Sometimes I still hear all the noises of confinement. I can grasp the silence of the tier like it was yesterday. At a drop of a pin it could depict the outcome of someone’s destiny. Mine on the other hand was a ballpoint pen after being severed in half with my homemade xacto knife. I never thought the big house would be one of my chapters to unfold in this unguided path we called life. I truly can say I’m glad it was part of my table of contents. I learned alot about myself, my surroundings, and how to use my god given talent to survive.

Ever since I was a young pup I was a go-getter. Then I was introduced to the criminal grind named Hustle. Shit, I figured if I can fill up my and the homie’s lockers with *cadillacs and wham whams, what would happen with this tattoo game when its my time to reprogram to society. Luckily I was given the opportunity to grow at a tattoo shop in Huntington Park called Aggressive Nature. With no portfolio, no shop experience or apprenticeship I was given a stage to perform and establish the age i am currently trapped in. Another outlet that I obtained while doing burpies in the gym, was by a well known figure in the apparel industry known as Lucky Luciano. This Santa Monica vet, was one of the co-founders of Joker Clothing. He opened a door for me to take my game where the sky is the limit. So on March 24 th 2001, a dream was in set in reality.

My parents were immigrants from south of the border. They came here like every other person in search of a better life. In that they succeeded. I grew up in a normal household, both parents working and educated. The family choice of career were both in the printing industry. That’s where I was introduced to the Mac. Never really took into it, I was like any other teenager I knew, getting high and kicking it with the fellas was my priority. I was introduced to graffiti, which led to gangs and then to prison. It wasn’t to after I paroled I realized that the computer was the future, and how it could transform my art into a digital dream.

I enrolled into a career college to obtain another form of credential. I got my degree in visual communications. Didn’t do much for me, but I accomplished what was a dream of my creators. Had to take my game I picked up in the past and use it to my advantage. I started to design for well known clothing lines and hip hop figures such as Joker Brand, Tribal Gear, Famous Stars and Straps, Grammy Award Winners Sleepy Brown of The Dungeon Family, and DJ Khalil of Self Scientific/Aftermath Entertainment, DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill, Bun-B, and to become the Art Director for the infamous kings of the underground, the Psycho Realm and label under Sick Jacken, RMG/Rebel Music Group. There were no boundaries. I could let my creative juices flow like whiskey at one of our memorable gatherings. These new links that ended up in my path gave me the opportunity to enscribe my mark on mobile canvases in distant lands such as Japan, Spain, Germany, Amsterdam, Philippines, Italy, Hungary, Taiwan and Chile. Who would of ever thought? One day I was having my point man on the clock while I was blasting someones hood across their dome, to staying in a five star overlooking shit I only seen or heard of in our history books. Life’s a trip. You never know what kind of hand life is going to deal you. I guess you can say, I’m living proof that crime does pay.

*Coffee(mixed with creamer, cocoa &sugar) and Sweets

BIGTINY OF UNAUTHORIZED INK. in THE C/S PROJECT from BIGTINY on Vimeo.