VIDEO: In Wale and Lady Gaga's Chillin', Boston stands in for Washington DC

Published Jun 04 2009, 01:07 PM by Carly Carioli

At one point during the shoot for Wale and Lady Gaga's "Chillin'" last month, an MTV correspondent asked DC native Wale why he was shooting a video in Boston. "Ah, but we ain't in Boston," Wale said, mischievously. Depending on how you want to thread that particular municipal needle, we weren't: we were at Eastern Mineral in Chelsea, down on a pier overlooking the water. But it was also clear, even then, that the Boston footage -- against an all-purpose grimy and industrial backdrop -- would never be identified as having been shot a few hundred miles north of the nation's capitol. And sure enough, the finished video -- just out this week -- opens with a panning shot of the Capitol building, then parades by numerous DC landmarks, and is presented as if it was shot exclusively on the mean streets of Washington. Which, for the most part, it was.

Not that there's anything wrong with this: it's pretty much standard practice. As far as we could tell, the main reason Boston was used as a location was a coincidence of scheduling: Gaga was in town for a one-off gig with Kelly Clarkson that night (photos | review), and Wale was schedule to play in Allston a few nights later. As it turns out from the finished video (above), they needn't have bothered -- most of the shots of the two artists together were apparently created in the editing room. The vast majority of the Boston footage -- including a series of takes where Gaga paraded dogs across a barge, some hot footage of Gaga flipping her verse dressed in a PG-13 black leather-and-lace outfit, and a couple scenes of the two artists performing together -- ended up on the cutting room floor. We weren't there for the entire shoot, but we never saw her wearing that blue outfit she's sporting in the video. Props to the CGI crew, that's some amazing work right there.

All of which means, of course, that your only way of getting a peek at said outtakes is by watching the video we shot of it . . . or by checking out the slideshow of our exclusive images from the shoot.

PHOTOS: Chillin' with Gaga and Wale: Behind the scenes at the video shoot

Filed Under: Video, lady gaga, wale

Lady Gaga

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta (born March 28, 1986), who performs under the stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She began...

Wale

Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (born September 24 1984 in Washington, D.C.), better known by his stage name Wale, is an American rapper and producer. Fusing DC's...

Ticket On-Sale Alert: Bruce Springtsteen, STP, Blink 182, Pete Yorn, Stryper, KMFDM, and more

OUT: Split/Signal Festival at the Armory

Follow the Boston Phoenix

All Blogs

Laser Orgy (34)
Phlog (1,420)
On The Download (2,163)
Dont Quote Me (518)
Talking Politics (1,523)
Outside The Frame (305)

Filed Under: Video, lady gaga, wale

Boston Phoenix
Jill wants to marry Diane #marryME
Published 10/31/2009 by Jeff Inglis
You may have seen a video about same-sex marriage in Ireland. But check out this one about it in Maine, featuring Portland's own Jill Barkley:...

Boston Phoenix
VIDEO PREMIERE: Matt & Kim play intimate fans-only gig at the Lansdowne
Published 10/8/2009 by Carly Carioli
Sure, MATT & KIM are confirmed Brooklynites, but they're also native New Englanders -- and, as Matt told a packed crowd at the 500-capacity Lansdowne...

more by Carly Carioli

Tall Tails: How To Shoot an Allston Rat | November 06, 2009

PODCAST: Scout Tufankjian on Making History with Barack Obama; Ken Burns on the Art of Documentary | November 04, 2009

ABC reveals the truth about universal health care: sinister plot hatched by space aliens! | November 03, 2009

PODCAST: David Gergen, Lani Guinier, Jack Beatty, and Michael E. Porter on Obama's First Year | November 03, 2009

PODCAST: The Wire's Kima, Bubbles, and Omar at Harvard | November 02, 2009

See all articles by: Carly Carioli

Latest Video

OTD Categories

Out

Brand New at House of Blues | November 17

Rare Frequencies

Rare Frequencies: Trouble and treble

Playlists

Lady Lee's Lion's Den Playlist

MP3 of the Week

HOMEWORK: Assignment #2: D-Tension

Hot Tix

Ticket On-Sale Alert: Dropkick Murphys, The Wandas...

Latest Comments

City Council Forums - Dear comrads! Is it a problem to convert iTunes to MP3? I say NINE :) Its really uhrrr not being able...

By Sweet_November on 11-28-2009 in Talking Politics

The Guitar Hero/Band Hero kerfuffle considered - Christian Louboutin shoes are available at attractive rates in all outlets across the world. Turn your...

By Gucci Sneakers on 11-28-2009 in Laser Orgy

Khazei Sneaking Up? - Mrs. Kennedy, why wouldn't you prefer Congressman Capuano to succeed the late Senator? Congressman Capuano...

By Ernie Boch, III on 11-27-2009 in Talking Politics

City Council Forums - сын насилует маму всегда на это дрочу!! http://pxgmyzzcug.jimdo.com анорексия фото http://vmpfpxkwxl...

By Homogon on 11-27-2009 in Talking Politics

City Council Forums - <b>GPS оборудование </b> GPS - глобальная система позиционирования, определение местоположения...

By BimaIdedirm on 11-27-2009 in Talking Politics

Latest Comments from On The Download

VIDEO: In Wale and Lady Gaga's Chillin', Boston stands in for Washington DC

Leave a Comment