Wale Talks MTV VMA Gig, Jay-Z Tour, and New Single
Now that the smoke has (mostly) cleared from the Kanye and Lil Mama embarrassments at the VMAs, maybe it’s time to talk about the positives from the evening. After a fairly quiet summer, Wale jumped back in the spotlight as the house performer at the MTV awards show. A few days later, he was named as the opening act for Jay-Z’s upcoming Blueprint 3 tour. With the recent release of his second official single (“World Tour,” featuring Jazmine Sullivan), it’s already been a great September for the D.C. native.
As he preps for the Hova tour and readies his debut album (Attention Deficit, due November 3), Wale’s busier than ever…but not too busy to chat with Complex about his MTV gig, his live band, and touring with Jay. Read on for the interview and to listen to “World Tour”…
NEW SINGLE: Wale “World Tour” feat. Jazmine Sullivan
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD
Interview by Ralph Warner
Complex: So how was the VMA experience for you?
Wale: It was cool, with the exception of some things that weren’t in the script. But it was a good experience, it was a lot of pressure but I think we did a pretty good job.
Complex: How did you end up getting the MTV gig?
Wale: They just had a couple people that they were looking at, a couple different bands and stuff, but they liked what I do. They had been to the live shows and they were really excited about [them]. So they wanted to kind of put that into the VMAs.
Complex: How much time did you get to rehearse?
Wale: I’ve been playing with that band for years but we had like three days to rehearse.
Complex: You had guys like Cudi and Daniel Merriweather come share the stage with you. How did you decide on your special guests?
Wale: Me and MTV kind of decided together. It was one of those things where we put our heads together, came up with a list of people, and just picked.
Complex: What’s your opinion on the whole Kanye thing?
Wale: I don’t even have one on that. I really can’t speak on that.
Complex: Any good post-VMA party stories?
Wale: Nah, I just chilled with a friend of mine. We just went to a lot of different places—like real low-key places where nobody was, that type of thing. Me and A-Trak and a few friends went out and chilled.
Complex: How’s everything coming along with the album? Is Attention Deficit complete?
Wale: The album is done man, dropping November 3. I’m excited about it, we got this tour with Jay-Z and Lupe that we’re about to do. I think the energy is good in hip-hop right now. So I’m excited about that.
Complex: What’s one thing that you think your fans can look forward to on the album?
Wale: I think a lot of raw emotion, the kind of emotion that’s been missing from hip-hop for a while.
Complex: Going back to the idea with the whole house band and everything, the Roots are Jimmy Fallon’s house band. Could you ever see yourself doing that type of thing as a regular gig?
Wale: Yeah, somewhere down the line. I think those guys are a lot more sharp than we are, in some elements. But I definitely could see myself doing something like that. I don’t know if I would do it as much as they do it, but at some point, yeah.
Complex: Can you talk about your working relationship with your band UCB?
Wale: Well we’ve been playing with each other for about five-and-a-half years. Before I even signed a record deal we would just do little hole-in-the-wall stuff. But they’ve been playing for 13 years in D.C. so we jam real cool, we’re all just good friends, you know. So it wasn’t difficult at all, that was something that we could do in our sleep. We’ve done so many shows together now in the past year. That’s not even counting the ones that we started doing five-and-a-half years ago. It just got real intense this past year though.
Complex: What do you think your performances at the VMAs does for your career?
Wale: I really don’t know, I’m really too close to my brand to know what the general perception is. I hope it’s doing something for me but I really couldn’t tell you.
Complex: What are you up to between now and the time the album drops?
Wale: The tour with Jay, we’re doing a lot of major colleges. Just get ready for the album on November 3. It’s just the tour, that’s a lot right there. There’s so many dates.
Complex: What are your thoughts on getting an opportunity to go out there with Jay?
Wale: It’s great, I’m excited about it. I’m just really excited to make new fans on the tour because I’ve only done headlining tours. We haven’t had the opportunity to open for people that much. I also got a single right now, “World Tour,” that’s just been released like two days ago. That’s pretty much it, that and the tour.
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suckitmarshall September 17, 2009 at 5:19 pm
For the record, Wale is a cock-squeezer. He just has a shitty attitude, and it makes him very unlikable. I hope Cudi’s success is killing him inside.
Wood there it Sid September 18, 2009 at 12:29 am
it prolly kills him that he’s lyrically better than all these successful niggas…Wale the future mayne..
mac DIESEL September 18, 2009 at 10:47 am
I THINK THIS CLOWN IS OVERRATED N WACK!!! THAT VMA SHIT HE DID WAS FUCKIN’ CORNY!!! THAT BULSHIT SINGLE HE GOT WIT LADY GAGA IS FUCKIN’ ANNOYING!!! HE DRESSES CORNY!!! THAT NIGGA’S WHOLE STLYE IS WACK!!! ROCKIN’ BOW TIES N TIGHT JEANS!!! WUT A FUCKIN’ IDIOT!!! THEY’ LL JUST MENTION JAY N CUDI ON THIS TOUR!!! THAT NIGGA GONNA HATE ON CUDI!!! WATCH!!! THAT NIGGA WALE JUST LOOKS LIKE A SUCKA!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
Haze September 24, 2009 at 5:53 am
Wale and Kid Cudi are cool.They’ve been friends for a min.Why you got to hate on that Man? It’s Like Wale says “Hate is the New Love”
DeShawn Stevenson September 18, 2009 at 1:45 pm
“haaaaa-ter, haaaa-ter, haaaa-ter, haaa-ter”
damn y’all playing BPIII track 12 up in this b’tch. WALE dope in his own way, much success to you brother!
Barack Obama September 18, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Wale is that dude maybe ya’ll think hes wack cause you havent heard his other shit. His mixtape about nothing was better than most albums that came out that year. He’s the future.
Bartholomew September 18, 2009 at 4:41 pm
for real, y r ya’ll hating so much…not just his music but the way he dresses and attitude? i doubt ya’ll know him personally so u should just probably hop off his dick now so u don’t fall too far when he really blows up lol
and by the way, most of these new cats are cool w/ each other (Wale, Cudi, Drake) and have distinctly different styles that are impressive in different ways
cant wait September 18, 2009 at 4:53 pm
cant wait for this album to drop, haters will b silenced 4 sure. wale is definitely that dude and him bein on the Jay tour is definitely a good look for exposure. best of the new class r wale (even tho he been spittin for a minute), j.cole, drake and cudi, and wale my fav out em all tho.
wish u success homie!
Kreatuur Uribay September 19, 2009 at 12:12 pm
sa broskis,
i agree with de shawn, hate is a very good song. hahah lmaofatcat
but seriously wale isn’t bad at all. ya’ll must be hearing someone else. and kid cudi is good too. they’re both my favs along with big sean and drake. but back to wale. i’m guessing that the reason why ya’ll think he’s “wack” is because his sound is not like what you hear nowadays. he’s bringing back the old skool style and what i really don’t understand is how ya’ll like cudi but don’t like wale? hahaha
mac DIESEL September 20, 2009 at 2:19 pm
JUST CUZ A NIGGA AIN’T FEELIN’ ANOTHER NIGGA’S MUSIC HE’S A FUCKIN’ HATER!!! MUFUCKA’S JUST LOVE USIN’ THAT WORD!!! HATER THIS HATER THAT!!! IF I DON’T LIKE YA SHIT THEN I DON’T LIKE YA SHIT!!! IF I’M A HATER THEN YA’LL DICK RIDERS!!! BAND WAGON NO OPINIONATED ASS NIGGAS!!! HIS FLOW N STYLE IS WACK TO ME!!! THAT’S MY FUCKIN’ OPINION!!! I DON’T HATE THAT NIGGA AS A PERSON!!! I JUST DON’T LIKE HIS MUSIC!!! I DON’T KNOW THAT NIGGA FOR ME TO HATE HIM!!! U MUFUCKAS DON’T KNOW WUT THAT WORD “HATER” MEANS!!!! SO FALL BACK BITCHES!!!! I’M OUT!!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!!!
mac DIESEL September 20, 2009 at 3:38 pm
@ deshawn stevenson
WORD ON THE STREET IS U STILL AIN’T OVER LEBRON JAMES!!! U CORNY FUCK!!! WIZARDS SUCK N YA BOY ARENAS IS A CLOSET FAG!!!! PEACE OUT BITCHES!!!
DON’T HATE ON MY OPINION!!!!
streetstreet September 21, 2009 at 10:42 am
SEe yall can say wat u want about his talent, lyrical skills, and his mixtapes but all talking
will need to stop if his album placement resembles his single placement on the charts….Good luck Wale
Fatz November 16, 2009 at 4:21 pm
You niggas is Suckas! (D.C. Stand Up!!!) It has always been known that D.C. Niggas Take over shit where eva we go, that’s why it took us so long to break in the game cuz niggas know we don’t ask we just take shit so fuck all you hating ass bitch ass nigga!!!