.@Wale on 'The Album About Nothing' w/ Jerry Seinfeld, The Idea of Gay Rappers & Dealing w/ Harsh Online Criticism .@OraTV

Wale on ‘The Album About Nothing’ with Jerry Seinfeld, The Idea of Gay Rappers & Dealing With Harsh Online Criticism 

Grammy-nominated rapper Wale sits down for an in-depth interview with Larry King on the Emmy nominated series “Larry King Now”  and opens up about his friends Jerry Seinfeld and Rick Ross, depression and internet trolls.

The popular ‘The Album About Nothing’ artist filled Larry in on his new collaboration with “Seinfeld” star Jerry Seinfeld, “It was the proper next step after ‘The Gifted’. I think I had to take it to where it is right now.” On his unusual friendship with Seinfeld (who is featured on every track), Wale said, “It started about six, seven years ago. I did a mixtape, called ‘The Mixtape About Nothing’. I don’t even remember what made me want to do it, but I did have an affinity for the show and I’m a big Larry David fan. I just think those guys are super great writers, and I aspire to be a great writer in my field. So, I guess that’s kinda how it started. He invited me to a show in Baltimore, we kept in contact ever since then. And now we got the album.”

Washington, D.C. native Wale spoke to Larry on the idea of a gay rapper in today’s society, “I think 2015 is another world as compared to ’95. I mean everything is different. I’m talking about—we have a black president. I would think there would be a gay rapper before a black president.” Wale affirmed that a gay rapper would be accepted, stating “It used to be taboo to be a part of the gay community, now it’s taboo to speak bad on the gay community.” (clip below)

The rapper also opened up to Larry about the stress of making an album and the effect negative internet trolls have on him, “Nobody’s skin is as thick as they portray. Some people are good at pretending it doesn’t bother them, but some time in the day it penetrates.” On which criticism gets to him, Wale said, “Sometimes it’s people from the media, a popular blogger, it feels like the general consensus. Psychologically, it feels like the world is at your back.” (clip below)

Plus, what was Wale’s craziest encounter with a fan? Hint: it involves a sex toy. Watch to find out! (clip below)

The episode is now LIVE on Ora.tv (episodes premiere daily 2pm EST) 

Quotes:

“I didn’t glorify it at all. I mean, I just kind of said, you know, this is what I was going through at a particular time.” – on drugs and alcohol being in his album

“On this particular album, I would like to say it’s uncomfortably honest sometimes, you know. And when I did my press run in New York yesterday, a lot of times I jumped around certain questions. I really want the listener to find them in the music. Like, if this album is about my life, this movie is about my life—I don’t want to give away the plot. I want you to dig and find it.”

“I’ve written for other people, but I’ve never had anyone write for me.”

“I had an affinity for the show and I’m a big Larry David fan and I just think those guys are great—super great writers. And, you know, I aspire to be a great writer in my field, so I guess that’s how it started. He invited me to a show in Baltimore and we’ve been in contact ever since then.” – on how he became friends with Jerry Seinfeld

“I try to stay away. It’s such a strong monster where we’re from, so I just try to, like—I just never wanted to go on that side. And it’s, like, when you grow up in D.C., you have a decision to make early. When you’re in middle school, like, “Do you want to be part of this world?’” – on if he ever wanted to be apart of the political world

“I think 2015 is another world as compared to ’95. I mean everything is different. I’m talking about—we have a black president. I would think there would be a gay rapper before a black president.”

“It’s, like, taboo to speak bad on the gay community now.”

“Music is actually in a weird place right now because you got the streaming and you got the, you know, iTunes, Spotify, and now Jay Z has the ‘Title.’ It’s in a place right now. Like, we’re not really going to know the significance of the place right now for the next 10 years.”

“I’m in the thick of things trying to be great.” – on where he stands in the music industry

“I think a lot of the ways of the music industry are old fashioned. They don’t know any better because they were such a booming—and the music business was so lucrative at one point. And now it’s not as lucrative, you don’t really know how to gage popularity by artist. They don’t know how to go by YouTube or pre-sales. They don’t know what to go by.”

“Rick Ross is probably the smartest person I know in the music business. He is the person who believed in me. He is the person—if not for Rick Ross there would be none of this.”

“My anxiety can’t take it. The more you know, the more screwed up you are.” – on politics