It’s always great when a formal interview turns into a conversation. Finally catching up with upcoming Harlem rapper, Vado, after weeks of studio time and meetings, it was well worth it. Linking up with Diplomat founder, Cam’ron, Vado lets us know he’s next. He also talks of the controversy of the XXL Magazine cover, to growing up and Harlem, get ready to see what he has in store. Tatiana R. Johnson speaks with the rising star…
The Wrap Up: Everyone heard you on Cam’ron’s ‘Boss of All Bosses’ and ‘2.5’ hosted by DJ Drama, but who is Vado?
Vado: I’m a young rapper from uptown Harlem, that’s been on the grind and finally got the opportunity and now I’m reppin’ hard. I think that’s why I got a lot of attention over the Slime and Rugby, because it’s something new and it’s my world. Before I was rapping, I wasn’t selling drugs, but I wasn’t doing legal activities.
TWU: Your Twitter action is crazy. How does it feel to be known as the new face of Harlem?
Vado: Aww man, it’s a pleasure. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life and I can’t wait to take advantage of it. I’m not going to be a one hit wonder, or just someone with a hot song out. I’m a lyricist and I’m comfortable because I’m not going anywhere. My shoes are already kicked off.
TWU: How did you link up with Young Money’s Jae Millz and Diplomat founder Cam’ron?
Vado: Well Millz, we grew up on the same block, his building was next to my building, slept on bunk beds, (‘no homo’) kind of like how Mase and Cam came up. With Cam, I’m from 144th he’s from 140th, he just got the word that I was fire, so he invited me to the studio, I laid some fire down and he was feeling it. The rest is history!
TWU: XXL Magazine didn’t put you on the cover and Jae Millz went on to say that you should have been on there and some of the others that were on there. How did you feel about that situation?
Vado: I feel he was definitely right. I’m going to stay 100 percent behind him whatever he says, regardless. As far as him excluding some of the artists on the cover, I didn’t feel all that, but I deserved to be there. I respect them all, they had to be nice in some way, you know? I listen to Nipsey, Donnis, and J.Cole.
TWU: How was it growing up in Harlem?
Vado: It’s the life; it’s the Mecca of the African-American culture. You come up watching the big time hustlers and the number runners. I started off saying I want to be a hustler, but then when you become that you say, ‘I want to be better than that.’ Then you see the rappers that have made it and they come back and show love, now you want to be a big time rapper or NBA player. I’ve always wanted to do something, I never just wanted to stick around and do nothing. I always had a goal.
TWU: How did Harlem influence your music?
Vado: Coming up in the streets of Harlem, father in and out of jail, mom working like eight jobs, the siblings; Harlem itself is just talent. All of the people that have came up, Mase, Cam’ron, Big L, Teddy Riley, all that is motivation and inspiration. The Wayans’ family and Kim Fields, just watching them come out of Harlem. Then you go to the dark side of Harlem, there’s a lot of drug dealing going on. The big time drug dealers came out of Harlem, Nicky Barnes, Alpo and Rich. Listening to the stories really made my pen move. They say I’m young, but I have an old soul. I know my history.
TWU: What is your relationship like with Cam’ron?
Vado: Cam was the main one that came out of Harlem and came back for people. A lot of people came out of Harlem and they didn’t bring anybody else out of Harlem. He’s brought a handful of people a lot of money. Mase did his thing at his time. Millz, we grew up together, we’re best friends. Me seeing him do his thing with Young Money and his ups and downs is definitely motivation for me.
TWU: What’s the current project that you have out?
Vado: ‘The Boss of All Bosses 2.5’ is a classic. I think we went harder with the songs lyrically than on ‘Boss of All Bosses’. The next joint is my mixtape, ‘Slime Flu’ hosted by DJ Drama, it’s going to be crazy. It’s just a blessing, that’s coming out July 6.
TWU: It’s always been about New York, but how do you feel about the shift changing more towards the South as far as rap?
Vado: I think it’s just a phase right now, the South has it. Everybody is going with the South and even people from New York are going with the South. It’s just showing that New York is not doing what it’s supposed to be doing. This is where the lyricism is at, not saying the South can’t spit. They have Rick Ross, T.I., Jay Electronica, and Lil’ Wayne, but the East is full of the real spitters. We have to get back on our job.
TWU: All of your songs, we hear you say ‘Slime,’ but what exactly is Slime?
Vado: It’s just an uptown Harlem, Lenox Ave. thing. That’s how I came up with it. It stands for ‘Street Life Intelligence Money Everything’. It’s another way of saying ‘homeboy’ or ‘my man.’ I’ve been saying that for years though.
TWU: You’re getting a great deal of love from all over. Can you explain how the Crooks and Castles clothing collaboration came about?
Vado: That’s another blessing. Just real recognize real, they felt my swag and music and they just wanted to represent me in any way they could and I couldn’t wait to represent them with the ‘Slime Flu’ shirts. They sold out in two days.
TWU: Anything else you want fans to know?
Vado: ‘Slime Flu’ will be out July 6, ‘Gunz And Butter’ is coming out in August and that will be the first UN, that’s me and Cam’s album, instant classic. We got the videos coming up. After that it’s history in the making. Next time I’m doing an interview it’ll be in the UK. Shout out to Tatiana and MTV UK!
Stay up to date with Vado on Twitter – www.twitter.com/Vado_Mh
Words: Tatiana R. Johnson
Online editing: Joseph 'JP' Patterson
