NEW YORK

Check out these flicks from the NY Tattoo Tour location and one of the pieces..

SOUL SUNDAY

Here is another rare and hard to find Soul record from a rare group..

TRAILER OF THE THE WEEK

TEQA NYC

Here is a canvas we just did on day 1 out here in the NYC for our good friends opening of their new spot.

check it out here teqanyc.com

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Here is a record off of The Wu Tang Clans 36 chambers "Tearz" recorded 1994 and the Sample from Wendy Rene and her record "After Laughter" recorded in 1963

MANEKI NEKO

Here is the latest back piece on a client who came through from Tokyo Japan...

HARD KNOCK LIFE

Here it is! For everyone that has been asking...

THE BLUEPRINT

Jay Z and LeBron James came thru to check out a mural I painted for the kids in East L.A.

SOUL SUNDAY

The Manhattans, originally from Jersey City, New Jersey, formed in 1962 with members George "Smitty" Smith, Edward "Sonny" Bivins(born 15 January 1942, in Macon, Georgia), Winfred "Blue" Lovett (born 16 November 1943), Kenny "Wally" Kelley (born Kenneth Kelley, 9 January 1943 in New Jersey), and Richard "Ricky" Taylor. Bivins, Lovett, and Kelley were graduating from Lincoln High School, whilst Taylor and Smith were graduating from Snyder High School. All five enlisted in the armed forces and came together as agroup following their discharges from their respective branches.

The group's first single was "For the Very First Time," released in 1964 by Carnival Records. Many consider August 15, 1964, the date of recording, to be the official birth of the group. They continued recording with great success with songs written by various members of the group. In 1968, the group received the "Most Promising Group" award by NATRA. In 1969, the group moved to the De Luxe record label of King Records, subsequently embarking on a college tour. While playing at Kittrell College in North Carolina, the group met another group, the New Imperials, featuring Gerald Alston, nephew of The Shirelles'lead singer, Shirley Alston-Reeves. They were so impressed with Alston that they asked him to join the group, but he declined.

Misfortune befell the group late in 1970 when George Smith fell down a flight of stairs and later took ill. Unable to perform, the group began to search for a new lead. First they attempted to woo The Cymballs' lead, Lee Williams, but he was not willing to leave them. The group then renewed their request to Gerald Alston (born 8 November 1951, in North Carolina), who accepted and took over the lead spot. George Smith died of a brain tumor December 16, 1970.

The Manhattans continued recording throughout the 1970s with Alston singing lead vocals. They struck chart gold in 1976 with "Kiss and Say Goodbye," written by Blue Lovett and arranged/co-produced with the group by top Philadelphia-based musician/producer Bobby Martin, a former member of the MFSB band of session musicians. Featuring an impassioned vocal by Alston and a memorable opening rap by Lovett, the song quickly became a #1 chart topper on both the Billboard Pop and R&B charts. It also became only the second single ever to go platinum. Taylor left in 1976 to concentrate on his conversion to Islam (but died in 1987 after a long illness). The group continued as a quartet and found further success in March of 1980 with the release of "Shining Star," which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and #4 on the R&B Chart. Produced and co-written by established Chicago producer Leo Graham, it received a Grammy award the following spring.

The group celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1985 with the release of Too Hot To Stop It. It included the Bivins/Smith-penned "We Were Made As One," originally recorded in 1966 but covered in an a cappella, doo wop style to emphasize the group's doo-wop roots. The album was also dedicated to George Smith.

The group continued until 1988. That year, Alston left to record as a solo artist, scoring with several major R&B hits in the late 80s and early 90s for Motown. Roger Harris was recruited as the new lead singer for the group, which moved to new label Valley Vue when their Columbia contract expired. Kevin Lunsford was the lead guitarist for the Manhattans from 1998 to 2003

TRAILER OF THE THE WEEK

COME AS YOU ARE

THROWBACK THURSDAY

I SEE YOU!

A GOLDEN TICKET

Just a few fliks of the latest session. We might let you guys check it out when its a wrap!

If your lucky...

GET IN WHERE U FIT IN

SOUL SUNDAY

LOVE HER MADLY

The Homie Rich Hil came through to add a portrrait of his Fiancee..

THROWBACK THURSDAY

EZEKIEL 25:17

Here is a fresh piece on a repeat client who came in for the another rib shot..

Check out the Homie Eminem in his Brisk commercial..

CONTINUATION

Here is a piece on a regular client who came in to continue on her sleeve with the State of Texas on her elbow..

SOUL SUNDAY

The Miracles (known from 1965 to 1972 as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit,Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records company. Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature acts of the 1960s. During the same period, the Miracles' original lead singer and founding member Smokey Robinson became one of the most successful songwriters andrecord producers of all time.

During their nineteen-year run on the American music charts, The Miracles charted over fifty hits and recorded in the genres of doo wop,soul, disco, and R&B. Twenty-six Miracles songs reached the Top Ten of the Billboard R&B singles chart, including four R&B number ones. Sixteen of the Miracles' songs charted within the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100, with seven songs charting within the Top Ten and two – 1970's "The Tears of a Clown" and 1975's "Love Machine" (Part 1) – reaching number-one.

Referred to by critics as Motown's "soul supergroup",^[1][2] the Miracles are multiple Grammy Hall of Fame inductees, Vocal Group Hall of Fame and Doo-Wop Hall of Fame inductees, and have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Smokey Robinson & the Miracles^[3] #32 on their list of "The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists of All Time."^[4] They are also ranked in the Top 100 Artists Of All Time on Billboard Magazine's and Vh-1's 1998 lists.

TRAILER OF THE THE WEEK

CULTURA

Here is a piece on a client who wanted to represent our culture by getting a classic icon..

THROWBACK THURSDAY

COMMEN SENSE

Common was reppin wearing the Nike Dunks that I designed the logo for the World Cup Last year..

LET THE LIGHT SHINE

Here is one with classic elements to represent a personal story!!

GET MONEY

Here is a piece on a client who came in and wanted to get the "Money Rose" on the hand...