What does it feel like to come home?
Perhaps Wale, a rapper who has the honor to call D.C. his home, could tell you. Last night, 1800 Tequila and Billboard collaborated in their “Back to the Block” series, a nationwide event that brought A-list musicians back to their hometowns, to bring the star of D.C. rap back to his people. A crowd had been eagerly awaiting his arrival at Café Asia, ready to lay eyes on an icon that had been born in their very own city. Wale did not disappoint.
Before an intimate audience which did not exceed 500, Wale enjoyed shots of 1800 Tequila and the crowd’s ardor simultaneously as he performed both his “oldie-but-goodies” such as “Lotus Flower Bomb” and “Pretty Girls,” as well as his newest summer hit “MY PTY.” As the music blasted and the crowd bumped, glimpses of 1800 baseball caps and pillows could be caught between the flashes of light and dancing bodies. All the while, the lyrics to his songs were being belted out from all corners of the venue, a clear sign that Wale’s appearance had most definitely called his fans home right along with him.
“Come to D.C. and I can make you a believer,” he rapped into the mic, the quick beat propelling his lyrics from his song “Pretty Girls” into the congregation.
Based on the way the fans reacted to the performance, it would seem that Wale was not bluffing—he could make you believe. He shared his homecoming experience with the crowd last night, and from the way arms were raised and bodies were shaking, coming home is a very enjoyable experience, indeed. It is breathtaking, exhilarating, smile inducing, and, simply put, one of the best experiences for which you could ever ask.
-Caira Wynn Blackwell
