Wale is on top of his game.
He's also on top of me, pretty much literally, as I'm sitting underneath the metal scaffolding built out of the radio city stage, designed to look like a tiny downtown NYC venue (think Mercury Lounge, if you've been).
Above Wale, who's rhyming over a Coldplay mash-up and "Make Her Say" with Kanye, Kid Cudi, and the nine-times-nominated Lady Gaga, are about two dozen flashing LCD screens built into steel latticework. Even better? Solange is rehearsing with him.
Ever seen Rent? It feels like alphabet city before American Apparel and schmancy hotels moved in. On the other side of the house, construction's still under way on the VMA stage, and in the house, 3OH3, Pitbull, and Sway look on from the velvet seats as Wale's live band pushes through a lengthy rehearsal. Check out more shots of Wale backstage.