Vado On Rugby RL Closing: “Ralph Lauren Come On, Stop It”

"Rugby done shut down, what you gon' wear now?," questions Vado on the track "Turning Back" off Slime Flu 3, his latest mixtape.  After years of championing the preppy label in-rhyme, even passing on the name to his now three year-old son, the fashion-forward spitter now must deal with the fact that his favorite Ralph Lauren label is now closing its doors for good. Giving his thoughts on the matter, Vado spoke to XXL and discussed his skepticism on the decision, his affinity for the Rugby line and upcoming plans after it's cessation.— Ralph Bristout (@RalphieBlackmon)

What are your feelings on this whole Rugby shutting down situation?

It's about to be over right? That's because only us is buying it. I'ma keep it a 100, it ain't even that. Ralph [Lauren] come on, stop it. First of all you were trying to take the logo off because too many Blacks were wearing the Polo. Polo went overhead too and he was trying to take logo off so we could stop wearing it I guess, I don't know, so really he know that Rugby is urban. He know that with Rugby, it's mostly Blacks wearing it—that's why he's shutting it down.

What was it initially about Rugby that made you an avid fan?

Because that's my style. It gives you streetwear, [business] wear, casual wear-it gives you [everything]. It just adds in a special spice with those patches.

What do you do from here now that its scheduled to shut down?

I really looked at it like, Aight you want to do that, fine. Now I'm going to go into the clothing business and put out what I like, my own clothing. Then again you got a lot of Black, urban clothes that kind of give you that rugby look and its owned by us like Hawke and Dumar, Striver's Row & Co, Akoo—they give you that look so at the end of the day, the style is going to be poppin' regardless.

I'ma try to reach out to [those said brands] and try to put something together and come out with something right and take it from there. I'ma just spell Rugby backwards, just to get on Ralph's nerves--and I'm taking the color blue and yellow.