Magzter Gold (Sitewide AU)

Magzter Gold (Sitewide AU)

Digital Delivery

Inked February 1st, 2022 Digital Back Issue Cover

Inked February/March 2022 (Digital)

(38)

Single Digital Issue

February/March 2022

$5.99

Powered By Zinio

Zinio

Satisfaction Guaranteed

Instant Start

50 Articles

Hey there, Welcome to the lifestyle issue! We’ve got a lot packed into this bad boy, but before we dive in, please indulge me as I gaze lovingly into my own navel. As I’m in the midst of my third midlife crisis—which must be a good sign as my “midlife” keeps getting older—and I’ve been thinking about my first tattoo a lot. I was 21, the required age to get tattooed in the city of Chicago at the time. I had definitely thought about getting a tattoo for years but I had always found a reason not to. Then a friend of mine came to visit from Indiana and he was hellbent on getting a tattoo, so much so that he offered to pay for mine as well. This was enough to finally…

Brooke Candy “This shoot is everything. Brooke Candy is an absolute creative genius and she out does herself every damn time. I loved learning more about her story and how she started her tattoo career. Can't wait to see what she does next!"—Debbie Stone, Santa Cruz, CA INKEDSTAGRAM: HASHTAG YOUR SELFIE #INKEDMAG TATTOO OF THE MONTH TATTOO BY @MATRULETATTOO Want to be a Tattoo of the Month? E-mail your ink to editor@inkedmag.com G-EAZY Dave Hanson— That’s my guy. So stoked G-Eazy is on the cover of my favorite magazine and loved learning more about his story. Also, I'm stealing his ramen tips. FAZE CLAN Curtis Mooney— FaZe up! I've been following FaZe Clan from day one and these dudes are taking over the damn world. MONEYBAGG YO Mike Tobacco— One of my all time favorite rappers with some of the…

Instagram: @jewelsandthegiantpeach What’s the story behind your first tattoo? My first tattoo was actually a little tiny heart on my ankle. When I was in the 10th grade, I was dating a boy who was 19. He had an "at home" tattoo kit and after half a Bud Light I told him to tattoo a heart on my ankle. What’s your most meaningful tattoo? I have a small tattoo on the top of my collar bone that says "Remember why you started.” My best friend Alie and I got these done together. We both went through some life-altering stuff early in 2020 and had both really struggled. We both liked that those words held a lot of meaning and we decided to go together to get it as a reminder of our past,…

Hey there, Welcome to the lifestyle issue! We’ve got a lot packed into this bad boy, but before we dive in, please indulge me as I gaze lovingly into my own navel. As I’m in the midst of my third midlife crisis—which must be a good sign as my “midlife” keeps getting older—and I’ve been thinking about my first tattoo a lot. I was 21, the required age to get tattooed in the city of Chicago at the time. I had definitely thought about getting a tattoo for years but I had always found a reason not to. Then a friend of mine came to visit from Indiana and he was hellbent on getting a tattoo, so much so that he offered to pay for mine as well. This was…

FIVE-MINUTE MASTERPIECES

Despite being one of humanity’s oldest artforms, you don’t see a ton of tattooed portraits hanging in the Louvre. Call it a sign of the times as the Old Masters weren’t commissioned to paint portraits of many folks sporting tribal arm bands. But—hear me out here—what if they were? That’s what Patteef has imagined throughout his five-minute collages. What started out as a little fun on his personal Instagram snowballed into a full-blown art project. In the conversation below you’ll learn how the project came about, why he can’t quite consider it art, and much more. Do you remember the first time you fell in love with art? It’s not like I grew up in a household with a high focus on art, but somehow the arts were always there. There…

FIVE-MINUTE MASTERPIECES

Life Is Peachy It’s been a long three years since we last caught up with Earn, Paper Boi, Van and the rest of the crew from "Atlanta." The Donald Glover-created show has been critically acclaimed since its debut back in 2016. Production on the long-awaited third season had been postponed due to COVID-19, but this March it will finally return to the FX lineup. Treat Yo Self What’s the point of getting a beautiful tattoo if you aren't going to take care of the piece once you leave the shop? Mad Rabbit has a full array of tattoo aftercare products designed to make sure you'll be proud of that ink for the entirety of its time in your skin. And don't forget, just like your tattoo, aftercare is a lifelong commitment. Mad Rabbit’s…

Brooke Candy “This shoot is everything. Brooke Candy is an absolute creative genius and she out does herself every damn time. I loved learning more about her story and how she started her tattoo career. Can't wait to see what she does next!"—Debbie Stone, Santa Cruz, CA INKEDSTAGRAM: HASHTAG YOUR SELFIE #INKEDMAG TATTOO OF THE MONTH TATTOO BY @MATRULETATTOO Want to be a Tattoo of the Month? E-mail your ink to editor@inkedmag.com G-EAZY Dave Hanson— That’s my guy. So stoked G-Eazy is on the cover of my favorite magazine and loved learning more about his story. Also, I'm stealing his ramen tips. FAZE CLAN Curtis Mooney— FaZe up! I've been following FaZe Clan from day one and these dudes are taking over the damn world. MONEYBAGG YO Mike Tobacco— One of…

THE INKED PLAYLIST

This issue, our playlist is presented by tattoo artist Mada Martyr. Mada loves all things spooky and her playlist is perfect for a fright night on the town. So sit back, relax and sink your teeth into this tattooer’s terrifying tunes. Motörhead “Orgasmatron” Death “Empty Words” Opeth “Ghost of Perdition” Rings of Saturn “Godless Times” Porcupine Tree “Trains” Darkthrone “The Dance of Eternal Shadows” Bloodbath “Outnumbering the Day” Celtic Frost “Domain of Decay” Acid Bath “Diäb Soulé” Melt-Banana “Free the Bee” Cynic “Evolutionary Sleeper” YOB “Adrift in the Ocean”…

THE INKED PLAYLIST

Mei Pang didn’t set out to make a bold statement when she started getting tattooed, she just wanted to get a cool tattoo. Nonetheless, the celebrated beauty influencer with more than 1.7 million TikTok followers ended up making an enormous impact with her unconventional artistic choices. “When I got my thigh tattoo, I just got the one and I walked out of the shop super psyched about it,” Pang says. “Then I got home and I felt a little bit lop-sided. So the next day I actually booked the exact same tattoo mirrored on the other side. And my tattoos have been symmetrical ever since.” From that point on, Pang began getting tattoos two by two—pairs of butterflies, panthers, centipedes, foo dogs and Dobermanns like a tattoo Noah’s Ark. As her…

Instagram: @jewelsandthegiantpeach What’s the story behind your first tattoo? My first tattoo was actually a little tiny heart on my ankle. When I was in the 10th grade, I was dating a boy who was 19. He had an "at home" tattoo kit and after half a Bud Light I told him to tattoo a heart on my ankle. What’s your most meaningful tattoo? I have a small tattoo on the top of my collar bone that says "Remember why you started.” My best friend Alie and I got these done together. We both went through some life-altering stuff early in 2020 and had both really struggled. We both liked that those words held a lot of meaning and we decided to go together to get it as a reminder of…

Legends often prophesize a chosen one who will rise from nothing to rescue the masses. Many times the chosen one will bear a mark or symbol, a way to reveal their true identity. Aaron Birdsall carries one such mark on his back. Non-believers may say it’s merely a tattoo procured in an impetuous moment, but it may very well be a sign Birdsall will become the rocker who was prophesied, destined for greatness. “I have an Aerosmith logo tramp stamp tattooed on my ass,” he laughs. “[Classic rock] will always be a part of me. I just wanted to be ratchet for a minute and pretend I was a groupie.” A tattoo might not quite be the mark carried by Harry Potter or Damien from “The Omen,” but Birdsall very literally wears…

No matter who you are or where you’re from, every tattooed person has been asked the same question—“You know those tattoos are permanent, right?” Chances are that this query has never once been met by anything other than an eyeroll and sigh of exasperation, but there is some merit in going a little deeper on the idea of tattoos and permanence. A tattoo is more difficult to get rid of than a bad haircut or even a poorly thought-out piercing, but as collector Bee Vanian would put it, tattoos are part of an ongoing and changing life story. “I don’t regret having my face tattoos at all, for me this is a journey,” Vanian says. “I got to experience life with my face being tattooed and now I’m in the process…

FIVE-MINUTE MASTERPIECES

Despite being one of humanity’s oldest artforms, you don’t see a ton of tattooed portraits hanging in the Louvre. Call it a sign of the times as the Old Masters weren’t commissioned to paint portraits of many folks sporting tribal arm bands. But—hear me out here—what if they were? That’s what Patteef has imagined throughout his five-minute collages. What started out as a little fun on his personal Instagram snowballed into a full-blown art project. In the conversation below you’ll learn how the project came about, why he can’t quite consider it art, and much more. Do you remember the first time you fell in love with art? It’s not like I grew up in a household with a high focus on art, but somehow the arts were always there.…

FIVE-MINUTE MASTERPIECES

The streets of Los Angeles are littered with the shattered dreams of people who left their small towns with hopes of becoming a star. Yes, we are fully aware this is a cliché, but lurking behind every cliché is a nugget of truth. Coco Blake took the cliché as a cautionary tale and made sure she was fully prepared for success before making her own pilgrimage from North Carolina to the City of Angels. Instead of putting all of her eggs into a single basket, Blake learned how to do a ton of different things. Blake is an influencer. She’s a model. She runs a clothing brand called Hug Your Homie. She’s a social media maven. And in the increasingly unlikely event that none of those endeavors work out, she even…

Life Is Peachy It’s been a long three years since we last caught up with Earn, Paper Boi, Van and the rest of the crew from "Atlanta." The Donald Glover-created show has been critically acclaimed since its debut back in 2016. Production on the long-awaited third season had been postponed due to COVID-19, but this March it will finally return to the FX lineup. Treat Yo Self What’s the point of getting a beautiful tattoo if you aren't going to take care of the piece once you leave the shop? Mad Rabbit has a full array of tattoo aftercare products designed to make sure you'll be proud of that ink for the entirety of its time in your skin. And don't forget, just like your tattoo, aftercare is a lifelong…

HACK THE SYSTEM

It’s October 6, 2021 and a cluster of college girls gather just outside of the Inked headquarters on 22nd Street in Manhattan. After being tipped off by a social media post—the modern-day siren’s call—each had made the decision to skip that day’s classes to set up camp outside. They brace against the crisp New York air, each craning to get a glimpse of the man who’s stopped by for a photoshoot and a new tattoo. Could it be the next charted rapper or Hollywood’s latest silver screen sensation? Nope, it’s TikTok heartthrob Vinnie Hacker. TikTok has lifted its elite content creators to celebrity status as the diverse platform offers limitless ways in which someone can accumulate a fandom. Hacker found his success by turning up the charm and leaning into the…

HACK THE SYSTEM

Alice Glass is a survivor, but she isn’t every survivor. For her debut solo album, Glass knew she wanted the project to address her experience with the band Crystal Castles and the alleged abuse she endured, but she needed to do so in her own way. “The record itself is a last desperate cry, but it’s not one that needs sympathy,” Glass says. “It’s sort of an amalgamation of suffering. But I didn’t write from the perspective of coming out on the other side as a stronger person or being sympathized with, it’s somewhere in the middle. This isn’t an album about the idealized survivor that we see in the media who’s overcome extreme odds. It represents the things that have happened in my life, how I’ve taken control and addressed…

THE INKED PLAYLIST

This issue, our playlist is presented by tattoo artist Mada Martyr. Mada loves all things spooky and her playlist is perfect for a fright night on the town. So sit back, relax and sink your teeth into this tattooer’s terrifying tunes. Motörhead “Orgasmatron” Death “Empty Words” Opeth “Ghost of Perdition” Rings of Saturn “Godless Times” Porcupine Tree “Trains” Darkthrone “The Dance of Eternal Shadows” Bloodbath “Outnumbering the Day” Celtic Frost “Domain of Decay” Acid Bath “Diäb Soulé” Melt-Banana “Free the Bee” Cynic “Evolutionary Sleeper” YOB “Adrift in the Ocean”…

THE INKED PLAYLIST

When interviewing for Inked magazine, you learn to expect the unexpected. Sometimes you’ll interview someone in the midst of a huge tattoo and other times the interviewee will be sudsing up in the bathtub or chowing down on some next-level takeout. But when travel and adventure influencer Jay Alvarerez took our call mere moments before jumping out of a plane in Oahu, Hawaii? That was a new one for us. “I’ve been skydiving probably 1,200 times,” Alvarrez says. “After a while, it doesn’t feel dangerous if you understand it. Driving a car is probably more dangerous than skydiving. Like anything else, you adapt to it and understand the dynamic. Every time I do it, it becomes more fun.” Alvarrez has been forging his own path since he was 12. When his mother…

Every superhero and musician has their own origin story. A musician’s story typically kicks off with a popstar’s cosign or a viral TikTok single, not a radioactive spider bite, but just as Peter Parker’s life was forever changed from that field trip to the Oscorp lab, an aspiring musician’s entire world will transform overnight with the right attention. Andrea Russett’s origin story started with her cutting her teeth as one of YouTube’s most recognizable content creators before jumping into a brand new endeavor. “A lot of people start making YouTube videos because they want to be a YouTuber,” Russett says, “but when I started making stuff online, you couldn’t even make money off of YouTube. I was just a kid in my basement making videos with my friends. I became…

Rauw Alejandro has been on a nonstop train of success, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. With two successful album releases, “Afrodisiaco” and “Vice Versa,” that spawned singles like “Tattoo (Remix)” and “Todo de Ti,” the Puerto Rican crooner has danced his way into the hearts of millions. Headlining a sold-out world tour that has since been renamed “The Bra and Panties Tour,” the 29-year-old, born Raul Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz, has tunnel vision when it comes to his career—he’s intensely focused on his future and refuses to let anything blindside him. Just as he was set to release “Trap Cake Vol. 2,” the sequel to his 2019 mixtape, we caught up with the now Grammy Award-winning artist to discuss life, love, music and tattoos, of course. It…

Mei Pang didn’t set out to make a bold statement when she started getting tattooed, she just wanted to get a cool tattoo. Nonetheless, the celebrated beauty influencer with more than 1.7 million TikTok followers ended up making an enormous impact with her unconventional artistic choices. “When I got my thigh tattoo, I just got the one and I walked out of the shop super psyched about it,” Pang says. “Then I got home and I felt a little bit lop-sided. So the next day I actually booked the exact same tattoo mirrored on the other side. And my tattoos have been symmetrical ever since.” From that point on, Pang began getting tattoos two by two—pairs of butterflies, panthers, centipedes, foo dogs and Dobermanns like a tattoo Noah’s Ark. As…

BIG BEAUTIFUL WEIRDO

In tattooing, we’ve become accustomed to seeing all sorts of sleeves—arm sleeves, leg sleeves. But a butt sleeve? Who would have even dreamed of such a thing? Comedian Nicole Byer, that’s who. “On my right cheek, I have a watermelon, a peach and a strawberry that says ‘Juicy’ and a chili pepper that says ‘Muy Caliente’ and then I have a lemon that says ‘When life gives you lemons, suck a dick,’” Byer reveals. “On my other cheek I have a cupcake, a lollipop and an ice cream cone that says ‘It’s sweet, just taste it.’ I have a hamburger and a hot dog that says ‘Stick it in these buns.’ I got all of these because I thought they were really funny and I still think they’re really funny.” Byer…

BIG BEAUTIFUL WEIRDO

Legends often prophesize a chosen one who will rise from nothing to rescue the masses. Many times the chosen one will bear a mark or symbol, a way to reveal their true identity. Aaron Birdsall carries one such mark on his back. Non-believers may say it’s merely a tattoo procured in an impetuous moment, but it may very well be a sign Birdsall will become the rocker who was prophesied, destined for greatness. “I have an Aerosmith logo tramp stamp tattooed on my ass,” he laughs. “[Classic rock] will always be a part of me. I just wanted to be ratchet for a minute and pretend I was a groupie.” A tattoo might not quite be the mark carried by Harry Potter or Damien from “The Omen,” but Birdsall very…

The Winter Olympics take place every four years, like clockwork. And every four years there are millions of people who set their eyes on one of the many niche events and think, “I can do that.” Take the bobsled. It’s so easy to sit in your easy chair, drinking a cold one and basking in the warm glow of the television, and convince yourself that with just a little motivation you could find yourself on the podium wearing a hefty gold medal around your neck. Not so fast, my friend. Watching on TV, bobsled may look not all that different from the sledding runs you went on as a kid, albeit a supercharged version of them. But when you listen to two-time gold medalist Kaillie Humphries describe the reality of the…

No matter who you are or where you’re from, every tattooed person has been asked the same question—“You know those tattoos are permanent, right?” Chances are that this query has never once been met by anything other than an eyeroll and sigh of exasperation, but there is some merit in going a little deeper on the idea of tattoos and permanence. A tattoo is more difficult to get rid of than a bad haircut or even a poorly thought-out piercing, but as collector Bee Vanian would put it, tattoos are part of an ongoing and changing life story. “I don’t regret having my face tattoos at all, for me this is a journey,” Vanian says. “I got to experience life with my face being tattooed and now I’m in the…

Avril Lavigne has never pulled her punches. It’s been 20 years since she burst onto the male-dominated pop-punk scene and if you think those two decades mellowed her out you’d be sorely mistaken. With the very first lyrics of “Bite Me,” her first single from her upcoming seventh studio album, Lavigne announced her presence with authority. “Hey you, you should’ve known better/Better to fuck with someone like me.” Truer words have rarely been spoken. Lavigne didn’t go anywhere, of course. She’s been prolific since the release of “Let Go” in 2002, but her new work is a clear return to the pop-punk roots from whence she came. Lavigne has mastered the art of sounding simultaneously dangerous and innocent, a line few other artists would even imagine walking, let alone actually pull off. The track…

The streets of Los Angeles are littered with the shattered dreams of people who left their small towns with hopes of becoming a star. Yes, we are fully aware this is a cliché, but lurking behind every cliché is a nugget of truth. Coco Blake took the cliché as a cautionary tale and made sure she was fully prepared for success before making her own pilgrimage from North Carolina to the City of Angels. Instead of putting all of her eggs into a single basket, Blake learned how to do a ton of different things. Blake is an influencer. She’s a model. She runs a clothing brand called Hug Your Homie. She’s a social media maven. And in the increasingly unlikely event that none of those endeavors work out, she…

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

Minutes after first meeting each other in a tattoo shop, ZillaKami and SosMula knew they were destined to find stardom together. The two took over the shop’s computer and started working on beats, and just like that, City Morgue was born. We sat down with the two rappers to talk about their latest album, “City Morgue Vol. 3,” their wild videos, the perils of performing when sick to your stomach and much more in a free-wheeling conversation. Y’all wanna introduce yourselves? How are you all doing today? SosMula: Chillin’. I’m hungover. ZillaKami: Tired. I’ve been up for a couple days. I’ve been on a flight. We just had Rolling Loud. Which one? LA? ZillaKami: Yeah, well, San Bernardino. How was that? ZillaKami: It was OK. I was sick, fighting through it. Playing shows when you’re sick kinda sucks. ZillaKami: It’s…

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

HACK THE SYSTEM

It’s October 6, 2021 and a cluster of college girls gather just outside of the Inked headquarters on 22nd Street in Manhattan. After being tipped off by a social media post—the modern-day siren’s call—each had made the decision to skip that day’s classes to set up camp outside. They brace against the crisp New York air, each craning to get a glimpse of the man who’s stopped by for a photoshoot and a new tattoo. Could it be the next charted rapper or Hollywood’s latest silver screen sensation? Nope, it’s TikTok heartthrob Vinnie Hacker. TikTok has lifted its elite content creators to celebrity status as the diverse platform offers limitless ways in which someone can accumulate a fandom. Hacker found his success by turning up the charm and leaning into…

HACK THE SYSTEM

The women of Latin music are thriving, and Malú Trevejo is bringing it home to Gen Z. Trevejo got her start posting to Musical.ly as a young teen and soon earned worldwide acclaim on TikTok. While she could have continued dominating the platform’s dance scene, she had bigger plans ahead. Trevejo began releasing music in 2017, built a loyal following and became an unstoppable force in the music industry. Now, she’s all grown up and ready to release her debut album to the masses. We sat down with Trevejo at the Inked headquarters in NYC to discuss her inspirations, growth and her burgeoning collection of striking tattoos. What was your upbringing like in Spain? Growing up in Spain was cool, I like the food over there. It’s just a whole different…

THE DUALITY OF NLE CHOPPA

“‘All Eyez on Me,’ OG from the East,” NLE Choppa raps toward the end of his sophomore album “Me vs. Me,” released January 14. The 19-year-old rap upstart from East Memphis, boasting over 10 million monthly Spotify listeners, has paid tribute to Tupac before. His lead single around this time last year was “Picture Me Grapin,” a play on “Picture Me Rollin’.” The song’s video recreated some of Pac’s most iconic music video scenes, fashion and run-ins with media, like when he spit on reporters covering his 1994 sexual assault trial. NLE even bears Pac’s influence across his chest, with a gothic cross tattoo in the same silhouette the West Coast rap icon had on his back. Thank NLE’s father, who gamely imitates his son’s trendy dances whenever there’s a camera…

THE DUALITY OF NLE CHOPPA

Alice Glass is a survivor, but she isn’t every survivor. For her debut solo album, Glass knew she wanted the project to address her experience with the band Crystal Castles and the alleged abuse she endured, but she needed to do so in her own way. “The record itself is a last desperate cry, but it’s not one that needs sympathy,” Glass says. “It’s sort of an amalgamation of suffering. But I didn’t write from the perspective of coming out on the other side as a stronger person or being sympathized with, it’s somewhere in the middle. This isn’t an album about the idealized survivor that we see in the media who’s overcome extreme odds. It represents the things that have happened in my life, how I’ve taken control and…

When interviewing for Inked magazine, you learn to expect the unexpected. Sometimes you’ll interview someone in the midst of a huge tattoo and other times the interviewee will be sudsing up in the bathtub or chowing down on some next-level takeout. But when travel and adventure influencer Jay Alvarerez took our call mere moments before jumping out of a plane in Oahu, Hawaii? That was a new one for us. “I’ve been skydiving probably 1,200 times,” Alvarrez says. “After a while, it doesn’t feel dangerous if you understand it. Driving a car is probably more dangerous than skydiving. Like anything else, you adapt to it and understand the dynamic. Every time I do it, it becomes more fun.” Alvarrez has been forging his own path since he was 12. When…

follow: @paulasgarbi While we’re all for a tattoo artist drawing out and slapping on a stencil, there’s something to be said about freehand tattooing. Freehanding a design allows the artist to create a tattoo specifically catered to the unique curves of their client’s body. Paula Sgarbi’s preferred style, ornamental blackwork, is perfectly suited for the freehand approach. We caught up with Sgarbi to learn more about her artistic background, why she chose her style, how she approaches freehanding and much more. Tell us about your upbringing and how you developed a love for art. I was born in Brazil, but I was raised in Malaysia and Singapore. I grew up with an amazing and unique mixture of traditions and spirituality, which have always been at the core of my inspirations. Since I…

follow: @armandean Growing up in Mexico City, Armando Munoz didn’t set out to become a tattoo artist. But all of that changed when opportunity quite literally came and knocked on his door when a friend of his brought over a tattoo machine asking the artistic Munoz to fix the crappy tattoo he had just gotten. More than a decade later Munoz is making a name for himself with some gorgeous color realism bordering on the surreal. We spoke with the artist known throughout the industry as Armandean about his inspirations, his design process and more. When did you first discover a love for art? When I was a child I discovered that I learned better while drawing in class. Obviously that was something almost illegal for teachers [laughs] but I was always…

Every superhero and musician has their own origin story. A musician’s story typically kicks off with a popstar’s cosign or a viral TikTok single, not a radioactive spider bite, but just as Peter Parker’s life was forever changed from that field trip to the Oscorp lab, an aspiring musician’s entire world will transform overnight with the right attention. Andrea Russett’s origin story started with her cutting her teeth as one of YouTube’s most recognizable content creators before jumping into a brand new endeavor. “A lot of people start making YouTube videos because they want to be a YouTuber,” Russett says, “but when I started making stuff online, you couldn’t even make money off of YouTube. I was just a kid in my basement making videos with my friends. I became…

Rauw Alejandro has been on a nonstop train of success, and it doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. With two successful album releases, “Afrodisiaco” and “Vice Versa,” that spawned singles like “Tattoo (Remix)” and “Todo de Ti,” the Puerto Rican crooner has danced his way into the hearts of millions. Headlining a sold-out world tour that has since been renamed “The Bra and Panties Tour,” the 29-year-old, born Raul Alejandro Ocasio Ruiz, has tunnel vision when it comes to his career—he’s intensely focused on his future and refuses to let anything blindside him. Just as he was set to release “Trap Cake Vol. 2,” the sequel to his 2019 mixtape, we caught up with the now Grammy Award-winning artist to discuss life, love, music and tattoos, of course.…

follow: @ellyn_ink When considering different mediums of art, one may assume that sculpture and micro portrait tattoos would be at opposite ends of the spectrum. One requires an artist to painstakingly carve enormous masterpieces out of stone or clay, while the other artist creates teeny-tiny paintings on a person’s skin. Growing up, Ellyn fell in love with the ability to recreate human anatomy through sculpture. But, instead of becoming the next Auguste Rodin, she chose tattooing and hasn’t looked back. Ellyn creates vividly realistic portrait tattoos on a daily basis and her story is ongoing. We caught up with this portrait perfectionist to discover how she became a tattoo artist, why she chose micro portraiture and how she plans to reinvent the tattoo genre one small tattoo at a time. What did…

follow: @vivianacalvotattoo It’s never too late to start over. Growing up, we’re often encouraged to forge our paths early on and to know what we want to be as soon as humanly possible. However, many find success in their second, third or even fourth careers. Viviana Calvo never planned to become a tattoo artist and she shocked everyone by leaving her steady job behind at 28 to follow her passion. Now, she’s a dominant force in the neotraditional tattoo scene and hasn’t looked back. How did you start tattooing and why did you choose to become a tattoo artist? I started tattooing by chance. I worked in a clothing store as a shop assistant and after a long time without painting I went back to it. Then my coworkers asked me to…

BIG BEAUTIFUL WEIRDO

In tattooing, we’ve become accustomed to seeing all sorts of sleeves—arm sleeves, leg sleeves. But a butt sleeve? Who would have even dreamed of such a thing? Comedian Nicole Byer, that’s who. “On my right cheek, I have a watermelon, a peach and a strawberry that says ‘Juicy’ and a chili pepper that says ‘Muy Caliente’ and then I have a lemon that says ‘When life gives you lemons, suck a dick,’” Byer reveals. “On my other cheek I have a cupcake, a lollipop and an ice cream cone that says ‘It’s sweet, just taste it.’ I have a hamburger and a hot dog that says ‘Stick it in these buns.’ I got all of these because I thought they were really funny and I still think they’re really funny.”…

BIG BEAUTIFUL WEIRDO

The Winter Olympics take place every four years, like clockwork. And every four years there are millions of people who set their eyes on one of the many niche events and think, “I can do that.” Take the bobsled. It’s so easy to sit in your easy chair, drinking a cold one and basking in the warm glow of the television, and convince yourself that with just a little motivation you could find yourself on the podium wearing a hefty gold medal around your neck. Not so fast, my friend. Watching on TV, bobsled may look not all that different from the sledding runs you went on as a kid, albeit a supercharged version of them. But when you listen to two-time gold medalist Kaillie Humphries describe the reality of…

Avril Lavigne has never pulled her punches. It’s been 20 years since she burst onto the male-dominated pop-punk scene and if you think those two decades mellowed her out you’d be sorely mistaken. With the very first lyrics of “Bite Me,” her first single from her upcoming seventh studio album, Lavigne announced her presence with authority. “Hey you, you should’ve known better/Better to fuck with someone like me.” Truer words have rarely been spoken. Lavigne didn’t go anywhere, of course. She’s been prolific since the release of “Let Go” in 2002, but her new work is a clear return to the pop-punk roots from whence she came. Lavigne has mastered the art of sounding simultaneously dangerous and innocent, a line few other artists would even imagine walking, let alone actually…

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

Minutes after first meeting each other in a tattoo shop, ZillaKami and SosMula knew they were destined to find stardom together. The two took over the shop’s computer and started working on beats, and just like that, City Morgue was born. We sat down with the two rappers to talk about their latest album, “City Morgue Vol. 3,” their wild videos, the perils of performing when sick to your stomach and much more in a free-wheeling conversation. Y’all wanna introduce yourselves? How are you all doing today? SosMula: Chillin’. I’m hungover. ZillaKami: Tired. I’ve been up for a couple days. I’ve been on a flight. We just had Rolling Loud. Which one? LA? ZillaKami: Yeah, well, San Bernardino. How was that? ZillaKami: It was OK. I was sick, fighting through…

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

The women of Latin music are thriving, and Malú Trevejo is bringing it home to Gen Z. Trevejo got her start posting to Musical.ly as a young teen and soon earned worldwide acclaim on TikTok. While she could have continued dominating the platform’s dance scene, she had bigger plans ahead. Trevejo began releasing music in 2017, built a loyal following and became an unstoppable force in the music industry. Now, she’s all grown up and ready to release her debut album to the masses. We sat down with Trevejo at the Inked headquarters in NYC to discuss her inspirations, growth and her burgeoning collection of striking tattoos. What was your upbringing like in Spain? Growing up in Spain was cool, I like the food over there. It’s just a whole…

THE DUALITY OF NLE CHOPPA

“‘All Eyez on Me,’ OG from the East,” NLE Choppa raps toward the end of his sophomore album “Me vs. Me,” released January 14. The 19-year-old rap upstart from East Memphis, boasting over 10 million monthly Spotify listeners, has paid tribute to Tupac before. His lead single around this time last year was “Picture Me Grapin,” a play on “Picture Me Rollin’.” The song’s video recreated some of Pac’s most iconic music video scenes, fashion and run-ins with media, like when he spit on reporters covering his 1994 sexual assault trial. NLE even bears Pac’s influence across his chest, with a gothic cross tattoo in the same silhouette the West Coast rap icon had on his back. Thank NLE’s father, who gamely imitates his son’s trendy dances whenever there’s a…

THE DUALITY OF NLE CHOPPA

follow: @paulasgarbi While we’re all for a tattoo artist drawing out and slapping on a stencil, there’s something to be said about freehand tattooing. Freehanding a design allows the artist to create a tattoo specifically catered to the unique curves of their client’s body. Paula Sgarbi’s preferred style, ornamental blackwork, is perfectly suited for the freehand approach. We caught up with Sgarbi to learn more about her artistic background, why she chose her style, how she approaches freehanding and much more. Tell us about your upbringing and how you developed a love for art. I was born in Brazil, but I was raised in Malaysia and Singapore. I grew up with an amazing and unique mixture of traditions and spirituality, which have always been at the core of my inspirations. Since…

follow: @armandean Growing up in Mexico City, Armando Munoz didn’t set out to become a tattoo artist. But all of that changed when opportunity quite literally came and knocked on his door when a friend of his brought over a tattoo machine asking the artistic Munoz to fix the crappy tattoo he had just gotten. More than a decade later Munoz is making a name for himself with some gorgeous color realism bordering on the surreal. We spoke with the artist known throughout the industry as Armandean about his inspirations, his design process and more. When did you first discover a love for art? When I was a child I discovered that I learned better while drawing in class. Obviously that was something almost illegal for teachers [laughs] but I was…

follow: @ellyn_ink When considering different mediums of art, one may assume that sculpture and micro portrait tattoos would be at opposite ends of the spectrum. One requires an artist to painstakingly carve enormous masterpieces out of stone or clay, while the other artist creates teeny-tiny paintings on a person’s skin. Growing up, Ellyn fell in love with the ability to recreate human anatomy through sculpture. But, instead of becoming the next Auguste Rodin, she chose tattooing and hasn’t looked back. Ellyn creates vividly realistic portrait tattoos on a daily basis and her story is ongoing. We caught up with this portrait perfectionist to discover how she became a tattoo artist, why she chose micro portraiture and how she plans to reinvent the tattoo genre one small tattoo at a time.…

follow: @vivianacalvotattoo It’s never too late to start over. Growing up, we’re often encouraged to forge our paths early on and to know what we want to be as soon as humanly possible. However, many find success in their second, third or even fourth careers. Viviana Calvo never planned to become a tattoo artist and she shocked everyone by leaving her steady job behind at 28 to follow her passion. Now, she’s a dominant force in the neotraditional tattoo scene and hasn’t looked back. How did you start tattooing and why did you choose to become a tattoo artist? I started tattooing by chance. I worked in a clothing store as a shop assistant and after a long time without painting I went back to it. Then my coworkers asked…

In This Issue

Description

Details

Reviews

Recent Digital Issues Browse all

Recent Inked Digital Issues Browse all back issues

Inked (Digital) Subscription April 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) April/May 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription February 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) February/March 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription December 1st, 2021 Issue

Inked (Digital) December/January 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription October 1st, 2021 Issue

Inked (Digital) October - November 2021: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription April 17th, 2023 Issue

Inked (Digital) Issue 3, 2023: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2023 Issue

Inked (Digital) Spring 2023: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription December 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) December/January 2023: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription October 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) October/November 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription August 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) August/September 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription June 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) June/July 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription April 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) April/May 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription February 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) February/March 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription December 1st, 2021 Issue

Inked (Digital) December/January 2022: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription October 1st, 2021 Issue

Inked (Digital) October - November 2021: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription April 17th, 2023 Issue

Inked (Digital) Issue 3, 2023: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription March 1st, 2023 Issue

Inked (Digital) Spring 2023: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription December 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) December/January 2023: $5.99

Inked (Digital) Subscription October 1st, 2022 Issue

Inked (Digital) October/November 2022: $5.99

Customers Also Viewed

Inked (Digital) Subscription July 17th, 2023 Issue

Inked (Digital)

(38)

Issue 4, 2023: $5.99

Reviews

0

0

0

0

0

No reviews yet

Ask a Question

Click stars to rate

Please select a rating for the review.

Please enter title for the review.

Please enter content for the review.

Please enter order number.

Please enter your first name and last name.

Only letters allowed for first name and last name.

Please enter your email.

Upload photo

Cancel Submit

Processing...

Thank you for your feedback! Your review has been submitted and will be published soon.

OK

Be the first to ask a question about this product

Please enter content for the question.

Please enter at least 10 characters.

Your question can not be more than 150 characters.

Please enter your first name and last name.

Only letters allowed for first name and last name.

Please enter your email.

Submit Processing...

Thank you for your question! Your question has been submitted and will be published soon.

Answer this question

Please enter content for the answer.

Please enter at least 10 characters.

Please enter your first name and last name.

Only letters allowed for first name and last name.

Please enter your email.

Submit Cancel Processing...

Thank you for your answer! Your answer has been submitted and will be published soon.

OK

×