http://www.urbanink.com Latest Articles from Urbanink. en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 22:51:59 GMT The newest and hottest duo on the celebrity couple radar these days is New England Patriots star receiver, Chad Ochocinco and Evelyn Lozada, the highly combustible star of "Basketball Wives." Along with stardom and a large butterfly backpiece, Ms. Lozada is also a very successful entrepreneur. Her apparel line, featuring the words "You Are A Non F'N Factor" (a phrase she coined on "Basketball Wives"), has sold in the six figures alone.

As for Mr. Ochocinco and his vast collection of body art, he has and always will be a lightning rod for controversy and is predictably unpredictable. We got the full "Eight-Five Experience" first hand when we saw the fun and childlike side of Chad at our photo shoot, only to meet the less-talkative side of the man when we tried to interview him.


Evelyn Lozada

URBAN INK: Let's start with your back ink. How did that design come to be?
Evelyn Lozada: Years ago I had just one butterfly, and I didn't really like how the butterfly looked. I had that done when I was 20-years-old. So I went to see the artist, Chris Garver here in Miami - he's from "Miami Ink" - and told him I wanted to change that butterfly and add eight more. I had a girlfriend that passed away in high school, a friend of mine. For some reason I always connected her to butterflies, and so I added more. I don't know, it's just something that keeps me connected to her because I know that she loved butterflies.

Do you think we are getting a true sense of who you are from what we see of you on TV, or are you a completely different person from what we have seen?
I wouldn't necessarily say that I'm different. I think a lot of the time the viewers get the raw side of Evelyn; I'm very straightforward. I'm very honest. I'm very in your face if you're on my bad side, but I'm not like that all the time. But, of course, on a reality TV show, that's what they're going to show. If I'm having a confrontation with this person or that person, that's what they're going to show, as opposed to me doing a charity event. I do think the impression of me out there is that I'm probably a bitch. But that's not all me and I have another side to me.

People on Twitter are like, "Oh, you're really nice." I'm just not nice all the time. I use Twitter as a way to interact with all of the fans. For them to get to know me outside of the show is really important because we're not in control of that. We're not in control of what they see on the show. That's part of the business and the chance that you take.

There's been talk of a possible reality show with you and Chad. If that came to be, would you approach how you act on camera in a whole different way?
I always go into it thinking I'm going to do things different. You know, you can never really predict what's going to happen and there's always drama. I always go into it thinking I'm going to be less in your face and maybe control my temper a little bit more, but you never know what's going to happen. A lot of times you go into it thinking you're going to try to not be seen as a monster, but you can't really prepare yourself for what's going to happen. So you hope and pray that, when you watch the show, it's not that bad.

I want to also get into your business ventures. First thing, how are your t-shirts doing?
You know the t-shirts are amazing. In the first month of the show airing I sold six figures' worth of them. It became such a storyline in the show. I had no idea it was going to take off the way it did. It was really easy. I would just come up with these ideas, and it's just how I speak on the show and some of the things I would say.

What's going on with the Dulce Shoes boutique in Miami?
I own a shoe store in Coral Gables, Florida. That's actually the main reason I had signed on to do the show ("Basketball Wives") because I had just opened up my shoe store and I thought it would be a great idea to promote the store. And it's doing pretty well. It's just hard for me since my life has changed so much, and it's hard for me to be in the store all day, every day. Prior to the show I was in the store six days a week.

What other projects are you involved in?
I have a book coming out June Fifth and it's called The Wive's Association. I signed with Cash Money. Simon and Schuster is going to publish my book through Cash Money. For me to be able to pair up with Baby and that big empire is exciting for me. It's fiction; it's not a tell-all book. I would never do a tell-all and put people out there like that. I have experienced a lot, I have a lot to say, and for me to channel that into juicy novels is exciting for me. There's already been interest into translating the book into a movie. Then my own make-up line is going to be out - E by Evelyn Lozada - and that's going to be out in February.

Congratulations. It looks like you are really making the industry work for you.
You know, I'm just trying to let these 15 minutes last longer than 15 minutes.

www.duldeshoes.net
www.evelylozada.com



Chad Ochocinco

URBAN INK: It's great to have you back in Urban Ink. Have you added any pieces to your collection since we last saw you?
Chad Ochocinco: The only thing I've added is on my ribs - the Archangel St. Michael - and inside my bicep it says, "Let Go and Let God," on the arm.

Who did the work?
A guy in Cincinnati did both of them, as a matter of fact.

What was the inspiration of getting St. Michael? It's a very dynamic-looking piece.
I just liked the way it looked on my ribs.

"Let Go and Let God" is a very spiritual saying. Was there any experience in your life that led to you choosing that piece?
It's just a saying that my mom always said. All my tattoos are religious-based, except one.

Would you consider yourself a religious person?
Yeah, to an extent. I mean, I'm not overboard with it. But to an extent I am.

Does a piece have to have a strong meaning to you to get the work done? Do you ever get a piece just because of the look of the design?
No. Never.

Some guys would never get a woman's name tattooed on them. Would you have a problem with getting Evelyn's name tattooed on you to mark this new chapter in your life?
I would (get one); I don't have a problem with it at all.

The proposed reality show would center around yours and Evelyn's relationship. Are you at all uncomfortable with being a part of a show that digs so much into your personal life?
Not at all. Evelyn and I are extremely interesting people. It would be fun.

Do you see the new show as a chance to let people view a side of you that is less controversial than the side we so often see and read about?
I'm just going to be me. If people don't know who I am by now, based on what I've shown after all this time, then there's no hope.

Are you happy playing football in New England?
Oh, definitely.

Do you see the Patriots as being able to compete for a Super Bowl this year?
Do I have to talk about football? I didn't think the interview was going to be about football.

We don't have to. Are there any other projects outside of football that you want to talk about?
I'm not doing anything else right now. I'm not doing anything besides football right now, and then anything else we'll have to see once the season's over.

All you're doing is football, but you don't want to talk about football?
I'm not doing any interviews this year about football, on purpose. I haven't been doing any interviews.

Okay, then. Do you want to promote any websites?
Not right now.

Alright. Thank you for your time.
Thanks, boss.

Photography by Howard Huang (howardhuang.com)
Article by V. Maddrone

Fashion Styling by Callista Wilson-Ennis Inc
Hair by Joseph DiMaggio
Makeup by Tavi Delarosa

]]> http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=454 http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=454 Wed, 16 May 2012 11:58:08 GMT This past Fall, Houston rapper Slim Thug revamped his Twitter meme, "Thug Thursday," from a wild outcall to arms - do something thuggish, tweet with #ThugThursday - into a new music program. By dropping fresh tracks weekly, Slim and his Boss Hogg Outlawz crew were generating anticipation for his latest mixtape, Houston. The tape, along with a memoir-cum-urban financial guide - How To Survive A Recession - were both released on December 22, 2011.

URBAN INK: You mention your "Texas" and "Houston" tattoos in the hook for your song, "Houston." When did you get those pieces done?
Slim Thug: I've had the [Texas] one on my arm for like seven or maybe eight years. The [Houston] on my back is fairly new, I've had it for probably like two or three months. Mister Cartoon did both of those. He's done the majority of my tattoos. He's kind of expensive, but you can't erase this sh*t. I wouldn't have anybody else finish someone's thing, so I try to just stick with going to him. A lot of times when I go, I don't even know what I'm gonna get. Me and him always sit down, have a good conversation just about everything. Then we just figure it out from there.

On your other arm, you have a Boss Hogg Outlawz tattoo. Does everyone else in the crew have one?
Some people have [the shield and the gun] on their arm, some people got their name with the badge in the middle. I got Slim Thug with the badge in the middle. Nobody got the exact tattoo I got. But this little white kid, who's a big fan, he has a gang of [my] tattoos. He's got everything: My face on his arm, he's got the badge tatted somewhere. There's a dude overseas, I met him on MySpace, he copied my exact tattoos, too.

Is that cool with you?
I'm not hating. If they're showing that they're down with me and they stay raw, it's cool.

How covered are you?
I just got my arm and my chest and my back done. I ain't done, though.

What made you decide to get your first tattoo?
I started kind of late with tattoos. I got my first one when I was 21. I wanted a tattoo for the longest [time], but I just wanted to make sure that this rap sh*t was going to work out so I wasn't trying to find a job sleeved up. It's not like LA out here. Motherf*ckers probably wouldn't hire you if you're sleeved up. They're not as open as other places.

Who came up with the idea to do Thug Thursday?
I came up with it awhile back, where I'd get people to do thuggish sh*t on Thursdays on Twitter. But to keep material out there, instead of doing it like everybody else, I just drop a song and then everybody gets a week to pay attention to the song.

You also have a book coming out called How To Survive A Recession. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
There's a line on a single I put out called "I Run," where I said, "I'mma put out a book called How To Survive A Recession," but people started asking me when the book was gonna come out. After that, I started jotting sh*t down in my iPhone, different ways to save money. I wanted to do Suze Orman sh*t. There isn't anyone who does that for black people. You watch her show and it's just regular motherf*ckers with a billion in the bank because they're on their sh*t. They're organized about spending their money and investing right. I don't feel like anybody ever taught us how to do that sh*t. It's not in the form of being serious all the way, through. Even though it's very real, it's more, "Dont be making it rain" type sh*t. It's real urban. It came about because I was having lunch with this girl that I was probably trying to smash. She was like, "I'm a publisher," and I was like, "No sh*t, I got an idea for a book." I told her and immediately it came through [to be].


Photography by D. Brown
Article by Claire Lobenfeld

]]> http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=450 http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=450 Wed, 02 May 2012 11:14:28 GMT Ray Edwards wants to hit someone. During the football season, Edwards satisfies this desire by wrapping ball carriers in his inked-up arms and putting them face down in the turf as one of the NFL's premiere badass defensive ends. In the off-season, Edwards dons leather gloves and gets in the ring to do bodily harm as a pro fighter.

After a five-year run with the Minnesota Vikings, Edwards is about to start a new chapter in his football career, having signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Dipping his toes in the waters of entrepreneurship, Edwards is also set to release a calendar for 2012, as well as a t-shirt line later this year.

The grandparents who shaped him into the man he is today - as well as his creator - are the centerpieces of a tattoo collection that Edwards committed himself to as a high school football star in Cincinnati, OH.

URBAN INK: I've been dying to ask you about that tribute portrait on your right shoulder. What's the background on that one?
Ray Edwards: That's my grandfather, who passed away when I was a freshman in high school. He's the guy that instilled in me all of the things that I believe in today. That was my first tattoo; I got it in 2003.

Lets jump to the script on your left arm.
It's a Bible verse and it says, "Like stars you don't always see them, but you know they're there." Because everyone has a place in my heart. I also got that one in high school.

Who does your work?
That's my boy, James (Dryer), at Asylum Tattoo in Covington, Kentucky. He does all my stuff.

You also have your share of faith-based ink? Do you believe God has played a part in your success?
Absolutely. I wouldn't be able to do what I do - I wouldn't be able to be who I am - without my faith. It gives me the heart; it just goes with me through everything I've been through.

Do your religious leanings go back to your childhood?
Yeah, I was raised up in the church. I was raised in a family that went to church every day. I was raised in church and then got away from it. But, you know, as you get older, you get back into it. I got away from it being in high school and college - being so focused on sports. And then I found it again, basically when I got in the NFL, because I had that time to go to church on Sundays, which was good for me.

You have a piece that says, "Only God Can Judge Me." Do you believe that people are judging you?
Yeah, I feel like most people judge you if you're not doing what they'd like you to do, or saying what they want you to say. That's why it says, "Only God can judge me." A lot of people can say something, but only the people that know me can understand who I am, and what I'm about.

Talk a bit about the work on your chest.
The one that's on my left chest is for my grandma. It's a heart with roses around it and it says, "My heart" around it. Because everything I do now, I do for her. I want to make sure the rest of her days are joyful, 'cause she spent most of her life taking care of me so that I could hold my head up, and I worked hard. Then the one on my right chest is an American Eagle because that's my heritage - I'm American. Then I have boxing gloves and a football because those are the two professional sports that I love.

Have you considered getting a falcon now?
No. I won't get a falcon. No [laughs].

Are you excited to be playing in Atlanta?
Absolutely. This is definitely a great place. We've added to the team, and if everybody can stay healthy we can make a good run.

Can you see the Falcons contending for a Super Bowl?
Oh, absolutely. I mean, it was very close last year and everybody returned back. Hopefully everybody steps up and plays their role.

Now how did you get involved in boxing?
I got into it when I was younger, cross training and stuff like that. But I couldn't get into it because of the cost of tournaments and traveling around. As an older guy, I was still able to be into it because of the cross training, but I was able to be more serious with it because of how passionate I was about it.

How would you compare the fulfillment you get from boxing as opposed to playing football?
It's a different thing. You know, team sports have a great camaraderie. You know, you just have fun, and everybody is depending on you to do your job, and you're depending on them to do their jobs. With boxing you are by yourself. You basically just depend on yourself like you do in life. It's two different things, two different aspects of life.

Where are you right now with your boxing career?
Its on hold. I'm working on my football career right now, definitely working on our goals and working with the team. That's where my head is at right now.

Photography by Travis Shinn
By Clive Young

]]> http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=446 http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=446 Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:58:39 GMT With only her sixth season of pro ball for the WNBA in the books, Cappie Pondexter is already recognized as one of the greatest players in the league's history. After leading the Phoenix Mercury to two championships in three years, Cappie took off for the Big Apple and now runs the offense for the New York Liberty.

Cappie envisioned reaching stardom as a basketball player at an early age and began inking symbols of her goals and dreams on her skin to keep her from straying off the path to greatness.

URBAN INK: Some athletes get tats of their team or college logos. You got the WNBA league logo inked to your arm. Why did you choose to do that?
Cappie Pondexter: I got that before I even made it to professional basketball. I got that tattoo when I was in high school. It was more like, you know, how you have certain things that inspire you? To me it was inspiration. It was something that I wanted to do. I knew when I started playing basketball that I wanted to play professionally. When the WNBA came around I got it, so when I was feeling down or I wasn't going hard enough, I just looked down at the tattoo and knew, "I just gotta get there. I just gotta make my dreams come true."

Can you tell me about the work on your back?
It says, "To whom much is given, much is required." Basically my mom told me that through much of my basketball career. When you're given a higher position, a lot is required from you on a day-to-day basis. It really, really means a lot. You don't really have any off days. When you're off you have to give back to charity. You have to go to this; you have to go to that. And sometimes, you may not feel like it, so that quote always meant something to me. I chose this path. I chose this position, so a lot is required from me, and I have to make it happen - no matter what, by any means.

Is faith also an inspiration for some of your ink?
I am religious to a certain point. I have one tattoo, the beginning of each word is capitalized and it spells out FAITH. Basically through everything, you gotta have faith and believe in whatever gets you through your path and toward what you want to accomplish.

Who does your work?
I have several artists. I have a lot of work from the Tattoo Factory in Chicago. I almost always go there for my ink. I also travel a lot, so I got a tattoo in Moscow; I got a tattoo in Istanbul and in Miami.

Do you ever consider that your life and career have become a source of inspiration for the next generation of female athletes?
Oh yeah, I am always thinking about that. When I was growing up there weren't that many popular players around like that. You know, maybe a few, but it wasn't how it is now. You know, we have a kind of unique opportunity to open the doors for these young girls. I'm always thinking about them. Even after games it's kind of hard to interact with fans and sign autographs. But that autograph that you sign, that picture that you take, might just be the thing that makes that girl's dream come true.

The NBA gets some criticism because of heavily tattooed players. They say the ink sets a negative example for kids and fans. As a WNBA player, does how your ink might be perceived concern you?
I think at one point it was looked upon as a bad thing, but now tattoos are starting to become such a huge part of our culture. Whether you're looking at hip-hop artists, unique urban culture and fashion, it's starting to become a "look." But on the female side, my tattoos are a little bit softer. I don't have sleeves. A lot of times when I go to appearances or I go to business meetings, you can't really see my tattoos. You might know about them, but they're not visible to the world.

What I think is, if you want to get a tattoo, get it. I don't think people should judge you about what tattoos you have. I think it should be about your character. That's my opinion.

Have you enjoyed your time with the Liberty? Do you have any regrets leaving Phoenix?
It's been great. I mean a lot of people don't understand the reason why I left Phoenix; but in my first year in New York we had an amazing season. Our ticket sales went up, our fan base went up. Now this year we ended up having a new coach, a new general manager, they're renovating the (Madison Square) Garden. So we have that foundation of things behind us, and we have the potential to win championships. We have a great team, and we work really hard. I'm excited.

You were named one of the 15 greatest players in the history of the WNBA. What has achieving an honor of that magnitude meant to you?
You know, sometimes when you're in the moment you really don't think about the accomplishment. But yeah, it's such a huge honor. I'm only in my sixth season and already I've made the top 15 players in WNBA history. To me, it's amazing and it motivates me to work even harder. If this is where I'm at now, I can't imagine where I'm going to be maybe six years down the line. I'm excited about the growth, and I'm going to continue to push myself to the limit.

Do you have any fears about how the NBA lockout might affect the future of the WNBA?
Actually, there are only a few teams that are owned by the NBA. Even with that there won't be any problems because of the NBA lockout. The good thing is the WNBA has a lot of owners that are not even affiliated with the NBA, so we're kind of on our own feet at this moment. That's a pretty cool thing, and it's just one of the things that I'm excited about. It just shows you the growth that we're at right now.

Do you have any off-the-court endeavors you'd like to give us a heads-up on?
Absolutely. I have my website, cappiepondexter.com. Then there's the company website - fourseasonsstylemanagement.com. You can also follow me on Twitter - @Cappa23.

Photography by Dan Howell
Article by Calvin Murray

Makeup by Crystal Paige (crystalpaige.com)
Hair by Hugh Corrodus (beautybarinternational@gmail.com)

]]> http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=442 http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=442 Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:04:16 GMT Back in 2007, VH1 and ego trip magazine brought the world a reality show with a concept that really had never been visited before - "The (White) Rapper Show." The hour-long episodes were hosted by MC Search - from the hip-hop group 3rd Bass - and showcased a cast of Caucasian rappers who were competing for an ultimate prize of $100,000. After eight episodes, that ranged from freestyle battles to performing for local South Bronx residents, $hamrock from the ATL was crowned the best of class. Urban Ink recently caught up with $hamrock to talk about his debut album, The Wyte Rapper $how, life after reality television, and his Irish, money-green ink.

URBAN INK: How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
$hamrock: I was 18 when I got my first tattoo - the Celtic knot shamrock between my shoulder blades.

What inspired that piece?
My Irish family and the fact that I chose my rap name to be  "$hamrock."

Did you get the tattoo of the hundred-dollar bills on your hand after you won the prize money on the show, or was it tattooed before as motivation?
Nope, that was definitely after winning the prize money on the show. It's a 100-dollar bill to represent winning 100 Gs, and it's wrapped up in a $hamrock rubber band.

Which of your tattoos is the most meaningful and why?
I would say my left hand, which is praying hands with a script saying "In God I Trust." The detail is incredible, it is the rule I live by, and it is the one that people stop me about the most.

Who's your go-to tattoo artist?
My go-to artist is my big brother, Randy, who owns Tattoos By Randy on the Southside of ATL. Randy is amazing at what he does, and so many of the details on my tattoos were freehand and added on the spot. I let him do whatever he wants on a tattoo because I have utmost trust in his work.

What should we expect from your debut album, The Wyte Rapper $how?
It's like an ATL to Memphis soundtrack. The beats are so hard on the album, some are bluesy like Memphis, and some are super crunk like ATL beats. All the flows are hard, all the songs are about a real topic - it's definitely real music as opposed to trendy radio sh*t. I think you can bump this one for years and it will stand the test of time.

I read that you were born with a cleft lip, and you donated ten Gs of your prize money to Smile Train. How did it feel knowing that you were able to help kids who were going through what you went through as a child?
It was easily the best part of winning the money. Growing up, I had sponsors for some of my surgeries that we couldn't afford. To this day I don't know who paid for my cleft repairs. It only takes $250 to initially repair a cleft lip in third-world countries, so $10,000 means that Smile Train was able to repair 40 cleft lips. I am very honored that I was able to do that, and it makes me want to do more.

Whats the next move for $hamrock?
Just continue the pursuit of being creative in writing and music. I've worked with some of the biggest names in rap, but I still have some artists and producers on my wish list I want to see if I can make happen. I have a couple of book proposals that I'm working on. Maybe be a guest professor and teach a hip-hop sociology course in college. No matter what I do I will continue to express myself by always spittin', always writing and get a lot more ink from Randy!

Photography by Koopa of (bloodlineproductions.com)
Article by Dez Ward

]]> http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=437 http://www.urbanink.com/view-article.php?article_id=437 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:03:35 GMT