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Nigerian-American rapper and songwriter Wale schooled the House of Blues on Jan. 25. His “Folarin II” tour boasts star-studded features and a new emphasis on a groovy R&B theme. The DC rhymer went back to basics focusing on his lyricism while highlighting the hot topics of modern rap in his verse. His versatile flow and lyrical range carried his set.

Wale took advantage of the nostalgia in performing older songs like “Diced Pineapples” and “The Need to Know.” The rapper ad-libbed to the ladies in the crowd during “Fire & Ice” while his collaborator and sideman, Tre, came out on stage to carry the vocals. Wale vibed with the audience through tracks like these, the stage lights fading out to reflect the intimacy of the moment. The rapper two-stepped across the stage with the groove each track demanded.

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The rapper’s dedication to self-improvement was evident throughout the concert. Although he has been a respected and recognized industry artist for over a decade, the passion did not wane in this performance. Wale worked up a sweat, meticulously delivering each line and taking no breaks despite his strained voice. He even directed his DJ to keep it going on tracks like the upbeat bop “Poke It Out” and to cut it down for the acapella verse in “Down South.” As the setlist started to heat up, the 37-year-old rapper took off his jacket to reveal a “Folarin II” branded shirt that matched perfectly with the themed backgrounds: strippers and sweets for “Poledancer” and “Caramel,” recording studios and cassettes for “Ambition,” and the white backdrop of a wedding dress on “The Matrimony.”

Wale ebbed and flowed through the setlist with the addition of songs like “Sue Me” and “Tiffany Nikes.” The sobering social commentary in his lyrics had the audience raising fists of protest as he rapped, “The whip is bullet repellent / But they gon' kill me with tax.” Interweaving discussions of chart manipulation and the toll of the pandemic was easy in a context like this, where his music and society intertwine.

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The concert wound down with the crowd favorites “My PYT,” “On Chill,” and “Bad.” He got the audience chanting his name while his opening act, Guapdad 4000, returned to the stage to hype him up. Guapdad had aced his own performance before Wale took the stage, and the rappers had a hear-to-heart about their mutual respect and willingness to keep enjoying future concerts like this one. The night ended in a high energy performance of “No Hands” that shook the building.

While Wale was definitely feeling himself during hype songs like “Name Ring Bell,” it was clear that the rapper remains focused on his future. After a heartfelt message about his difficulties with marriage, he FaceTimed his daughter in the middle of the concert to put a smile on her face. His candid interludes between songs affirmed that Wale was not doing this for fame, money, or recognition, but for self-improvement. Being able to bring that versatility and constant self-improvement is exactly what made Wale endure through decades in rap’s breakneck industry.

—Staff writer Alisa S. Regassa can be reached at alisa.regassa@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter at @alisaregassa.