Wale’s Hat Line Bursts Onto The Scene With Great Launch Event
Last night Wale held a release party for his Wrking Title line of hats at the highly swanktified club/lounge Manon in New York City. The event provided the opportunity to see and hear from Wale regarding his mindset and plans regarding the Wrking Title line which was officially announced in June of last year. Here is a clip courtesy of EME with Wale briefly grabbing the mic to talk about the project.
The venue was jam packed with party goers including New York Jet’s Quarterback Geno Smith (who’s shoes from last night we featured today) , Troy Ave, Legendary A&R/Jay Z’s personal photographer Lenny S, nearly everyone from Hot 97, and of course plenty of beautiful ladies sipping on D’usse Cocktails.
Myself, and the Source Lifestyle Squad (@KINGCLARKEIII, @_findingforever, @jamaalfisher) sat down with Wale for an exclusive “interview” that ended up being more like a conversation about the Wrking Title Hat Line (which apparently will include some unique new product designed by Rhianna‘s right hand woman Melissa Ford) , his feelings on the Undertaker‘s streak coming to an end, his upcoming Seinfeld inspired Good Wood Collaboration (we’ll have more on that soon), & a lot more. Audio of the interview, as well as some exclusive photos from the night can be found below (full disclosure: the sound quality isn’t stellar)
The Source: So we know the event tonight is for your Woking Title hat release, so how long has it been in the works
Wale: Um, id say about a year and some change really.
The Source: What made u want to get involved with hats
Wale: Well i got a lot of hair, that shit be hard for me to fucking fit hats and shit, and I just wanted to do something that was kinda me, i always wear beanies and shit like that, so i wanted to do a line. I mean once i started learning about having your own company, having your own line I started to understand more.
The Source: We know your from DC, big sports fan, fan of the Redskins, how does where your from influence the style of hats
Wale: Well where we from , its just a lot of niggas wear beanies anyways, skullies and all that. Down the line your gonna see alot of the influence come out , like from the ski masks and all that, some of the things that Melissa Ford, Rhiannas photographer slash friend slash stylist , you know some of the things she’s doing is having an influence, like gas station masks , on some cotoure shit, alot of the creative ideas are like a product of where we come from, derived from where we come from
The Source: So your saying ski masks for sale in the future?
Wale: I don’t want to give too much away, what she’s got designed is so dope for the females, its crazy u know what im saying, and i want to continue to work with people that are like super into it and super in touch with the culture. We have a staff where were trying to find people that are in love with the fashion world , that I can give the keys and are tell em to go and are gonna want to create things that are gonna impact the culture.
The Source: Speaking of fashion, can you give us some insight on your good wood collaboration. That font on that pin your wearing looks kinda Seinfeld ish?
Wale: Oh that’s not kinda, that’s all the way! You know so thats a little sample of whats to come
The Source: So you know the topic everyone is talking about, regarding wrestling… The Undertaker’s streak, its over. How do you feel
Wale: I mean, at the end of the day, he wouldn’t of dropped it unless he wanted to, so a part of me has respect for him as a man. I can tell something went wrong in the match , like something that wasn’t like part of the script that went wrong because like everyone was kind of surprised, they didn’t play his music like off the break, something wasn’t right with it. I can’t be too mad, and u know sad because that will never happen [again], and i didn’t want him to go out like that, not to Brock Lesnar.
The Source: Exactly, like of all people
Wale: Yea it could of been like Shawn Michaels or someone, that was one of the best Wrestlemania matches ever. OR KAIN! they coulda milked it one more year and had like Kain, or even some new guy like Brayy Wyatt or something like that, like milk it for another year. I mean though were thinking like super fans, they got millions of dollars.
The Source: Yea I mean it got people talking obviously but I don’t know, I mean Brock Lesnar..
Wale: Yea I didn’t even know he was full time, like they booed him out of the building last Wrestlemania. Thats crazy, thats up there with Giant Gonzalez, it goes him and then Brock Lesnar. Obviously Brock Lesnar can kick my ass, i mean i respect him as a fighter, as a tuff guy but like , as a wrestler.. you know those guys are super sacred about the business , its like a fraternity you know. So it makes me wonder like why would they do that.
The Source: You mentioned Booing, did you see the incident recently with Nick Cannon getting booed at the Knicks game?
Wale: I first heard about that on ESPN, and i was just like, what did I miss, did he say something
The Source:: Right like what did he actually do? I mean he may be perceived as kinda corny but thats pretty harsh no?
Wale: Like what did he do right? But alot of times its monkey see monkey do.
The Source: Do you feel like thats all to common, that kind of monkey see mentality, especially on twitter?
Wale: It’s like that on twitter, its like that in hip hop, its like that in wrestling , you know what I’m saying. Like even Jon Cena, someone decided to boo John Cena , it was actually funny as shit, did you hear em [sings] “John Cena succcks” , they were singing it, my cousin was in the crowd, you know how his music goes, they were singing it just like that
The Source: So Cena is a heel now?
Wale: NO! thats the thing! You know what it is, their trying to make him like Hulk Hogan, but the times have changed , were the young guys that are supposed to see Hulk Hogan and be like yeah, but like nah dog , you like shit that’s like cool , like the way Bray Wyatt talks, that motherfucker needs to be in Hollywood, he needs to be the heel in a fuckin’ like Pixar movie.
The Source: So whats the last pair of sneakers you’ve bought?
Wale: Some red [Nike] Cortez’s, getting ready for the summer time in LA. Sneaker wise I got a big one coming up someones trying to pitch.
Source: So whats your favorite sneaker place out in NY
Wale: It’s cliche to say but Flight Club. It is because you can find..like I want a fresh pair of Gatordades right now.
The Source:: Yea when I saw you were in there and bought everyone 3′s I was like damnn, i was just there last weekend.
Wale: Yea we took the threes to the next level. That was the purpose
The Source: yea you know last week everyone was fighting over the Supreme’s [Nike Foams]
Wale: yea i hear it was crazy, do they have the supremes at flight club
The Source: They did , they had the red ones, and the Yeezy [foams], they sold in like five seconds.
Wale: Yea, those kids, most motherfuckers just re sell em, so i just sit and wait. let you guys fight and then I’m just , you know, kick the right price .. i got the red ones, but i want the black.
Check out some images in the gallery
Spencer @sjeezs
