He may refer to himself as the Kushed God, but Harlem rapper Smoke DZA is also a champion ’Lo Head. As expressed in-rhyme and interviews, the rapper bears a natty obsession with Ralph Lauren’s Polo and Rugby brands. His keen affinity for the line, which inspired the title to his critically-acclaimed Rugby Thompson album, is evinced so much so that when it was announced last week that RL would be discontinuing its Rugby collection, thousands of his Twitter followers flooded his timeline with the question: “What Will DZA Do Now?”

Stopping by the XXL offices dappered in signature RL gear—a navy blue and yellow RL Rugby Wool Varsity jacket—the Harlemite who claims to own more than 300 RL Rugby pieces unveils plans to capitalize on the brand’s shut down with his own upcoming line, an upcoming EP with fellow Harlem mainstay Vado, and his admiration for the man behind the popular clean-cut wear, Ralph Lauren. Riiight…—Ralph Bristout (@RalphieBlackmon)

So I got to ask you about this Rugby situation, how do you feel about it shutting down soon?

Honestly, it’s bittersweet. Like, I love it as you [could] see but, it’s giving me an opportunity to do my own shit and really embrace the brand and the shit that I like and make it my own. So next year, God willing, I’m starting my own line named Thompson. Strictly all rugby, bucket hats and skullies.

This is big news for fans.

Oh yeah, this is big news. I know a lot of my people going to be mad at me but, I can’t hold it. I got some big friends [who’re] aligned with me, that’s helping me with this thing.

So it’s all just bucket hats—

Bucket hats, rugbies and skullies. The name of the line is Thompson, we gonna keep Rugby alive.

So the shuttering is sort of a blessing in disguise right?

Yeah, because this was already in motion. We was already talking about it but then you know that morning that I got the call like, “Yo they shutting this shit down,” it was like, Get the fuck out of here, they closing the store in New York? “Nah they killing the brand, discontinuing it.” I was like, Wow. It’s bittersweet but, now it’s my lane, fuck it. It’s like when Vince McMahon bought WCW, the lane is open.

I heard you also got some other projects in the works.

Me and Vado are doing something, we doing an EP called Rugby Last Call. You know we both from Harlem and we both embrace the brand.

I remember you previously mentioning that you own over 300 RL Rugby shirts. Are you worried about having to stop your collection at that number now with the brand shuttering?

All my shits are gonna be vintage at this point. Like I was saying to all my Twitter friends that were hitting me up with the “What’s Smoke DZA gonna do?” I don’t have to do anything; I got the Rugby store in my crib. I was doing this shit before it got hot. So now all my pieces are turned into vintage. Like this [pulls on his RL Rugby Wool Varsity jacket], it’s new and it’s [already] vintage. You can’t even find this no more, they don’t even make these anymore. I got millions of pieces like this jacket, flannels, jeans, rugbies—rugbies itself I stopped buying [since] last year.

With just Rugbies?

Just Rugbies. Like my closet, I can’t fit [anymore]. I got half a closet because I share it with my wife but, I can’t fit any more [of them]. I have bins throwing up Rugby. Yeah, it’s fucked up. I need a bigger walking closet [laughs].

FOR MORE ON SMOKE DZA'S RUGBY COLLECTION, GO TO THE NEXT PAGE

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So your collection count is obviously more than 300 pieces now.

Oh, I lost count, I don’t even count no more.

Have you ever lent some pieces away to like friends or family since starting your collection?

Nah, I keep all my pieces, I don’t give ’em away. Even if they don’t fit, like I might’ve bought some slim fit back when I was a little slimmer you know [laughs], I’m getting a little money now so I can mess with the classic fit. I got hats, scarves, belts, socks, wallets—you name it.

What’s the most expensive piece you purchased? Do you remember?

I got a cardigan, wait [short pause] that’s kind of a hard one. I don’t know. I got a lot of expensive pieces. But see the fucked up part is, I could remember when I actually paid what the ticket was, but I haven’t done that in so long that the price doesn’t really matter. I [end up getting] it regardless. I got a lot of pieces that’s worth some shit though.

How would you describe your affinity for the brand? At this point do you just cop whatever that's a new arrival?

I started buying it because I liked it. Anything I like, I overdo. Like I love smoking weed so, I smoke a lot of weed. It goes hand in hand. I love Rugby, I love Ralph Lauren so I abuse it. I used to go to the store and get everything that I can fit. "Give me every Rugby that’s 2X classic fit I need all of that," and I would get it. But it wasn’t like I was paying the $150 or the $200, I spent so much in there that now the DM loves me. The District Manager will come out like, “Nah he’s good, Friends & Family,” it’s all love. I [also] got a lot of friends that work there so, I get the call, I look at the lookbooks and get to pick what I want before it arrives in stores. It works out.

You’ve been a ’Lo Head since your childhood correct?

I always loved Polo. I never really embraced it as much as I do in recent years, but when I was younger I was into everything. I wore Iceberg, I wore Coogi and I wore everything that was hot. But once I started growing into my own, and figuring it out, Ralph Lauren was the route for me. Now I’m venturing into my own shit ’cause I have a good fashion sense, I know what I like and I know what’s dope so, it’s going to work for me with that.

What’s going to be the challenge you think, with balancing the rap career with this new fashion venture?

The challenge with this is I get to be hands on but I’m not an idiot, like I’m dealing with people that’s already been in this thing for a long time. So basically I just yay and nay what I like but I don’t really have to be hands on with dealing with that type of [thing] because that’s not my strength. I’m gonna be dealing with my strength which is knowing what I would like. I know what kind of patterns I want so, I’m gonna go with that and let the people that do the other shit, do the other shit. I’m gonna fall back and be Smoke DZA [laughs].

Have you ever met Ralph Lauren?

Not yet but, I spoke to a lot of reps. Ultimately, that’s the goal. To collaborate with the OG and get that going like that.

So if you meet him, what’s the first thing you’d tell him?

I’m gonna shake his hand and tell him thank you. That’s the first thing. First and foremost, Thank you for what you’ve done for the urban brand and to help keeping jiggy niggas fresh. You know, he helped us be clean like, Ralph Lauren [the brand] is something clean and also affordable clean. It’s not like Givenchy or Gucci or Louis Vuitton and all these other high-end shit, which is cool also but, Ralph Lauren—it could be that too with Black Label, Purple Label—gave us a lane to be fresh.

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