Roots | 03:35–07:14
• Reflecting on D’Angelo | 07:24–08:46
• Wale’s Album Process & Sound | 09:38–15:14
• Authenticity, Nigerian Identity | 13:26–15:01
• “Mirror Mirror” Performance | 16:39–18:40
• Uncredited Features/LL Cool J Reference | 19:23–20:40
• The Rihanna Collaboration Story | 26:19–27:31
• Kanye West “Wild Story” | 27:49–28:59
• Usher Collaboration & Producer Talk | 30:03–31:06
• Fat Joe on NYC Basketball Delusion | 44:27–45:30
• State of Music Industry, Generational Changes | 49:05–54:01
• Mental Health in Industry, Coping | 60:10–60:49
• Outro: New Song “Belly” | 61:22–65:44

Closing Thoughts

Scattered with barbershop banter and industry insight, this episode is a revealing look at Wale’s journey, the challenge of staying authentic, the unpredictable nature of collaborations, and the toll—and rewards—of a life in hip-hop.
Wale’s new album, Everything Is A Lot, drops November 14th.

[Standout Moment: Kanye Story]

“I wanted him on this song… he was like, ‘nah, nah, nah, this is the one’… he got mad at me a little bit later, ‘I gave you one of your biggest songs ever’… I’m like, damn, you ain’t even clear it!” — Wale (27:55–28:55)

[Standout Introspective Moment]

“If you’ve been in this zone longer than like six years, you’ve been through some traumatic shit…we all have indulged in vices at particular moments…” — Wale (60:10–60:46)

For more: Stream or buy the album. Support real music. November 14th!