Watch Wale’s Fiery New ‘Folarin Like’ Video
If Wale has been taking any heat from anyone recently, his approach is to fire back with some lyrical heat of his own. In his new video for “Folarin Like,” the MC takes on detractors in a wintry setting.
In the black-and-white clip filmed by Chop Mosley and Big Vic, Wale swigs some alcohol, smokes and strolls down a rainy road at night as he freestyles over the classic “Nas is Like” instrumental. “It’s December now/ When they simmer down, we start burnin’ ’em/ It’s embarrassing/ There’s literally no comparison,” he spits. “That’s like comparing Yogi Berra and Yogi Ferrell/ I’m the coldest poet, they never show it/ I show up like the fuckin’ bear from Revenant/ Barely niggas is Yogi Bear in here/ Mo, this is a picnic walk/ I sip gin and tonic and booth then I shit talk.”
While his words are fiery, Wale seems to be taking it all in stride, as he flashes some smiles and projects a laidback vibe.
Earlier in the week, Wale released “Groundhog Day,” which was an apparent response to J. Cole’s “False Prophets” from his forthcoming 4 Your Eyez Only. While Cole doesn’t name Wale in his track, some speculate Cole’s second verse addresses Wale. However, Cole’s words seem less a diss than a nudging to give some perspective. “Every time I see him, he stressing/ Talking about niggas don’t fuck with him, the shit is depressing/ And I know he so bitter, he can’t see his own blessings,” Cole raps.
For Wale’s part he mentions Cole directly in “Groundhog Day” and acknowledges, “It hit home ’cause there’s some truth, this I know/ This ace I go, I get psycho when shit get dark.”
The pair seems to remain friends as Wale raps, “I’m on my way to Raleigh, so grateful for that inspiration, I’ll see you at the game, bro.” Later, Wale tweeted a video clip of them hanging out courtside.
On both of Wale’s recent tunes, the rapper refers to his forthcoming S.H.I.N.E., which does not yet have a release date.