Swagg Boss & Tattoo Live In L.A. ‘Tattoo Is Spliff Star’s Hype Man…. The Name Speaks 4 It Self…
All The Way In.
The Early Birds / We Get It First
SWAGG REPORT: SWAGG INK COMING REAL SOON… O WHAT A FEEK INK… SSL x Swagg Ink… My Tattoo Is Not A Sticker…
SSL x Swagg Ink Coming Sooner Than You Think…
PINKY is an American pornographic actress and rapper. She has appeared in over 100 adult films since 2006, in 2009 she won the Urban X Award for Porn Star of the Year. Her official website also won the award for Best Talent Website. As well as Female Performer of the Year.
Pinky announced that she was going to pursuit a rapping career and released her debut mixtape entitled Fuck You Pay Me on April, 2010.
(Produced by DJ Scream)
SWAGG BOSS GOES ALL THE WAY IN WITH PINKY THE PORN STAR… EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENE PHOTOS BY SSL
SWAGG BOSS SETTING THE TRENDS LIKE NO OTHER.
SWAGG INK COMING SOONER THEN YOU THINK…
O WHAT A FEEL INK…
THE EARLY BIRDS / WE GET IT FIRST
SWAGG INK COMING SOON
SWAGG INK COMING REAL SOON
BIG APPLE THE “SWAGG BOSS” NEVER RUN FROM SWAGG TATTOO
SWAGGNEWS PRESENTS “SWAGG INK” WE BY CREATING A NEW WAVE–> SWAGG INK COMING SOONER THEN YOU THINK…”MY TATTOO IS NOT A STICKER, OH WHAT A FEEL-INK.
SWAGG NEWS TAKES IT UPA NOTCH BY CREATING A NEW WAVE–> SWAGG INK COMING SOONER THEN YOU THINK…”MY TATTOO IS NOT A STICKER, OH WHAT A FEEL-INK.”
THE EARLY BIRDS / WE GET IT FIRST
INTRODUCING THE WORLD TO ANOTHER 100% SWAGGED APPROVED TATTOO ARTIST “BOO BOO’
INTERVIEW IN THE NEW ISSUE OF SWAGGNEWS
BY THE SWAGG BOSS
SWAGGINK.COM COMING SOON
As anybody who follows mainstream Rap and the people who create the leading soundtrack for our Hip Hop culture can confirm, a unique sense of fashion is just as important to the rhyme-sayer as his or her flow. While having the latest footwear and clothing is a plus, many entertainers have found a more personal way of establishing their brand among fans. Hence the accessory of choice for many an emcee: the tattoo. A longstanding fixture among Rock artists, the tat has quietly become an extension of a rapper’s image as well as a documented reflection of important experiences in life. Nowhere was this more apparent than with the late Tupac Shakur. With close to 20 tattoos, the rapper/actor’s body became a window into his soul as well as a blueprint for the attitude and imagery surrounding today’s Rap scene. Translated as “The Hate U Give Little Infants Fucks Everybody,” Shakur’s abdominal “T.H.U.G. L.I.F.E.” ink took on a life of its own by becoming one with its owner. The immortal Rap icon’s music and lifestyle became the definition of what was on his stomach, which was decorated in 1992.
From well-publicized run-ins with the law to outspoken views on various issues to disputes with Rap peers, the public’s perception of a ‘thug’ and all its sides were personified with one name: Tupac Amaru Shakur. Goodbye Rock exclusivity. Hello mainstream acceptance of the tattoo within Rap circles. It wasn’t enough for a rapper to possess a way with rhyme and a go-getter attitude. A vehicle for reinforcing what was portrayed in song and the public eye was needed. With the tattoo came the elevation of the arrival of the embattled hardcore Rap star as well as a more personal connection between the artist and the fan.
Like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace, tats are one of the best ways for supporters to show love for an entertainer.
Whether it’s getting an emcee’s name or face tattooed on their body or lyrics to their favorite song branded, fan appreciation can be found on the fans themselves. Last year, a cult-followed emcee in Cormega, not someone ever considered mainstream, explained two such dedicated fans: “The most humbled I’ve been is by the fans. I’ve been to California, and I met a Mexican brother, he got something from The Realness [tattooed] across his back. I’m doing a show at B.B. King’s a few years ago, and I met this white girl – I’m talkin’ ‘bout beautiful, and she has one of my quotes tattooed on her foot. I [was shocked].” From GZA to G-Unit, there’s plenty of other artists with such fans out there. Sometimes, in warmer months, we see them in the streets. To put it simply: A person’s love for their favorite lyricist goes deep. A fact not lost on rappers who emerge from their crews by making themselves extra noticeable. Sure, the talent and unity are there, but would DMX be just another Ruff Ryder if you never saw tats displaying the love he had for his dog Boomer on his debut It’s Dark and Hell is Hot? What about band-mate Eve? The double R’s “pitbull in a skirt” may stand out with her flow, blond hair, and tattoos on her bicep, shoulder and wrist, but it’s the paw prints on her chest that solidify her brand while separating her from other red carpet starlets with markings in the usual places. Additionally, while DaBrat had a similar tattoo, it gave Eve a unique piece of sex appeal against her once-competition of Lil Kim, Foxy Brown and Trina. And who can count out Busta Rhymes? Armed with Celtic tats on his shoulders and forearms to go with his animated personality and flow, the former Leader of the New School continues to be the center of attention within his own Flipmode Squad.
A definite standout if there ever was one. With the ink dating back to the ’90s, perhaps these accents allowed fans to accept watching a Natives Tongues affiliate goofball transition into his more contemporary hustler and “mule kick you in your chest” raps. While DMX, Eve and Busta will forever rep their respective collectives, it’s their solo adventures on and away from the a mic that keep them on our radar. The tattoos are a bonus. Sort of like medals of honor for navigating the jungle of the music industry. This brings to mind the current king of the machine: Lil Wayne. To get into how many tats the New Orleans rep carries would take a whole ‘nother article. What can be said is that Lil Wayne could be the second coming of Tupac in light of all the skin art inhabiting his body. Like his west coast counterpart, each tattoo tells a personal story. Tears representing those who have died or time served in prison, “God Bless” on the neck. “Fear God” on the eyelids. Then, there’s the gun on the palm, the New Orleans symbol on the right ear, the phrase “I am music” that appears in red, the bird on the right shoulder as a salute to his label boss/mentor/ father, Birdman and a homage to his former group, the Hot Boys (the word “hot” on one hand and “boy” on the other hand). It should be noted that the late ’90s/early ’00s Cash Money Records group played a key role in Rap’s relationship with tattoos. As the early videos will show you, members tattooed their label on their backs and chests. Ironically, by the end of the decade, only Lil Wayne remained a Cash Money artist – as B.G., Juvenile, Turk and Mannie Fresh all defected, citing bad business as reasoning.
The deed however led many artists and labels to copy this trend. From G-Unit to Shady, new rappers often don their employer in permanent ink as a sign of loyalty and promise. This often ends ominously though, just ask Game. No doubt, tats representing a rapper’s group or close circle of associates are a plus. Say what you will about the misspelled “Slaughterhouse” tattoo on Crooked I’s arm, but the west coast rhyme slinger is 100% committed to the four-man lyrical super group – even if the first ‘h’ in Slaughterhouse was missing. Professional motivation aside, tattoos are personal business. Look at Eminem, who always has his daughter, Hailie Jade, with him via a large portrait tattoo of her on his upper right arm, complete with surrounding roses and the name of a song dedicated to his pride and joy (“Bonnie & Clyde”) underneath it. The Detroit lyricist’s love for Hailie can also be found on the back of his lower right arm with a name tattoo, “Hailie Jade.” According to reports, the tat was added the day Hailie was born. Go to Eminem’s upper left arm and family is represented again with a tat honoring the man who introduced him to Hip Hop, his deceased uncle, Ronnie Pilkington.
Just as easy is it to express love, rappers have no problem putting their hate in tat form. Eminem’s ex-wife, Kim Mathers, has been on the receiving end of many a diss from her former spouse. So is it any surprise the Oscar-winner would reportedly take his disdain for Kim to a new level after a fight by getting her name and an open grave tattooed on his stomach with the words “Rot in Pieces?” Love is truly a fickle thing. For better or worse, Nas’ tattoo of Kelis on his forearm was a unique look at the then- apple of his eye in all her topless glory. Little did he know the body art would be a wasted effort. The couple eventually called it quits after a little more than five years of marriage and is currently engaged in a public divorce. According to reports, Nas has altered the art with a new head – that of a lion. The moral of the story: Be careful when using your body to voice your love, appreciation or loyalty for royalties. Canibus takes it in an even weirder direction. He can attest to this as his admiration for LL Cool J’s microphone tattoo reportedly caused the end of the pair’s brief alliance and ignited their infamous beef during the late ‘90s. The pair met when Cool J invited Canibus to rhyme with him, DMX, Method Man and Redman on the classic song “4,3,2,1.” According to RapCentral.com, Canibus asked LL if he would mind if he got a microphone tattooed on his arm just like his then-idol. Mr. Smith jokingly responded that Canibus should only get a microphone tat if he truly felt he was worthy to get it. The conversation resulted in Canibus’ original “4,3,2,1” verse that included the following line: “Yo L, is that a mic on your arm? Let me borrow that!” Although Canibus said the remark was meant as a show of respect, Cool J took it as a diss and used it as the motivation for his “4,3,2,1” verse, which closed the song. Canibus later confronted the Rap veteran about his verse, which led to a promise from both parties to change their respective parts. Canibus re-recorded his verse without the microphone tat line, while Cool J’s verse remained on the song unchanged. And the rest is Beef history.
All over a tattoo. Body art may not have been the root of the beef between Game and 50 Cent, but it was used to drive home Game’s falling out with his former rhyme affiliate. Located on the Black Wall Street leader’s left elbow next to his Hurricanes logo tat , the G-Unot tattoo was a spur of the moment decision made in the midst of spearheading a movement against 50 Cent and his G-Unit crew. “When I got that tat done, that’s just how I was feeling that day,” the rapper confessed to Inked magazine. “Whatever I’m feeling on a given day is just how it fucking is. I’m day-by-day.” To say that Game’s body art is there just to be there would do the rapper a disservice. His ink count totals more than 50 and represents everything from his son to his beloved L.A. Dodgers/west coast allegiance to deceased Rap legends.
Like tattoos displaying various aliases and acknowledgment of family and close friends, many rappers use the ink on their bodies to highlight their love of God. The shoulder serves as the perfect location for Bow Wow’s “Prayer of Jabez” tat as well as the praying hands found on Atlanta rhymesayer Ludacris. “You wake up, and you go to sleep, and you thank God for everything you have,“ Luda said about his tattoo.
For Nelly, it’s more a connection with certain people in the good book. Bearing the name of Moses on his right arm, the St. Lunatic revealed the Biblical leader’s story is something he can relate to “as far as leading people out.” “Servants of God” may be Nelly’s choice, but his contemporaries have found other ways of getting their religious point across. Nas has Psalm 23:4 scripture tattooed on his forearm in a scroll, while Sean “Diddy” Combs doesn’t mince words with a neck tat that reads “God’s Child.” All in all, religious tats are a small part of the total body art gallery found on various emcees. Lil Wayne may be the most obvious contender for Shakur’s tat crown, but there are a few other heirs to the throne. With close to 80% of his body tatted up, Wiz Khalifa is a viable candidate. So much so, the rapper proclaimed himself as “the king of ink,” in a 2009 interview with YouHeardThatNew.com. “I am the king of ink when it comes to this shit. There’s nobody with more tattoos than me except for maybe like two or three people,” the rapper stated. “… there will be no one with more ink than me. So ink and tatted that’s perfect. I gotta do that.” That could be true, but it’s hard to deny multi-tatted competitors like Soulja Boy, Birdman, Game and Rick Ross, who boasts former US Presidents on his chest and legendary figures such as comedian Richard Pryor on his stomach. Not to be outdone are burgeoning Rap vocalists Cashis and Tyga. While Cashis sports everything from a smoking skull to a giant eye and hand to a message (“You Die Slow”), Tyga keeps his torso rooted in a large tat portrait of Jesus Christ crucified on the cross with “Fear None But God” covering his chest above angel wings. The tat is one of more than 30 found on the Young Money rapper, who started getting skin art done on him at age 14 and has half his body covered in tattoos. Last year, Lil Wayne made his own contribution to the entertainer’s tattoo collection by giving Tyga a face tattoo in 2009. Tyga’s tattoos may carry weight in rhyme arenas, but what happens when the rapper ventures outside music to make a mark in other realms? If you’re 50 Cent , that means shedding your tats for greener pastures in the world of film. Media sources report the G-Unit general’s decision to remove the tattoos from his arms last year was made to help secure more movie roles. In April that same year, Pharrell Williams opted to get rid of most of his tattoos. The motivation behind getting off the tat train came not with being ready for a close-up, but more with knowing it’s time for a change as the producer looked beyond his wallet to see the benefit of going back to a life without tattoos. “…fuck it, it’s worth it,” Williams told the Daily Mirror in 2008. “I got fire on my arms, I don’t need fire on my arms! I’m a grown man.” Pharrell may have a point. As much an eye catcher as they are, will small and large tattoos still reside on the body of a rap star that transitions into an elder state of mind? That could well depend on the emcee. No matter what, Hip Hop is marked for life. Past, present and future. Temporary and permanent. Tats are the new bling. Hate it or love it.
Montreal's very popular and top tattooist Pascal Guimond
Spark says “NEVER RUN FROM SWAGG CUZ YOU’LL LOOSE YOUR SHOES”
Pascal respects his SWAGG & the art of tattooing.
Spark says Never Run From SWAGG is a very serious statement
Spark visited one of the best tattoo parlors in Montreal called “The Tattoo Lounge” located on St.Laurent street to get his Never Run From Swagg” tattoo by the shops most popular artist Pascal Guimond. He also did a interview with him for our summer edition of the Swagg newspaper the same time, here is some of that interview exclusive on Swagg news.
This shop is extremly clean very, esthetic and elegant yet trendy with a staff that is very artsy and down to earth. The Tattoo Lounge is in the heart of the city’s trendiest street and boasts a clientle from Hip Hop to Rock however they also cater to the corporate. They can pierce you, tattoo you and serve you the have some of the hottest line of piercing jewelery as well and have many selections to serve you with the best style that will suit you and your SWAGG.
Here’s some of Spark’s interview with Pascal Guimond:
Spark: How long have you been tattooing?
P.G: 18 years – 10 years professionally….
Spark: Have you worked in the states before?
P.G.: Yes New York for 1 year, i learnt the most over there.
Spark: Whats your Specialty?
P.G. Japanese Style…..
Japanese Style Tattooing
Spark asks Pascal about some tattoo tips:
Spark: What would you say are signs of a bad tattoo artist?
P.G.: Don’t listen to a guy with a bad portfolio.
Spark: Do you don’t need to be a artist to be a tattoo artist?
P.G. No because you can learn anything including art and tattooing it can help though but you don’t have to be a artist to learn how to tattoo.
Spark: What’s a sign of the start of a bad tattoo?
P.G. Trust your eyes if the drawing is not right the tattoo won’t be right.
Spark: What do you think about bad tattoos?
P.G. Well everyone gets the tattoo they deserve
If I tell you don’t do it but your still persistent and you say “yeah but” I hate “yeah but” that means your already not Listening to what your tattooist is saying to you and that’s when you will get the tattoo you deserve.
Spark: How many hours a day do you like to tattoo?
P.G. 6 hours is a dream day with 3 hours break. Tattooing long hours is hard on your hand and hard on your finger, you need allot of concentration so 6 hours is great for me personally.
Spark: Do you want to open your own shop?
P.G. Yes i Want to open my own shop one day but right now i’m very happy and making great money here and building amazing clients.
Spark: Do you have more return clients than walk ins?
P.G. Yes definitley more return clients than walk ins.
Spark how many hours you recommend for a person to sit in your chair for a tattoo?
P.G. I think 3 to 4 hours is a great time to tattoo past 4 hours the customer is tired, at 5 hours the customer is uncomfortable
at 6 hours he or she is beconming figity and after 7 hours the customer will be irratable and restless. You want the customer to remember you in a great positive way if they go past those big hours they will just remember the pain you put them through for that time and might not be back to see you anytime soon.
Spark: How do you feel about the T.V. Tattooists going for fame? P.G. Your not a rock star, your not even a artist your a craftsman. We do what people like and want and for the people who don’t know what they like I send em to go get a tattoo magazine to pick out what they like. Then we go from there I cannot pick out for you what you will wear for the rest of your life you need to do that i can suggest ideas and help you but ultimatley it’s up to you to choose.
Spark: What’s the difference of tattoing now from back in the day to now?
P.G. Back in the day tattooing was scary you didn’t know what the fuck to expect back in the day if you got picky you would fly out the window maybe even bitch slapped. Tattoing wasn’t a fashion thing it was more a way of life.
Spark: Is tattooing a passing fad or is it going to stay as popular trend?
P.G. Japanese, Egyptians, African tribes and pharohs were all getting tattooed since the beginning of time. More and more people are getting tattooed the skulls all came from the pirate days. So to answer your question no it’s not going no where and tattooing is getting better and better plus the quality of the art is getting and better everyday…
Spark: How do you relate being a Buddhist to your work?
P.G. Buddhism changed my life it taught me how to respect things and myself more than ever. Before i used to be concerned what people thought about me and how i was viewed no i don’t get concerned with those things i’m centered as a individual and not interested in being recognized i love my work and let my work speak for itself. I don’t chase promotion advertising i let it come to me and it does without me asking.
My customers are referred to me they love my work and speak to their friends for me. If i don’t like your energy i simply don’t work on you i refer you to another artist postive energy is very important to my work and my being.
Pascal Guimond and The Tattoo Lounge is all the way in and 100% Swagg Approved and From The Neck Up.
Visit The Tattoo Lounge at 3672 Boul. St.Laurent,
corner of Ave Des Pins.
Visit them at www.tattoolounge.ca
email them at info@tattoolounge.ca
phone them for a appointment at (514) 656-1417
Empire Tattoos. In Miami ask for Piaasco there located on Washington
When your in Miami SwaGG recommends you stop in and get some artwork done with Piaasco specializing in everything form custom work to portraits and detail work you can be sure you will come out with some SWaGG for artwork and ink……
Empire Tattoo parlor is located 710 washington. Ave Miami Beach
book your appointment and say the swaggboss referred you for some swagg treatment call (954) 882 2019.
514 Rapper B-Nice is From The Neck up and All the way in on the tattoo game!!!
This is why so many wanna become rappers and get famous, this is the candy you can have!!!
This is one reason
to go on tour in Winnepeg!!!!!
Baretta posing for Swagg
Her name is Baretta from Croatia lives in Winnipeg, Canada loves Hip Hop, Rock and House music, Peep this her car is a lamobogini that’s from the neck up. She loves to travel shop and eat at fine restaurants.
Another page spread on Joey Stylez from this months issue of Urban Ink Magazine
Joey is up on his Tattoo swagg....From The Neck Up!!!
Joey Stylez tattoos are featued in a 5 page interview spread
Apple holdin the new Urban Ink magazine
It’s no doubt Joey Stylez is up on his tattoo swagg this month, to see the whole spread pick up this months issue of Urban Ink Magazine. Joey Stylez rips up a photoshoot and gives the camera some native ink served up with a heavy dose of Swagg. For more info on the new issue and the world of urban tattoos Log onto urbanink.com always holdin it down……
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