Wale Currency: The Voice of the Unheard Rising From Maryland
Born in Baltimore City and raised between the county and Prince George’s County, Olawale Akanbi Lawal-Jackson, professionally known as Wale Currency, has carved his name into the music world through purpose, resilience, and raw artistic conviction. A singer, multi-instrumentalist, producer/arranger, and composer, Currency is far more than a musician—he is a messenger built by adversity and shaped by truth.
The start of his music career
Music entered his life early. By age ten, he was already performing as a percussionist, grounding himself in rhythm before expanding into instrumentation, production, and composition. But the true spark came even earlier, within the choir as a child. While others found melody, Currency found refuge—using sound to transform sorrow into strength, confusion into creation, and pain into something meaningful.
trials and tribulations
His upbringing was far from easy. The turbulence of his childhood and the internal battles he fought along the way became the foundation of his voice. Instead of allowing struggle to break him, he sharpened it into purpose. “I use my shortcomings as fuel for progress—not an excuse,” he says, a philosophy echoed through every lyric, every arrangement, every message. To Wale Currency, music is not entertainment—it’s empowerment.
The meaning of his music
What sets him apart in today’s industry is his unwavering commitment to truth and awareness. He writes not only for himself, but for those who’ve been silenced, ignored, or misunderstood. His music is a conduit for social consciousness, spiritual depth, and emotional transparency. Currency stands boldly against injustice, refusing to follow trends and instead building his own lineage—one rooted in faith, ancestral strength, and unshakeable confidence.
The goal Of his music and oneself
Despite receiving recognition within his community, awards and accolades are not his focus. “Becoming the best version of myself is the real achievement,” he affirms. His greatest highlight is influence—the ability to impact others positively and inspire belief in one’s own power.
Before stepping fully into the recording artist role, Wale Currency faced harsh challenges within the professional musician world. But he rose above them by strengthening his faith in God and his ancestors, grounding himself spiritually while using music as a weapon and a messenger. Through melodies and rhythm, he speaks on morality, identity, and the societal issues that matter most.
What’s next
Looking ahead, Currency envisions himself within the next two to five years as one of the most influential and outspoken figures in the global music landscape. “Realistically, I’ll be wherever the gods want me to be,” he says. But one thing is certain—his trajectory is upward, driven not by fame but by purpose. His mission is to represent the voiceless, the overlooked, the misunderstood, and the forgotten.
That mission is woven tightly into his upcoming album, a project he began in 2020 and plans to complete by 2026. Far beyond a collection of tracks, this album is a spiritual journey—an odyssey of emotion, growth, struggle, and rebirth. Years in the making, its depth reflects every step of his path, every scar, every revelation. Wale Currency promises not just music to hear, but an experience to feel.
“I’m giving every track 110%,” he says. “This album will be one of the most recognized world projects because of the energy and emotion put into it. I want listeners to not just listen—but to reflect, to awaken, to feel something spiritual.”
With purpose as his compass and truth as his engine, Wale Currency stands on the brink of becoming one of the most important voices of his generation. His story is not defined by where he started, but by where he’s determined to lead others.
