Wale is shedding light on what he calls one of the most painful and defining moments of his career, an alleged multimillion-dollar deal gone wrong that he thought involved Scooter Braun and a lawyer he says betrayed him.
During a candid conversation on The Breakfast Club, the D.C. rapper reflected on a pattern he believes exists in the entertainment world: a major, life-altering event hitting artists somewhere between six and nine years into their careers. For him, that moment came at one of the worst possible times.
"I got a philosophy or like a conspiracy that I think like around anywhere from six to like nine years… something traumatic happens to every single person in this industry that changes you one way or another," Wale said. "It might make you more optimistic, you know what I'm saying?"
He then revealed a personal ordeal that unfolded in 2017, just as his album Shine was making waves and during the birth of his daughter.
"Maybe around the time Shine dropped. I just had my daughter, and I was at her naming ceremony," Wale said. "I found out I got back-doored on like $3 million at my child's naming ceremony."
According to the rapper, the alleged issue stemmed from a deal he believed was connected to Scooter Braun's management operation. Sources close to Scooter's camp told Complex that someone impersonated the entrepreneur in the botched deal.
"I remember storming out on the phone 'cause I signed something that was supposed to be something with Scooter Braun management," he explained. "And then it ended up doing like a breach… was for something like a loophole, and I realized that the lawyer was in on it. Like it was a whole thing, and it changed me."
Wale didn't share further specifics on the supposed breach or whether any legal action followed, but he made it clear that the incident left a deep impact on how he moves in the music industry.
The rapper, who has been open in the past about struggles with trust, label politics, and navigating the business side of hip-hop, suggested this moment was a major pivot point, both personally and professionally.