The highly sought after streetwear brand, Supreme, and New York’s adored footwear brand, Timberland, have reunited for three takes on Timberland’s iconic 3-Eye Lug Shoe. This collaboration follows the brand’s previous take on the latter’s epochal Field Boot in partnership with Major League Baseball, in particular the New York Yankees.
From the pair’s heavily patterned FW21 collaboration, to a nineties inspired attire collaboration in the same year, Supreme x Timberland know how to spark buzz in many forms. This newest release is made exclusively for Supreme and serves to further the relationship with the outdoor footwear label. Today’s launch is not the brand’s first boat shoe. Initially, animal print interactions were created back in 2019.
The capsule shoe collection is available in three bold colorways including black, pink, and green.
The shoes are comprised of intricately woven uppers outfitted with a 360-degree lacing system. Additional detailing comes in the form of a leather lining and insole, debossed Timberland logo on the medial side, metal logo plate, and printing on the insoles. Elevating the shoe are thick black rubber lug outsoles that offer added height and a rugged ride. Naturally, Supreme’s signature red hue peeks through from the inner lining and sole of the shoe.
The merging of Supreme and Timberland sheds light on a streetwear brand and a shoe brand that transcended beyond the confines of clothing and boots. Both of the brands offer integrated products and have mastered the art of storytelling, making them lifestyle labels.
The model of shoe is highly versatile and functions well in a great deal of environments. Arguably the most adaptable item from the two brands collaborations, this shoe charms the masses in terms of popularity. The Supreme x Timberland collaboration will see a global release today, via the Supreme website on December 8, 11 a.m. EDT in the United States. The shoes are retailing at $198.
Michelob ULTRA and the NBA unveiled the 2022-2023 Michelob ULTRA NBA Team Cans at Art Basel. The 19 limited edition cans are created by six artists and highlight the latest exciting NBA season.
To highlight the new cans, Michelob Ultra hit Miami for the annual intersection of sports, tech, and culture. For a pop-up experience, fans were bridged with the biggest sports and entertainment stars to celebrate basketball and beer.
“Michelob ULTRA is proud to partner with the NBA to bring fans a new way to support their favorite team and enjoy the game they love,” said Ricardo Marques, Vice President of Marketing, Michelob ULTRA. “As the beer brand known for superior enjoyment, the Michelob ULTRA NBA Team Cans represent fans’ joy and passion for their teams. We’re excited to bring this year’s Team Cans to life with a first-ever digital art experience and remind fans everywhere: no matter who you root for, it’s only worth it if you enjoy it.”
The collection is on its way to stands across the nation. Still, at the pop-up experience, fans could see each can and also experience a headlining performance by 21 Savage and a set by DJ Irie of the Miami HEAT home experience.
Additionally, fans could see NBA and Miami HEAT legends Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton compete with WNBA All-Star Nneka Ogwuimike and NBA Skills and celebrity trainer Chris Brickley in the Michelob ULTRA Courtside Countdown Challenge. The challenge was played on an interactive LED court where you can pick your team to represent in a shooting case that illuminates the newly released can art on the court for all to say.
The cans are created by six dynamic artists who showcase their style and represent each city’s pride, joy, and culture. Those artists are Jacob Rochester, Chuck Anderson, Bradley Ward, Josanna Torrocha, Eric Elms, and BigShot Robot.
Rochester was at the helm of the cans for the Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami HEAT, Dallas Mavericks, and Orlando Magic. Anderson represented the 1998 NBA Finals matchup of the Chicago Bulls and Utah Jazz, bringing in bold and intense designs to these two staple NBA franchises. Rochester infuses a lo-fi analog approach with collaged and scanned imagery in his creation.
Ward represented his hometown and made us”e “Clutch City” on full display, but he also took his talents to neighboring New Orleans, evoking the midnight blue, red, gold, and white hues into the Pelicans team can. Holding down the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, and Philadelphia 76ers is Josanna Torrocha, who infuses currency’s role in basketball to create the designs.
Eric Elms used visual story inspiration from the fan bases of the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, and the Charlotte Hornets for his cans. At the same time, BigShot Robot held down his base city of Milwaukee for colorful explosions and representation highlighting the championship eras of the team.
The new collection arrives ahead of the NBA holiday schedule, bringing a premium beer with a Michelob ULTRA fans can experience to celebrate the hoops occasion.
You can see the Bulls, Sixers, and Warriors cans below. The full roster of cans is above.
Following the announcement of hisAtlanta Hawks partnership, Scotty ATL unveils a brand-new album, Candler Road to Melrose. Last week the 37-year-old shared he will create through partnership custom grillz for the Hawks schedule release representing different NBA teams.
On Friday, Candler Road to Melrose released via Cool Club/ Cinq Music Group, which finds the southern emcee exploring the journey and path that led him to his highly successful grillz business on Melrose Ave.
Scotty ATL, known for his distinct drawl and vernacular, keeps it fresh while switching flows over 13 tracks with production from super producer Zaytoven, DJ Burn One, DJ Tune and more.
Candler Road to Melrose arrives as the follow up to Scotty’s trio of singles released earlier this year. “Go Twin,” “LA Care,” and “Nomo Heaux,” featuring Young Dro, all appear on the album.
For collaborations the East Atlanta native taps Curren$y and G Perico on “Spike Lee,” Sleepy Brown on “Remember Chad,” and Iamsu! on “Night Vision.” While Big K.R.I,T. joins on “Chosen & Frozen,” and Ace Hood flexes on “Congratulations.”
The successful entrepreneur and artist continues to build his craft and financial freedom with a new project and expanding his company, Grillz By Scotty.
In recognition of #BlackBusinessMonth this August, Scotty ATL spoke with the Source’s Kim SoMajor about business after COVID-19, new ventures with PUMA, The Atlanta Hawks, and much more.
When and what sparked you to start a grillz business?
I’ve always worn grillz since I was in high school. I made a name for myself in Atlanta as a rapper. One of my old friends lost his job as a dental assistant. He wanted to do grillz. At first I was just helping him and then it got more serious.
How did it serve as another option outside of your rap career?
It has allowed me to make extra income to support my dreams and provide for my family. It has also given me a bigger platform to share with the world.
How did your business adjust during the stay-at-home orders and how is it now?
I adjusted by decreasing staff and increasing my knowledge of online businesses. Now we do both in store and online. I have a store in Atlanta on Candler Rd. and another store on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles.
With your business, you are providing an opportunity for other people too. What has been a definitive moment for you that reaffirmed that you made the right move in starting it?
Everyday I think about that. Helping my dad move out of the projects and give him a job is the biggest.
Atlanta native and lifelong Hawks fan @ScottyATL created custom grillz for our schedule release
Major brand collaboration opportunities on the way. New designs. New moves for the culture. Maybe more locations…
How did you know that was the next move for you?
I knew it because I started making money everyday and that was my goal from the beginning.
Talk about your new grillz design and how you’re elevating your business?
I have newly designed colored grillz are out now. They’re limited edition and very unique. I’m more than a grill maker, I’m a grill designer. You haven’t seen these before.
Congratulations on your partnerships, to watch your dedication and growth in rap and business is very inspiring. What do these success-building opportunities mean to you?
My role as an influencer in this project was to capture ATL culture through my eyes. I had an amazing time and I’m so proud of myself and our company.
Comic-Con will return for a full-scale convention in San Diego next week after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The event kicks off next Thursday, July 21 and will feature an appearance from William Shatner who’ll talk about the new documentary on his career plus his recent trip to space.
Next Friday, rock icon Ozzy Osbourne will unveil a limited edition comic book with Todd McFarlane, creator of the Spawn series, and Amazon will give fans a first look at the new Lord of the Rings series.
On Saturday, July 23rd, HBO will present its prequel to Game of Thrones. Returning this year, the Stern Pinball Pop-up Arcade will include all of the latest Stern Pinball machines featuring the award-winning Insider Connected platform.
All Comic-Con attendees are required to wear masks and show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 72 hours.
Share your thoughts and comments with us on social media.
Many hip-hop stars are known for creating their own clothing, shoes, or jewelry line, but rapper Fabolous might be the first artist to have a line that includes a Parisian jewelry trunk and other upscale accessories that can fit in with both work and play fits.
Fobolous Hemincuff line collab
The resulting collab between Fabolous and well-known jeweler Greg Yuna is a new line in the NYC-based vegan and sustainable accessories brand, Hemincuff. The collection, which features a variety of trunks, cases, and packs, is decorated in the brand’s exclusive geo-print, which is inspired by Hemincuff CEO/Founder Noel Veloz’s love for Parisian fashion, art, and architecture as well as hip-hop culture.
Noel Veloz details the collaboration stating, “I wanted to drop this Paris Collection with Fabolous and Greg Yuna because they are defined as tastemakers in the industry. Fabolous has been my all-time favorite hip-hop artist since I was a kid, and my dream has always been to work alongside him and that’s just what I did. I bumped into his manager at one of my retail jobs, he introduced me to Greg Yuna, and the rest was history. With this collaboration, I’ll become the first Dominican American to release vegan leather trunks handmade in Mexico. I’m really looking forward to creating my own lane with this collection.”
According to Velez, the line’s geo-print was inspired by his close relationship and love for his family with the six leaves in the print representing the six letters in the word “family” and the six members of Noel’s family. The two darker colors represent Velez’s parents and the four royal blue leaves, which is Velez’s and his father’s favorite color, represent his three other siblings. When his family comes together the geo print is complete.
Fabolous describes how he was excited to be a part of the collaboration as Velez and his family hail from Queens, Fabolous’s home city, stating: “When Noel approached me to be a collaborator in his Hemincuff Paris Collection alongside Greg Yuna, I knew I had to be a part of it. Noel’s Father has been and is the inspiration of these creations and the Hemincuff brand as a whole – him and Noel put the name in the vegan leather! Greg is from Queens, I’m from Brooklyn, and Noel is from the Bronx – it was a New York collaboration! When we come through with the vegan trunk briefcase, we mean business!”
Hemincuff unveiled the gorgeous PARIS THE FAMILY X GY collection ($295 – $695), which is now available for pre-order.. Customers are able to join the waitlist now on the brand’s website www.hemincuff.com
The Museum of Graffiti is pleased to announce the upcoming opening of a solo exhibition by graffiti and contemporary artist Doze Green. The show opens on July 28, 2022 and will be on view through Aug 28, 2022.
Gray Matter 3.0 consists of monochromatic works created with mixed media on canvas and paper that are an exploration of the human consciousness rooted in the artist’s study of the Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Green explores the four Jungian archetypes: the Persona, the Animus, the Shadow, and the Self. Green’s paintings convey a sense of discordant emotions, chaotic flux, fear, loss, and the inner conflicts experienced in our psyche. In each painting, Green is a presenting an interpretation on the collective state of the human experience and his own efforts to pierce the veil of the unconscious mind. Green states, “the series explores finding the truest version of the self. What have we compromised with our current state of being?”
The artist presents figures emerging out of the gray monochromatic layers of overlapping paint and semitransparent glazes. In Green’s lines there is a sense of urgency – white lines represent the soul all with a direct line to the divine. Black overtones represent protection from the clouded memories and words that spill onto the paintings in gray washes and transparent whites. On canvas, the figures are in transformation to become their higher self and thus emerging semi-revealed, overlapping, and partially concealed. For Green, this energy and motion of created forms exist in a visual meeting place of ideas. Influenced by Edo period paintings, Green mixes black gesso with Sumi ink and applies “creatively chaotic, and intuitive brushstrokes” in a calligraphy-inspired and graffiti aesthetic.
Doze began creating art on the street and on trains in NYC in the 1980s when Hip-Hop was in its heyday, and B-Boys (break dancers) ruled the streets. Doze polished his craft, led by intuitive flow, and advanced from letterforms to character forms. He was the first of his peers to create a style of drawing that has been adopted by graffiti artists around the world. Breaking away from his old “mugsy” characters Doze moved on to illustrate and paint biological entities of the metaphysical spirits. His work celebrates his Cubist influences and includes ascending and descending planes and repetitive, overlapping, and concentric lines in an otherwise undefined landscape.
Tickets: General Admission tickets are $16; Children 13 and under are free. Tickets are available online and include access to all museum exhibitions. To purchase tickets, visit our website from your desktop at home or your mobile device, museumofgraffiti.com
Hours: The Museum of Graffiti is open from 11 AM – 6 PM on weekdays and 11AM– 7PM on weekends. Please check www.museumofgraffiti.com for special holidays, extended hours, and unexpected closings.
Location: The Museum of Graffiti, located at 276 NW 26th Street, Miami, FL 33127.
Long Island University today announced Grammy Award-winning audio engineer and producer Gimel “Young Guru” Keaton has joined the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment as Director of the Music Technology, Entrepreneurship & Production program.
The Roc Nation School and Young Guru also announced a full-tuition scholarship to be awarded to one highly qualified student. Apply for the scholarship today, here.
Keaton is an accomplished music producer, record executive, audio engineer and DJ who works with the music industry’s top artists, spanning from JAY-Z to Rihanna to Mariah Carey. He has garnered multiple Grammy nominations, and in 2019 Keaton won a Grammy Award for Best Urban Contemporary Album for mixing the album Everything Is Love by The Carters.
Keaton co-founded and co-leads the label Jamla, which houses Grammy-nominated and critically acclaimed lyricist Rapsody, and newcomers Reuben Vincent and Ian Kelly.
“Education is a valuable platform to show talented students how to navigate the music industry, preserve music history, and share their culture with the world,” Keaton said. “Joining the Roc Nation School is an incredible opportunity to offer my experience as a guide for up-and-coming artists and producers.”
Keaton previously served on the faculty of the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music as an artist-in-residence and has lectured at New York University’s Clive Davis Institute of Music and Emory University.
“The Roc Nation School is the premier destination for the next generation of professionals in the music industry who have the opportunity to learn directly from top executives and artists,” said Long Island University President Kimberly Cline. “We are thrilled to welcome Young Guru to the Roc Nation School’s leadership team. His decades of experience and expertise in the music business will be an incredible asset to the school.”
The Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment offers undergraduate degrees in applied music; music technology, entrepreneurship and production; sports communication and marketing; and vocal performance. It also offers a BS, MS and PhD in sports management.
Keaton joins a growing roster of exceptional artists and industry elites such as super producer 9th Wonder, visiting professor and artist in residence at the Roc Nation School, who teaches courses in hip-hop history and the making of an album.
The Roc Nation School Speaker Series features nationally and internationally recognized speakers who are invited based on their expertise and accomplishments providing Roc Nation School students with incredible opportunities to interact with these global leaders. Recent speakers include:
· Andrew Gould: VP, Music Publishing, Roc Nation
· Adam Silver: NBA Commissioner
· Don Garber: MLS Commissioner
· Desiree Perez: CEO, Roc Nation
· Michael Rubin: Executive Chairman, Fanatics; 76ers Partner
· Adam Petrick: Global Director of Brand and Marketing, Puma
Roc Nation Hope Scholarships provide 25% of enrolled students with full tuition and individualized support and mentorship. The Roc Nation Hope Scholars are selected from a pool of academically competitive, first-time freshmen with the highest need.
International sportswear brand PUMA announced the establishment of the PUMA Hope Scholarship Fund for students in the Roc Nation school. Previous scholarship opportunities have also been sponsored by NBA Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball and artist Megan Thee Stallion.
The Purple one now reigns over downtown Minneapolis! A mural of international icon, Prince. will be unveiled Thursday night in downtown Minneapolis at a Purple Block Party.
The massive 100-foot tall art display honors the late iconic entertainer. The artwork depicts portraits taken of Prince, born Prince Rogers Nelson at three separate points in his career. It sits at 1st Avenue and 8th Street, on the side by Target.
The “Crown our Prince” mural initiative ceremony kicks off the return of Paisley Park’s annual Celebration at 7 p.m.. The events will last for the next four days filled with concerts, celebrity panels, and in-studio recording sessions. It is free and open to the public, scheduled to end at 10 p.m..
According to Kare11, Miami-based muralist Hiero Veiga was selected unanimously from a pool of 60 muralists worldwide. The completion of the legendary entertainers mural has been years in the making. The organizers worked closely with Prince’s family and estate to bring it to life.
Watch Prince’s sister Sharon Nelson speak with media about the importance of the mural honoring him below.
The Orlando Museum of Art has been accused of displaying over two dozen counterfeit paintings they claim were created by acclaimed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
The New York Times reported over the weekend that the FBI is investigating 25 paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat that have been unveiled in Florida for about three months.
The investigation started after the Times reported on questions that were raised about the paintings’ authenticity a week after the exhibit opened. The artworks in question are valued at roughly $100 million.
According to the museum, the pieces are authentic and genuine from the late American Neo-expressionist painter, who rose to fame in the 1980s.
Aaron De Groft, the museum’s director and chief executive, asserts that Basquiat’s works were sold from himself directly to Hollywood screenwriter Thad Mumford for a mere $5,000 in cash. Said to have been created in 1982 while he was living and working out of a studio space in Venice, California.
According to The New York Times, The F.B.I.’s Art Crime Team is interested in ‘Untitled’ (Self-Portrait or Crown Face II), a particular piece (pictured below) that Basquiat was said to have painted on a FedEx cardboard box that was not even used by the company until 1994, six years after the famed painter died of a drug overdose.
‘Untitled’ (Self-Portrait or Crown Face II)
According to the Brooklyn Museum, before his death in 1988, Basquiat is believed to have created roughly around 2,100 artworks. The exhibit runs for another month before the paintings go on display in Italy.
Who could see the Black Ink brand becoming this large? Ceasar Emanuel could. Shops across the country, one of the most popular franchises on reality TV, and now, a tattoo battle pitting the Black elite from across the country in a competitive arena are just a few of the achievements that have come from the grind of his hard work.
The aforementioned tattoo competition is a part of the current seasons of Black Ink Crew and Black Ink Crew Compton. Both casts, and the Chicago crew, convened in Atlanta for the battle. Iron sharpening iron.
During his visit to Atlanta for the battle, Ceasar spoke with The Source on just how massive this battle is, reflecting on the success of Black Ink, and more.
What led to the creation of this battle?
Ceasar: Short version is as a Black man coming up in this industry. Y’all seen me on TV basically for 10 seasons. But a lot of people don’t know the backstory and what we have to deal with outside of just being on TV in this tattoo industry. A lot of people don’t understand as a Black tattoo artist, how difficult it is to be industry. A lot of times you see these competition shows and it doesn’t represent us. They’ll put us on there with crazy talent, but we won’t even be able to get out the second round. So this right here is to set a certain tone. People know us for what goes on in the shop. Our ratchetness, but nobody knows that we really artists. We really feed our family off what we do before we got on TV. We are artists. This competition is not just a competition to do it, but this is a competition to really show the world that we’re very skillful people.
You mentioned 10 seasons. A lot of people don’t get that, especially Black people. Being the focal point of this series, how do you manage to keep it a must-watch?
I can’t say necessarily humble, but me not getting a big head. And that’s because of people around me. Ted is around to keep me humble. When I start on too much, people are there to bring me down. But then when I start being on my low, there are people to tell me to pick up your chin. A lot of people need that. Ted’s been around 10 years on TV, been sitting on the couch where he’s been the most important person to me.
Even 10 seasons going, people can sit here and be like, “I could really relate with Caesar.” I was in a shop across the street from the projects and that’s where we made it from. So I think a lot of people mess with the show because they seen the struggle. They been day ones. They seen how we couldn’t even afford to have lights on. And then we got to hit. It’s almost like, one of those American dream stories.
Before this, I was barely able to afford Chinese food, so it is a whole different thing. It’s also a responsibility. I remember going to LA Fitness and a lady asked me, “does anyone ever tell you that you look like Ceasar from Black Ink?” and I respond all the time. She then just started talking about me and I really don’t really look at myself like how this lady who blending my juices does. She’s calling me an inspiration and stuff like that. So I really just try to stay humble and out of trouble to set an example in this situation.
New York, Chicago, AND Compton are all in the same building?! Ceaser’s GOTTA be up to something.
In this competition, it’s you, Ryan, iamCompton, and all of your shops. It’s a bond but you can tell everybody feels they are the best. When it comes to getting ready for this competition, how did you prep your team? What strategy did you have? What words did you give them? Because you Ceasar, you can’t come in here and host the joint and lose
Can’t lose. But at the end of the day, everybody gonna understand this is family, right? So I don’t want anybody to sit there and get into a fistfight over this. But like I told my people, “yo, y’all better turn up.” This is your time to shine. We got this big stage, this big platform we want to show out for, not just us, but for the culture. This ain’t about your individual glory. This is about glory as a community. We all understand the bigger picture in this. But a lot of us want to battle anyway.
How often would you want to replicate this? You got a handful of artists here but around the nation, it’s so many more.
That’s when, we just started something that basically can keep going, almost like a battle rap thing. I could go to every city and I could put people up against each other. And that’s what the showcase is to show other people’s skill. I feel like this next level is really a showcase in talent. Not just people who work in Black Ink, but minority tattoo artists everywhere.
You’re a busy man. You run shops everywhere. How do you keep your actual tattoo skills sharp?
I’ll be honest with you, bro. I’m completely honest with you. I tattoo on the low. When people would sit there and be posting they tattoos, you probably won’t see me posting a lot of my tattoos because I’m sitting there working on my craft. Plus tattooing is almost therapeutic to me. So most of the time I’ll be tattooing in the middle of the night and nobody knows it. I don’t take a lot of clients because I like doing big jobs. So I only take up like probably 15 clients for the year but those are like big pieces. Like bodysuits and whatnot. That’s how I hone my skills. I’m not really showing the picture until I finish the whole bodysuit.
The one thing I’ve learned from an OG, if you the biggest earner in your shop, you doing it wrong. The problem I always used to have, especially in my first three shops, is I was the main earner and I kept putting myself first instead of putting my employees first and I had to learn that. So a lot of times I pull myself back from tattooing and being booked out. Cause at the end of the day, bro, I’m 42 years old. I probably got like probably seven more years of tattoo left than me. Yeah. I got, I’m gonna have to leave it for these young bucks sooner or later you feel me? I’m gonna be in there, but you know, I’m gonna go from a player to a coach.
The different shops. You had to move to Brooklyn and it was kind of like a homecoming store, but people often talk about Brooklyn’s change. It’s gentrifying. Everything is switching up. So you have this Black tattoo shop in the middle of a gentrifying Brooklyn and you are about to be a staple. How does that feel?
It feels different. A lot of people don’t know. I started in Brooklyn. A lot of people don’t know I started in that same neighborhood. For me to basically leave Brooklyn and come back when basically Bedstuy is being stripped of everything that made it Bedstuy. It feels good to come back and show them like, yo, we ain’t gotta leave our hoods to other people. We ain’t gotta leave. We could take over our own neighborhood. We could own these stores. A lot of people just get so they get so uncomfortable on sitting and being an entrepreneur. They rather work a nine to five, knowing that they’re gonna give their money at the end of the week. They don’t really gotta hustle as much as an entrepreneur. Well, they don’t know, they hustle more than entrepreneurs.
When I came back, it was to yo, you don’t necessarily have to leave your hood to be comfortable. You could buy your hood back and stay there. I always felt our biggest problem was always yo, as soon as I get some money, I’m outta here. We never once sat there and say, once I get some money, I’m buying back my block. Most of the time people leave they hood cause they’re not comfortable. I’m more comfortable in my hood. So I always came with that idea one day, there’s going to be a franchise to be a symbol for those who have watched me for 10 years and grew with me and who can walk up on me like I’m their cousin. Cause a lot of these people went through the struggle with me and I didn’t even know it. Even with the kids, some been watching me since second grade. They in high school now and they’ll tell me scenes from like season two. Like wow. It is almost like a cult feeling. We really got into the culture and I’m just blessed because when we came on, it was just so many great reality shows on and we ain’t have the fancy cars. We didn’t have the big names. We got Harlem.
How much do you miss the old shop?
A lot. A lot. A lot. I ain’t gonna lie. When we lost 113, I cried because I always felt like it was my responsibility to keep that shop. We all grew up in it. Our memories is just embedded in that shop. Like we had the most fun, broke in that shop. And we went from broke, basically project kids to who we are now in that shop. But it was nothing I could do. It hurt me the worst cause it was a greedy landlord that wouldn’t let up. You go from rent being $5,000. So you wanna charge us $25,000 a month. Who is doing that for something that’s less than a thousand square feet? And that burnt my soul because even if I just left it just, not even as a working tattoo shot, but basically got a museum for Black Ink to see where we started. I wanted that and it was just taken away from me. If you go past it now it’s not even open. Nobody’s taking it because everybody know what it is. The community won’t let anybody take it. Somebody try to move in that right now. They gonna shut it down. The community misses me. And I did so much for that community. I miss it.
When you first saw this battle arena set up, how did you feel?
I’m be truthful with you. I’m be a man with you. I had to hold back my tears because a lot of people don’t know the struggle to get here. It took us 10 years to get here. For us to go from where we was and how people looked at us like we was the black sheep from day one. People saying we don’t represent our culture, the struggles of trying to open up shops. And they sit here talking about, “oh they’re on TV. All they do is fighting.” And this, that and the third. Now we finally got something for us. Now it’s fair game.
I know it’s in your head. What’s the next step for the takeover?
The tour. Yeah, the tour. I’m going straight to conventions. After that, it’s going to be like a music festival. I’m going to make it almost like a Black Woodstock. It’s so much more to the Black Ink culture than just tattooing.
Ceaser’s GOTTA be up to something. 
