Rapper Wale Goes Up Close And Personal With First Tiny Desk Concert

J. Cole told him to do it. Wale has proven himself time and again to be an artist who values his message. And sometimes, a message is best delivered in intimate fashion to be conveyed most effectively. As such, Wale has decided to take his talents to NPR for his first Tiny Desk Concert, and we’re happy to see him do it. Especially seeing as his lush new album Wow…That’s Crazy seems the perfect candidate for the live and unplugged treatment.

NPR’s Bobby Carter details his experience speaking with Wale en route to the event. “I was talking to J. Cole about me doing this,” revealed the rapper. “He told me to just do my thing, but I wish I had more time to work this set out.” On that note, the set in question consisted of several hits, as Wale ran through “Lotus Flower Bomb,” “LoveHate Thing,” “CC White,” “Sexy Lady,” “Sue Me,” and “On Chill.”

With the backing band guiding the ride, Wale holds it down with class, his flow gliding over smooth arrangements. The audience loves every minute of it, though there is one key distinction between Tiny Desk and the traditional rap concert. “It’s not the show love, it’s that ‘I’ve got to get to work in the morning and some of my superiors are watching me,'” laughs Wale. “Ya’ll giving me that love, giving me that energy I needed to do this shit.