Wale Takes Break from Social Media After Announcing He’s ‘Extremely Sick’

Wale is stepping away from his social media channels as he focuses on healing from a mystery illness that he said has made him “extremely sick.”

The “Lotus Flower Bomb” rapper, 36, gave a startling update on his health via Instagram stating that he’s been under the weather since Saturday, July 3, and would be turning his social media channels over to his management to handle while he recovers.

Wale is “extremely sick” and taking a break from social media. (Photo: @wale/Instagram)

Without offering any details about what has him “out of commission,” the “Bad” artist hinted that whatever is ailing him isn’t minor. “I am out of commission,” he wrote. “I been extremely sick since Saturday I’ve missed many calls and texts.. Thank you to everybody who called wit genuine concern. I ain’t sure how long I’ll be down but this sh-t ain’t slight…”

Wale went on to promise his fans that he’ll return to social media as soon as possible. “Soon as I can come back strong I’ll be back strong,” he continued. “As for now management will run my socials. Much love see y’all soon.”

Throughout his career, Wale has spoken openly about his struggles with mental health, including anxiety and depression. “Depression and anxiety is a real thing, man,” Wale said during a 2019 interview with “The Breakfast Club.” “Even on ‘’Wow… That’s Crazy,’ I talk about it, but I like to package it differently. I hate saying the words ‘mental illness.’ I hate it.”

Wale announces his social media hiatus. @wale/Instagram Story

The rapper feels that record labels should take a larger responsibility for their artists’ mental health because of the emotional roller coaster that comes as the price of fame. “People live their life for this, and lose their life because of it,” Wale said. “All of your failures are magnified by 100 because everybody’s watching you.”

“There needs to be a relationship between the mental health agenda and entertainers,” he explained. “It doesn’t have to be mandatory, but I definitely think they [record labels] should help.”

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top