Wale is opening up about why he no longer shares his personal struggles with people in the music industry, a shift he says was triggered by timing, disappointment, and a moment that left him feeling exposed.
During an interview on The Breakfast Club, the 41-year-old rapper explained that the only two industry peers he ever confided in during difficult moments were Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. But Wale said that changed after Cole released "False Prophets," a record many fans believed was aimed at him.
"I remember I called Kendrick around that time… I was getting ready to have my child," Wale said. "I talked to Cole. That was probably the only two times I really leaned on an industry person. But the crazy thing is 'False Prophets' came out the next day."
Wale emphasized that he didn’t take the record personally, but the timing felt off — especially since Cole never mentioned it during their conversation.
"But I ain't take it though, you know what I'm saying," said Wale before adding that Cole never told him the track was dropping, even though they had just spoken.
"He said it's not really about me, but whatever," Wale said. "All I'm saying is I love him, that's my brother. I think I kind of halted telling any industry person anything too deep."
Wale made it clear he wasn’t accusing Cole of targeting him. Instead, the experience of opening up to a friend one day and waking up to a song widely interpreted as a critique the next was enough to make him rethink vulnerability within the industry.
“False Prophets,” released in 2016, features Cole reflecting on the rap game, ego, and fame — with verses seemingly directed at unnamed artists. One of those verses was widely believed to reference Wale, especially lines about an insecure rapper feeling overlooked despite having a devoted fan base. The speculation aligned with Wale’s public frustrations at the time, including tweets about feeling misunderstood and overshadowed.
Cole never officially confirmed who the verse targeted, but fans theories quickly spread. Wale later responded with his own record, "Groundhog Day," addressing the rumors, acknowledging his struggles, and still showing love to Cole.