Tattoo Nightmares Miami (2014–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Welcome to Miami - full transcript
All new city, even harsher nightmares: Miami ink expert High Noon charms a New-YoRican bride-to-be, mohawked Texan Clint comes face to face with his own redemption, and pixie pin-up Reese goes to great pains to keep her cool.
NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE,
THERE'S NOTHING WORSE
THAN A BAD TATTOO.
NOW, THREE ARTISTS
HAVE COME TOGETHER
TO TAKE ON MIAMI'S MOST
IMPOSSIBLE TATTOO NIGHTMARES.
- MIAMI'S MY HOME.
YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE, NOW.
- DON'T LET THIS PRETTY FACE
FOOL YOU.
I AM ALL BUSINESS, BABY.
- LOVE ME OR HATE ME, MY
WORK ALWAYS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
THEY'RE GOING UP AGAINST
THE MOST INSANE
ORIGINAL TATTOOS...
- I WANT A TATTOO
IN MY ARMPIT.
- SERIOUSLY, THE ARMPIT?
AND OUTRAGEOUS COVER-UPS.
- WAIT, WHY THE NIPPLE,
OUT OF ALL THE PLACES?
- CALL 911!
- DAMN!
THIS IS
TATTOO NIGHTMARES: MIAMI.
- WHERE'S NOON?
NOONERS IS LATE.
- YEAH.
- HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED,
LIKE, WHAT NOON DID
IN LIKE, HIGH SCHOOL?
THE ONLY REAL THING I KNOW ABOUT
HIM IS THAT HE'S A LADIES' MAN.
HE IS THE BEAUTY IN THIS SHOP.
- THAT REALLY BOOSTS
MY SELF-ESTEEM.
- YOU'RE THE HAWK.
THAT'S LIKE A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT, EDGY BEAUTY.
- YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE
TEN MINUTES
AND YOU'RE ALREADY
DIGGING A HOLE.
- REESE BETTER WATCH OUT.
FROM MY YEARS DOWN IN TEXAS
RUNNING WITH BIKERS,
TO MY TIME ON INK MASTER,
I'VE SEEN IT ALL.
SHE CAN BAT HER EYELASHES
ALL SHE WANTS,
BUT SHE CAN'T B.S. THIS GUY
THAT GIRL'S LUCKY SHE'S CUTE,
MAN.
- LOOK WHO IT IS, NOONERS.
HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT?
- ALL RIGHT.
HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT?
- AW.
SEE THAT?
A LIL' SUGAR-SHUG
IN THE MORNIN'.
YOU MUST'VE ALWAYS HAD
THAT SWAG.
- UH, I GUESS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LOVER.
MIAMI'S MY HOME.
I LOVE THIS CITY.
BUT AS A NUYORICAN,
BORN AND RAISED...
I GUESS LOVE IS JUST
IN MY BLOOD, MAN.
HEY, WHAT WERE YOU LIKE
IN HIGH SCHOOL?
- PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS LIKE,
"SHE'S SO WEIRD...
BUT I DON'T KNOW,
I KIND OF LIKE HER."
- WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE?
- WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
- DON'T BE SNOOTY, OKAY?
DON'T PULL THAT CALIFORNIA CRAP.
- YOU ALREADY PULLED IT
OUT OF ME THIS MORNING.
- WHOA!
- REALLY?
REALLY, YOU GUYS?
- ONE MORE TIME, BABY.
ONE MORE TIME.
- YOU GUYS ARE SO IMMATURE.
WHY IS IT THAT EVERYWHERE
I WORK, FROM L.A. TO MIAMI,
IT SEEMS LIKE I'M ALWAYS
THE ONLY FEMALE IN THE STUDIO.
BUT, HEY, DON'T LET THIS
SWEET EXTERIOR FOOL YOU.
I CAN MORE THAN HANDLE MYSELF
AND I ALWAYS KEEP THE BOYS
IN LINE.
- DON'T DENY IT.
- HONEY, YOU WISH.
HOW'S IT GOING?
- HEY. HOW YA DOIN'?
- GOOD, I'M LOOKING FOR CLINT.
- HERE I IS.
- HOW YA DOIN'? I'M JASON.
- JASON, WHAT BRINGS YOU
IN HERE, BUDDY?
- MAN, I GOT A TATTOO
OUT OF SOME ANGER,
AND IT IS DESTROYING MY LIFE.
- LET ME SEE IT.
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
"GET EFFED"?
DAMN!
DON'T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH!
JUST LET 'EM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.
- EVERY TIME I LOOK
AT MY "GET EFFED" TATTOO,
I THINK ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION
OF MY LIFE.
IT JUST MAKES ME THINK
OF MY FAILED MARRIAGE.
THE TATTOO GIVES ME NOTHING
BUT TROUBLE.
- THAT RIGHT THERE,
HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
- THAT'S GOOD.
- I GOTTA COVER UP THIS CRAZY,
BLACK SOLID...
I MEAN, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE
GRABBIN' MY ANKLES ON THIS ONE.
SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY GUY AROUND
HERE GETTING EFFED IS ME.
FIRST OF ALL,
LETTERING IS, BY FAR,
THE HARDEST THING TO COVER
BECAUSE WE'RE SO TRAINED
TO RECOGNIZE LETTERS RIGHT AWAY.
WHY DON'T YOU STEP
INTO MY OFFICE?
JASON'S TATTOO
IS REALLY DIFFICULT
NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S LETTERING,
BUT BECAUSE IT'S PROFESSIONALLY
DONE.
I'M A 20-YEAR VETERAN,
AND IT LOOKS LIKE I DID IT.
IT'S A RARITY THAT I SEE
ANYTHING JUST THAT OFFENSIVE,
JUST BLATANTLY OUT THERE
LIKE THAT.
WHAT'S THAT LIKE,
LIVING WITH THAT THING?
- IT'S ROUGH, MAN.
FOR A LONG TIME, MAN,
IT WAS HARD TO FIND A GIRL,
YA KNOW.
DATES DIDN'T GO WELL.
THEY'D SEE IT.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT.
CAN'T EVEN GET A JOB.
- I COULDN'T IMAGINE JUST
PLANNING MY WARDROBE AND MY DAY
BASED ON A TATTOO LIKE THAT.
- YUP.
- WHAT DO YOU GOT
IN YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS
AS FAR AS A COVER-UP?
- I WAS IN THE MILITARY.
I'D LIKE TO COMMEMORATE
THE FALLEN
AND I'D LIKE TO GET A WOMAN
CARRYING A WEAPON
AND IN FATIGUES.
I GAVE EVERYTHING
TO THE MILITARY
AND I RESPECT ANYBODY
WHO HAS EVER DONE THAT.
WOMEN, EVEN MORE SO.
- IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE,
THOUGH...
ASKING FOR A PORTRAIT
KIND OF STYLE
ON TOP OF OLD ENGLISH LETTERS
THAT ARE DONE PROFESSIONALLY?
TELL YOU WHAT.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE A TRIP
OVER TO THE STATION?
LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN
COME UP WITH.
KINDA STRESSING OUT HERE.
DOING A PORTRAIT-STYLE TATTOO
AS A COVER-UP
IS INSANELY HARD AS IT IS.
AND ON TOP OF THAT,
ME AND PORTRAITS,
WE GOT A ROCKY PAST.
LAST TIME I TRIED
TO ATTEMPT A COLOR PORTRAIT,
I WAS ON INK MASTER.
I BASICALLY BOMBED IT WHEN IT
CAME TO THE COLOR PORTRAIT.
- THE TATTOO YOU DID, TODAY...
NOT A GOOD REPRESENTATION
OF WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF.
- THIS WAS A BIG KICK
IN THE ASS.
- YOUR TATTOO IS THE WORST ONE,
TODAY.
THERE'S NO MORE ROOM
FOR COMEBACKS.
- IT WAS SO ROUGH ON ME THAT
I HAVEN'T DONE A PORTRAIT SINCE.
BUT YOU KNOW ME AND I'M NOT ONE
TO BACK DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE.
I GOTTA REALLY JUST TAKE
MY TIME.
HEY, WHAT'S UP, MAN?
HOW YOU DOING?
- HOW'S IT GOIN'?
- I'M GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
- CHY TEA.
- CHY TEA!
ONLY IN MIAMI.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
- I WOULD LIKE A TATTOO
THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT
TO BE A PART OF.
- SO WHERE'S THIS DIFFICULT AREA
YOU'VE GOT?
- I WANT IT RIGHT
FROM HERE, TO HERE.
- YOUR ELBOW.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
THIS IS LIKE,
ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL AREAS
TO GET TATTOOED.
- I KNOW, WHEN I WENT
TO OTHER TATTOO PLACES,
NOBODY WANTED TO EVEN TOUCH
THE ELBOW.
EVERYBODY WAS SCARED.
SO, I CAME TO TATTOO NIGHTMARES
TO GET IT DONE.
THEY'RE MY LAST HOPE.
- AND YOU ARE A BONY MAN.
WE GOT A BONY ELBOW RIGHT HERE.
YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT EASY
ON A GIRL.
- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE TATTOO
NIGHTMARES, SO LIKE--
- HA HA. WHOA! HEY, I'M JUST
GIVING YOU THE PROBLEM.
IT DOESN'T MEAN I WON'T TAKE IT.
- OH, FOR SURE.
- DOESN'T MEAN I WON'T DO IT.
- OKAY, OKAY.
- THE ELBOW IS REALLY DIFFICULT
TO TATTOO
BECAUSE OF THE LOOSE SKIN,
IT'S IN A BONY AREA,
YOU HAVE A LOT OF STRETCHING,
AND YOU REALLY CAN'T EVEN GET
A LOT OF SUBSTANTIAL ART
ON THERE.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING
ABOUT GETTING?
- WELL, I'M AN ARTIST.
- OH, AWESOME, OKAY.
- SO I HAVE TWO OF
MY CHARACTERS
SPRAY PAINTING...
- OKAY!
- ON A WYNWOOD SIGN.
- WHAT'S WYNWOOD?
IS THAT LIKE A--
- WYNWOOD IS THE ART DISTRICT
OF MIAMI.
- CAN I SEE YOUR CHARACTERS?
- YEAH.
FOR SURE, FOR SURE.
THIS IS BUCK T.
I'M A FULL-TIME ARTIST.
A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST.
I WANT THIS TATTOO
ON MY ELBOW BECAUSE THE CONTRAST
AND THE TEXTURE IN MY ARM WILL
BRING OUT THE BEST IN THE PIECE.
- ARE YOU SURE?
- FOR SURE.
YEAH. MM-HMM.
- THAT ELBOW, MAN.
'CAUSE LIKE, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT BONES, GOTTA BEAR WITH IT.
- YEAH, IT'S GONNA BE
A REAL NIGHTMARE.
- IT'S GONNA BE A REAL
NIGHTMARE--FOR THE BOTH OF US--
FOR YOU AND FOR ME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT,
IF YOU'RE DOWN, I'M DOWN.
- LET'S DO THIS.
- YEAH?
- YEAH, YUP.
- YOU READY?
MY BIG BREAK IN THE ART WORLD
CAME AS A FINE ARTIST
IN OIL PAINTINGS, BUT
GRAFFITI ART IS WAY DIFFERENT.
SO, I'M PRETTY NERVOUS
ABOUT THIS.
- I'M FAMILIAR WITH
THESE WYNWOOD CATS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?
I MEAN, LIKE THAT AND--
- OH, YEAH, DUH!
YOU ARE FROM HERE.
SO AM I DOING HIM JUSTICE
OR WHAT? WHAT AM I DOING?
- I LIKE IT.
YOU CALLED ON YOUR INNER-HOOD
FOR THAT ONE.
I JUST HOPE HE CAN TAKE
GETTIN' BLASTED ON THE ELBOW
LIKE THAT.
- YEAH, HE WAS LIKE,
OH, WELL, I THOUGHT THAT THIS
WAS TATTOO NIGHTMARES
AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU GUYS
WERE THE BEST OF THE BEST.
- OH, GET OUT OF HERE!
HE TRIED YOU, MAN?
- I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?"
- IF YOU NEED ANY HELP,
IF HE TRIES YOU AGAIN--
- OH, YEAH.
- JUST LET ME KNOW.
- I WILL.
- GOOD LUCK.
- YEAH, I'MA NEED IT.
- HI, HOW YOU DOIN'?
- NO WORRIES.
GOOD TO MEET YOU! I'M LOURDES.
- GOOD TO MEET YOU, TOO.
- SO, WHAT'S GOIN'
ON HERE, MAMA?
WHAT'S POPPIN'?
- MY DRESS.
OH, THAT'S A WEDDING DRESS.
- THAT'S A WEDDING DRESS.
I'M GETTING MARRIED
IN TWO WEEKS.
- I'M A TATTOO ARTIST,
I'M NOT LIKE, A TAILOR.
- NO, I NEED YOUR HELP
TO COVER SOMETHING UP.
- ALL RIGHT, WELL, THEN LET ME
SEE WHAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH.
- ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
OOH!
- NO!
MAMA!
- MY DAD WAS ON THE FLOOR.
I HAVE INSULTED MY FAMILY,
MY CULTURE
AND MY FAVORITE BASEBALL TEAM
BECAUSE OF THIS TATTOO.
IT'S URGENT FOR ME
TO GET THIS TATTOO COVERED,
'CAUSE I'M GETTING MARRIED
IN TWO WEEKS.
- THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE
A SWASTIKA, RIGHT THERE.
- RIGHT?
- OH, I CAN'T LET A PUERTO RICAN
SISTER GO OUT LIKE THAT!
- THANK YOU!
LOURDES'S TATTOO IS OFFENSIVE
TO ME ON MANY LEVELS.
NOT ONLY WAS I BORN AND RAISED
IN NEW YORK,
BUT I'M ALSO
A PUERTO RICAN ARTIST.
I MEAN, THAT'S SUPPOSED
TO REPRESENT MY PEOPLE?
GET OUTTA HERE!
- I WANT TO RESTORE
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER.
- SO, HE'S NOT COOL WITH YOU
HAVING THAT TATTOO.
- NO, NO.
- WOW.
- AND PLUS, THE WEDDING DRESS
EXPOSES THAT.
I GOTTA MAKE SURE I COVER IT UP.
- WHAT DIRECTION WERE YOU TRYING
TO TAKE THIS?
- I WAS THINKING MAYBE
A STATUE OF LIBERTY
WITH THE PUERTO RICAN FLAG
DRAPED ON HER,
'CAUSE I'M A NUYORICAN, SO...
- YEAH
- YA KNOW?
- YEAH, WE'RE A DIFFERENT BREED.
- YEAH, YEAH!
- LET ME HIT THE DRAWING BOARD,
SEE IF I CAN COME UP WITH
SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE.
- THANK YOU.
- I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
- ALL RIGHT, THANKS.
- HEY, THERE, DARLIN',
WHAT YA DOIN'?
- IT'S JUST EVERYTHING
THAT I DON'T WANT IN A COVER-UP.
LAST TIME I HAD
A COLOR PORTRAIT,
I FELT LIKE SUCH AN ASS
BECAUSE I PUT THAT OUT THERE
FOR THE WORLD TO SEE,
AND I FAILED THAT.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
JUST THINKING ABOUT IT HURTS.
YA KNOW, I DON'T KNOW
IF I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO MAKE
THIS THING HAPPEN.
I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THAT SITUATION
THAT HAPPENED ON INK MASTERS
WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
**** BALLPARK, YA KNOW?
- BUT YOU DON'T EVEN--
YOU'RE GOING TO DO FINE.
- THERE'S NO POINT
IN BEATING AROUND THE BUSH.
MIGHT AS WELL GO OUT THERE...
- YEAH.
- AND FACE THE MUSIC.
I'M FEELING CONFIDENT
ABOUT MY DRAWING
BUT WHEN I WAS ON INKMASTER,
IFELT CONFIDENT
ABOUT THAT DRAWING TOO,
AND IT JUST DIDN'T TRANSLATE.
THIS GUY'S A VETERAN, MAN.
I HAVE TO KILL IT FOR HIM.
HERE WE GO.
- ALL RIGHT.
WOW.
THAT'S PRETTY SICK.
- SO, I'M JUST PRAYING THIS TIME
THAT IT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
HOW DID YOU END UP WITH
A CRAZY TATTOO?
- I'M JUST GONNA TELL YA
GANGSTA RAP.
- GANGSTA RAP!
- MY WIFE JUST GOT IN
A HEAD-TO-HEAD CAR COLLISION?
- RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AS FAST AS I COULD.
- DANNY... DANNY.
- SHE JUST STARTED CALLING ME
BY ANOTHER GUY'S NAME.
- ARE YOU SERIOUS?
- YEAH.
- DON'T MOVE, DON'T MOVE.
YEAH, I TRIED TO WARN YA!
I'M USING ALL OF MY PATIENCE
RIGHT NOW WITH CHY.
- JASON, DUDE, HOW DID YOU
END UP WITH THIS THING?
- WHEN I TURNED 21,
I DECIDED TO JOIN THE ARMY.
NOT LONG AFTER THAT,
I GET MARRIED
TO MY GIRLFRIEND
OF FIVE YEARS.
THEN, RIGHT AFTER THAT,
I GET STUCK WITH A UNIT
DEPLOYING OUT TO IRAQ.
SO, THREE MONTHS
INTO MY DEPLOYMENT,
I GET THIS WEIRD MESSAGE
FROM A FRIEND...
- WHAT?
- SAYING THAT MY NEIGHBOR
HAD BEEN STAYING AT MY HOUSE
FOR ABOUT FOUR DAYS,
COMING IN AND OUT WITH MY WIFE,
RAISING SUSPICION.
I SPOKE WITH MY WIFE,
SHE DENIED IT--EVERYTHING.
- HEY, WHAT'S THAT MOANING
IN THE BACKGROUND?
- I HAD TO GIVE HER THE BENEFIT
OF THE DOUBT.
- OH, YOU BOUGHT A COW.
- I THOUGHT
I COULD TRUST HER.
- YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S
YOUR WIFE, YOU LOVE HER.
- SO, TWO MONTHS LATER, I GET
A CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.
- WHAT? MY WIFE JUST GOT
IN A HEAD-TO-HEAD CAR COLLISION?
- I RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AS FAST AS I COULD.
- YOU CAN'T HEAR ME, CAN YOU?
- I BET THAT JUST TORE YOU DOWN.
- AW, MAN, IT BROKE ME.
A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE WOKE UP,
AND I WAS SO HAPPY.
- DANNY... DANNY.
- SHE JUST STARTED CALLING ME
BY ANOTHER GUY'S NAME.
- DANNY?
- I MEAN, JASON... JASON, OH!
- AT THAT POINT, I KNEW THAT
THE CHEATING RUMORS WAS TRUE.
I HAD TO WALK AWAY
FROM MY MARRIAGE.
A DAY BEFORE I WAS SHIPPED
BACK OUT, I WENT OUT
WITH A BUDDY AND I HEARD
AN EMINEM SONG THAT SAYS,
"THEY CAN ALL GET EFFED."
I HEARD THAT,
AND THAT WAS IT, MAN.
- CAN YOU IMAGINE
WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED
IF MAROON 5 WAS ON THE RADIO?
SO I WALK INTO THE TATTOO SHOP
AND I SEE THIS RATTY
TRAILER PARK-LOOKING PLACE,
AND THERE'S THIS PREGNANT CHICK
WHO LOOKS LIKE SHE WAS READY
TO POP THREE MONTHS AGO.
- THE TATTOO ARTIST
WAS PREGNANT?
- PREGNANT.
SHE STARTED BREATHING HEAVY...
- YEAH.
- HAVING CONTRACTIONS,
ALMOST SEEMED LIKE SHE WAS GOING
THROUGH LABOR.
- LABOR?
- LABOR.
FINALLY, THE TATTOO
WAS FINISHED.
IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED.
I WAS PUMPED, MAN.
- HAH!
- I'M NEVER GONNA REGRET THIS!
- OH, I'M SO GLAD.
- HEY, THANK YOU.
- YOU WANT TO FRENCH KISS ME?
- NO, THANK YOU, THOUGH.
I APPRECIATE IT.
- EVER SINCE THAT DAY,
IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT REGRETS.
- I'M FEELING FOR YOU, BRO,
SO, YOU'RE GONNA GET EVERY OUNCE
OF TALENT THAT I HAVE
TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.
- HEY, CHY, COME BACK
TO THE DRAWING TABLE.
WHETHER PAINTING,
SCULPTING, OR TATTOOING,
IT'S ALWAYS FUN FOR ME TO
COLLABORATE WITH ANOTHER ARTIST.
BUT, IN THIS CASE WITH CHY,
IT'S PERMANENT.
IT HAS TO BE PERFECT.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE CHARACTERS LOOK LIKE
THE CHARACTERS HE DRAWS
EVERY DAY.
I'M REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT GETTING
THROUGH THIS THING.
THE ONLY THING IS
IS YOU GOTTA REALIZE
THAT THIS IS NEEDLES.
THE MORE DETAIL WE PUT IN THERE,
THE MORE IT COULD SCRAMBLE
IT UP.
- YEAH, IT'S NOT EVEN
ABOUT THE DETAIL.
IT'S JUST ABOUT--
THE HEAD WAS A LITTLE BIT
"UNPORTIONIZED."
- LOOK AT THIS GUY.
HE'S LIKE,
"I'MA DRAW MY OWN TATTOO,
RIGHT NOW."
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS
WORRIED ABOUT.
TOO MANY ARTISTS IS LIKE
TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN.
AN ELBOW TATTOO IS HARD ENOUGH.
IF THIS GUY IS GONNA BE
DIFFICULT WITH ME,
THIS THING IS GONNA BE
A REAL NIGHTMARE.
YOU READY FOR THIS?
- I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE
TO KEEP MY HEAD LIKE THIS
THE WHOLE DAMN TIME, THOUGH.
- DO YOU NEED A PILLOW
OR ANYTHING, ARE YOU GOOD?
- I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT WILL HELP.
- CAREFUL, CAREFUL.
DON'T MOVE, DON'T MOVE.
OH, OH, OH, DON'T MOVE--
- YOU'RE KILLIN' ME.
- CHY WANTED A UNIQUE PIECE
THAT USED THE TEXTURES
OF HIS ELBOW.
BUT I WARNED HIM THAT THIS
TATTOO IS SERIOUSLY PAINFUL.
AND THE MINUTE I START, HE'S
SQUIRMING AROUND AND CURSING.
WITH ALL THAT MOVEMENT,
THIS ARTWORK COULD SERIOUSLY
BE COMPROMISED.
I THINK IT'S ON YOUR MIND,
BROTHER.
- WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO
IS USE YOUR OLD TATTOO
TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
- OKAY.
- THIS IS WHAT I GOT FOR YOU.
- OH, MY GOD!
LOVE IT!
I LOVE THE TATTOO DESIGN.
THIS TATTOO HAS CHANGED
THE RELATIONSHIP
WITH ME AND MY FATHER.
WE'RE NOT AS CLOSE.
I LET HIM DOWN.
BUT THIS COVER-UP WOULD MEAN
A NEW BEGINNING.
- GOOD RIDDANCE!
- OH, ****.
- YEAH, I TRIED TO WARN YA.
PLEASE DON'T GET MAD AT ME
FOR IT.
I NEED YOU TO SPOT MOVING,
THOUGH.
- I CAN'T HELP IT.
- TRY TO MAKE SURE
TO WATCH OUT FOR IT.
- EXCUSE ME?
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?
YOU'VE BEEN QUESTIONING ME
FROM THE BEGINNING,
AND YOU BEEN SQUIRMING
ALL AROUND.
AND NOW YOU'RE CALLING ME
A BITCH?
I'MA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BREAK.
- ARE YOU SERIOUS, MAN?
I'MA BE HERE UNTIL LIKE,
1:00 IN THE MORNING.
- THIS IS DEFINITELY
CROSSING THE LINE.
I JUST GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE
BEFORE I LOSE IT.
- WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
WITH THIS GUY?
HE'S A DICK, RIGHT?
- IT'S JUST MAKING ME--
LIKE, I STARTED SHAKING OVER IT.
I THOUGHT HE WAS ****
GONNA BLOW UP.
- REESE IS SO SWEET.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR CHY
TO BE DIFFICULT WITH HER.
HE'S OVER HERE ASKING
FOR A DIFFICULT TATTOO,
AND HE'S BEING MORE DIFFICULT
THAN ANYTHING.
- 'CAUSE IT AIN'T NOTHIN'
FOR ME TO PUT A PENCIL DOWN
AND PUT A **** HURTIN'
ON SOMEBODY, FOR REAL.
- BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT--
THAT'S LIKE, NOT WHAT I WANT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT
I'M ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANT TO GET THIS
**** OVER WITH.
I'M JUST GONNA
GET IT OVER WITH.
OKAY.
I'VE HONESTLY FELT
PRETTY DISRESPECTED BY CHY.
HE'S BEEN GETTING ANGRY WITH ME
AND I AM NOT ONE
TO BACK DOWN FROM CONFRONTATION.
BUT I NEED TO SQUASH THIS,
BECAUSE IF I'M NOT FEELING GOOD
ABOUT THIS TATTOO,
IT'S NOT GONNA LOOK GOOD
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THE ONLY REASON I WANTED TO STOP
WAS JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE GETTING
KIND OF UPSET WITH ME
WITH THE ELBOW THING.
YOU JUST GOTTA BE COOL WITH ME
TOO, MAN.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER
ON THIS ONE.
I AM JUST PUTTING YOU--
- I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL--
I'M SORRY THAT YOU FEEL
LIKE THAT, BOSS.
- WE COOL?
RADICAL, MAN, LET'S DO THIS.
- ALL RIGHT, MAMA,
I GOTTA KNOW,
HOW DID YOU GET THIS TATTOO?
- WELL, I GREW UP IN NEW YORK,
IN A PRIDEFUL,
PUERTO RICAN FAMILY.
- AH, YEAH, CHECK THAT.
- YEAH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S RIGHT.
SO WHEN I WAS 18,
I WALK INTO THE TATTOO SHOP
AND I SAID I WANT
A NICE PUERTO RICAN FLAG
TO REPRESENT MY CULTURE.
AND I WANT "NEW YORK"
IN THE MIDDLE
FOR MY LOVE FOR MY TOWN.
OUT COMES THIS DUDE.
"HE'S GONNA DO YOUR TATTOO."
AND I WAS LIKE, "WAIT A MINUTE,
THAT GUY LOOKS LIKE A MECHANIC,"
YA KNOW?
THE GUY TAKES ME
INTO HIS BACK ROOM
FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE
JUST TO BE THIS EMPTY ROOM
WITH A GYNECOLOGIST'S CHAIR.
- WHY AM I SPREAD-EAGLE
IN THIS CHAIR?
- FOR YOUR SAFETY AND MINE.
- WHEN HE WAS DONE
AND I STOOD UP,
AND I LOOK AT MYSELF
IN THE MIRROR,
"AY, DIOS MIOS,
THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME...
MY FATHER'S GONNA KILL ME."
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE
A SWASTIKA.
- BUT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW
THAT LOOKS LIKE A "NEW YORK,"
RIGHT?
HUH?
- LIKE, MAYBE THAT WEEKEND,
MY FAMILY DECIDES TO HAVE
THIS BARBECUE.
I SHOW UP TO THIS THING
AND I'M TRYING
TO BE ALL INCOGNITO
WITH A LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT
IN OVER 100-DEGREE HEAT.
- WHY ARE YOU WEARING THAT?
TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!
WHAT'D YOU GET?
- NO, NO, PAPI--
- YOU CRAZY FROM THE CABEZA?
THAT'S NO RESPECT
FOR THE CULTURE!
UNASWASTIKA!
- HE STARTED YELLING AT ME
IN SPANISH,
"THIS IS A DISGRACE."
- HE'S KIND OF RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
IT IS.
- MY FOUNDATION'S LAID OUT,
SO NOW WE JUST COME BACK IN
AND ROCK THIS FILLER.
- WELL, ALL RIGHT, MAN.
YOU'RE ALL DONE.
- WHAT?
I'M DONE?
WOOO!
- CHY TRIED MY PATIENCE
A FEW TIMES,
BUT I KNEW, AS AN ARTIST,
HAVE TO BE
NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL.
I KNOCKED OUT THAT TATTOO.
BUT NOW COMES THE REAL TEST
AND SEEING IF HE LIKES IT.
- ALL RIGHT.
- YEAH, THIS IS DOPE.
- DO YOU SEE THAT BEND?
BEND THAT OUT, OH.
- I'M PAINTING, LOOK.
REESE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB
EVEN THOUGH I JUST BLURTED OUT
ON SOME CRAZINESS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE STUCK TOGETHER
AND GOT IT DONE LIKE A TEAM.
- BUCK T...
- AND "MI TROOPER".
- AND "MI TROOPER".
- BANGIN' IT!
YEAH.
- FOR CHY'S TATTOO,
I MADE A VERTICAL DESIGN
TO SHOW HIS CHARACTERS
SPRAY PAINTING THE WYNWOOD SIGN.
- I ALSO PUT
THE PAINTING PALETTE
ON HIS ELBOW SO THAT
WHEN HE BENDS IT,
IT HAS A 3-D EFFECT.
EVEN THOUGH HE TESTED
MY PATIENCE,
I WAS ABLE TO GRAB HIS VISION
AND DO A STYLE OF ART
I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
I FEEL LIKE I'VE GROWN
AS AN ARTIST.
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
WALK IT OUT, WALK IT OUT,
WALK IT OUT.
- ALL RIGHT, NENA.
WE ARE DONE.
- YES!
I'M ABOUT TO SEE MY TATTOO,
AND I AM FEELING EXCITED.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO SHINE
ON MY DAY.
- YOU CAN GO AHEAD
AND TAKE A LOOK.
- IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PAPI.
I LOVE THE COLORS.
I LOVE WHAT HE DID,
AND HE KEPT THE FLAG.
YOU LOOK AT IT,
AND IT STANDS FOR SOMETHING.
IT'S PERFECT.
- YOU WANNA TRY ON YOUR DRESS
IN CASE--
- ABSOLUTELY!
I CANNOT WAIT!
- THE WAY THAT I MADE
LOURDES' TATTOO WORK
IS THAT I CREATED
TWO FOCAL POINTS.
I USED THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
ON ONE SIDE
AND EL CASTILLO
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH
REPRESENTS NEW YORK
AND PUERTO RICO.
OH, WOW!
- MY FATHER'S FINALLY GONNA SEE
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET
THE FIRST TIME,
WHEN I GOT THE TATTOO.
IT'S GONNA BE THE SPOTLIGHT
OF THE WEDDING.
- * YEAH MY PEOPLES
ARE BEAUTIFUL ONCE AGAIN *
- MAN, IT'S BEEN
A HELL OF A DAY.
- SURE HAS.
- BET YOU WANNA CHECK
THIS THING OUT, HUH?
- SO BAD.
- I AM JUST A NERVOUS WRECK.
THIS IS MY SECOND CHANCE
TO PROVE THAT I CAN BE
A REALISM ARTIST.
I HAVE TO HIT THIS.
- YOU'RE KILLING ME.
- TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BRO.
- YEAH.
OH, ****.
WOW, MAN.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
THAT IS AMAZING.
THE TATTOO BLOWS MY MIND.
HE PUT THE TEAR IN HER EYE,
AND IT CAME OUT PERFECT.
THE CAMO THAT COVERS OVER THE
"EFF" TATTOO IS UNBELIEVABLE.
- SOMEWHERE IN HERE,
THERE'S SOME NASTY CURSE WORDS.
- RIGHT.
- I LOVE THIS TATTOO.
I'M PROUD OF THE PORTRAIT.
IT CAME OUT GREAT.
I USED THE MORE
MODERN-DAY WOMAN,
THE ONE YOU WOULD FIND
IN THE SERVICE.
AND THEN I TOOK
THE ARMY FATIGUES
AND I FADED THEM OFF
ONTO THE COVER-UP
- WHOA!
- CHECK IT OUT.
- OH, YOU A BAD MAN.
- I'M HOPING
THAT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE
SEE I ACTUALLY HAVE
THE ABILITY
TO PULL OFF
A TATTOO STYLE LIKE THIS.
AND NOT FOR NOTHING,
IF THE JUDGES ARE WATCHING.
HA, HA, HA.
YOU MESSED UP.
- TRUST ME,
IT WAS WILD ALL AROUND TONIGHT.
- YOU KILLED IT, THOUGH.
YOU KILLED IT.
IT LOOKED SO GOOD.
MAYBE WE CAN GET YOU A DRINK.
- I AM SO READY.
LET'S DO THIS.
- LET'S CLOSE UP.
- WOO!
WHAT A DAY!
THERE'S NOTHING WORSE
THAN A BAD TATTOO.
NOW, THREE ARTISTS
HAVE COME TOGETHER
TO TAKE ON MIAMI'S MOST
IMPOSSIBLE TATTOO NIGHTMARES.
- MIAMI'S MY HOME.
YOU'RE IN MY HOUSE, NOW.
- DON'T LET THIS PRETTY FACE
FOOL YOU.
I AM ALL BUSINESS, BABY.
- LOVE ME OR HATE ME, MY
WORK ALWAYS SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
THEY'RE GOING UP AGAINST
THE MOST INSANE
ORIGINAL TATTOOS...
- I WANT A TATTOO
IN MY ARMPIT.
- SERIOUSLY, THE ARMPIT?
AND OUTRAGEOUS COVER-UPS.
- WAIT, WHY THE NIPPLE,
OUT OF ALL THE PLACES?
- CALL 911!
- DAMN!
THIS IS
TATTOO NIGHTMARES: MIAMI.
- WHERE'S NOON?
NOONERS IS LATE.
- YEAH.
- HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED,
LIKE, WHAT NOON DID
IN LIKE, HIGH SCHOOL?
THE ONLY REAL THING I KNOW ABOUT
HIM IS THAT HE'S A LADIES' MAN.
HE IS THE BEAUTY IN THIS SHOP.
- THAT REALLY BOOSTS
MY SELF-ESTEEM.
- YOU'RE THE HAWK.
THAT'S LIKE A TOTALLY
DIFFERENT, EDGY BEAUTY.
- YOU HAVEN'T BEEN HERE
TEN MINUTES
AND YOU'RE ALREADY
DIGGING A HOLE.
- REESE BETTER WATCH OUT.
FROM MY YEARS DOWN IN TEXAS
RUNNING WITH BIKERS,
TO MY TIME ON INK MASTER,
I'VE SEEN IT ALL.
SHE CAN BAT HER EYELASHES
ALL SHE WANTS,
BUT SHE CAN'T B.S. THIS GUY
THAT GIRL'S LUCKY SHE'S CUTE,
MAN.
- LOOK WHO IT IS, NOONERS.
HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT?
- ALL RIGHT.
HOW WAS YOUR NIGHT?
- AW.
SEE THAT?
A LIL' SUGAR-SHUG
IN THE MORNIN'.
YOU MUST'VE ALWAYS HAD
THAT SWAG.
- UH, I GUESS I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
KIND OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, A LOVER.
MIAMI'S MY HOME.
I LOVE THIS CITY.
BUT AS A NUYORICAN,
BORN AND RAISED...
I GUESS LOVE IS JUST
IN MY BLOOD, MAN.
HEY, WHAT WERE YOU LIKE
IN HIGH SCHOOL?
- PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS LIKE,
"SHE'S SO WEIRD...
BUT I DON'T KNOW,
I KIND OF LIKE HER."
- WHAT YEAR DID YOU GRADUATE?
- WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?
- DON'T BE SNOOTY, OKAY?
DON'T PULL THAT CALIFORNIA CRAP.
- YOU ALREADY PULLED IT
OUT OF ME THIS MORNING.
- WHOA!
- REALLY?
REALLY, YOU GUYS?
- ONE MORE TIME, BABY.
ONE MORE TIME.
- YOU GUYS ARE SO IMMATURE.
WHY IS IT THAT EVERYWHERE
I WORK, FROM L.A. TO MIAMI,
IT SEEMS LIKE I'M ALWAYS
THE ONLY FEMALE IN THE STUDIO.
BUT, HEY, DON'T LET THIS
SWEET EXTERIOR FOOL YOU.
I CAN MORE THAN HANDLE MYSELF
AND I ALWAYS KEEP THE BOYS
IN LINE.
- DON'T DENY IT.
- HONEY, YOU WISH.
HOW'S IT GOING?
- HEY. HOW YA DOIN'?
- GOOD, I'M LOOKING FOR CLINT.
- HERE I IS.
- HOW YA DOIN'? I'M JASON.
- JASON, WHAT BRINGS YOU
IN HERE, BUDDY?
- MAN, I GOT A TATTOO
OUT OF SOME ANGER,
AND IT IS DESTROYING MY LIFE.
- LET ME SEE IT.
WHAT IS IT?
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
"GET EFFED"?
DAMN!
DON'T BEAT AROUND THE BUSH!
JUST LET 'EM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL.
- EVERY TIME I LOOK
AT MY "GET EFFED" TATTOO,
I THINK ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION
OF MY LIFE.
IT JUST MAKES ME THINK
OF MY FAILED MARRIAGE.
THE TATTOO GIVES ME NOTHING
BUT TROUBLE.
- THAT RIGHT THERE,
HAS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
- THAT'S GOOD.
- I GOTTA COVER UP THIS CRAZY,
BLACK SOLID...
I MEAN, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE
GRABBIN' MY ANKLES ON THIS ONE.
SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY GUY AROUND
HERE GETTING EFFED IS ME.
FIRST OF ALL,
LETTERING IS, BY FAR,
THE HARDEST THING TO COVER
BECAUSE WE'RE SO TRAINED
TO RECOGNIZE LETTERS RIGHT AWAY.
WHY DON'T YOU STEP
INTO MY OFFICE?
JASON'S TATTOO
IS REALLY DIFFICULT
NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT'S LETTERING,
BUT BECAUSE IT'S PROFESSIONALLY
DONE.
I'M A 20-YEAR VETERAN,
AND IT LOOKS LIKE I DID IT.
IT'S A RARITY THAT I SEE
ANYTHING JUST THAT OFFENSIVE,
JUST BLATANTLY OUT THERE
LIKE THAT.
WHAT'S THAT LIKE,
LIVING WITH THAT THING?
- IT'S ROUGH, MAN.
FOR A LONG TIME, MAN,
IT WAS HARD TO FIND A GIRL,
YA KNOW.
DATES DIDN'T GO WELL.
THEY'D SEE IT.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT.
CAN'T EVEN GET A JOB.
- I COULDN'T IMAGINE JUST
PLANNING MY WARDROBE AND MY DAY
BASED ON A TATTOO LIKE THAT.
- YUP.
- WHAT DO YOU GOT
IN YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS
AS FAR AS A COVER-UP?
- I WAS IN THE MILITARY.
I'D LIKE TO COMMEMORATE
THE FALLEN
AND I'D LIKE TO GET A WOMAN
CARRYING A WEAPON
AND IN FATIGUES.
I GAVE EVERYTHING
TO THE MILITARY
AND I RESPECT ANYBODY
WHO HAS EVER DONE THAT.
WOMEN, EVEN MORE SO.
- IT'S GONNA BE A CHALLENGE,
THOUGH...
ASKING FOR A PORTRAIT
KIND OF STYLE
ON TOP OF OLD ENGLISH LETTERS
THAT ARE DONE PROFESSIONALLY?
TELL YOU WHAT.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE A TRIP
OVER TO THE STATION?
LET ME SEE WHAT I CAN
COME UP WITH.
KINDA STRESSING OUT HERE.
DOING A PORTRAIT-STYLE TATTOO
AS A COVER-UP
IS INSANELY HARD AS IT IS.
AND ON TOP OF THAT,
ME AND PORTRAITS,
WE GOT A ROCKY PAST.
LAST TIME I TRIED
TO ATTEMPT A COLOR PORTRAIT,
I WAS ON INK MASTER.
I BASICALLY BOMBED IT WHEN IT
CAME TO THE COLOR PORTRAIT.
- THE TATTOO YOU DID, TODAY...
NOT A GOOD REPRESENTATION
OF WHAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF.
- THIS WAS A BIG KICK
IN THE ASS.
- YOUR TATTOO IS THE WORST ONE,
TODAY.
THERE'S NO MORE ROOM
FOR COMEBACKS.
- IT WAS SO ROUGH ON ME THAT
I HAVEN'T DONE A PORTRAIT SINCE.
BUT YOU KNOW ME AND I'M NOT ONE
TO BACK DOWN FROM A CHALLENGE.
I GOTTA REALLY JUST TAKE
MY TIME.
HEY, WHAT'S UP, MAN?
HOW YOU DOING?
- HOW'S IT GOIN'?
- I'M GOOD, HOW ARE YOU?
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
- CHY TEA.
- CHY TEA!
ONLY IN MIAMI.
SO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
- I WOULD LIKE A TATTOO
THAT YOU PROBABLY DON'T WANT
TO BE A PART OF.
- SO WHERE'S THIS DIFFICULT AREA
YOU'VE GOT?
- I WANT IT RIGHT
FROM HERE, TO HERE.
- YOUR ELBOW.
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?
THIS IS LIKE,
ONE OF THE MOST PAINFUL AREAS
TO GET TATTOOED.
- I KNOW, WHEN I WENT
TO OTHER TATTOO PLACES,
NOBODY WANTED TO EVEN TOUCH
THE ELBOW.
EVERYBODY WAS SCARED.
SO, I CAME TO TATTOO NIGHTMARES
TO GET IT DONE.
THEY'RE MY LAST HOPE.
- AND YOU ARE A BONY MAN.
WE GOT A BONY ELBOW RIGHT HERE.
YOU'RE NOT MAKING IT EASY
ON A GIRL.
- THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE TATTOO
NIGHTMARES, SO LIKE--
- HA HA. WHOA! HEY, I'M JUST
GIVING YOU THE PROBLEM.
IT DOESN'T MEAN I WON'T TAKE IT.
- OH, FOR SURE.
- DOESN'T MEAN I WON'T DO IT.
- OKAY, OKAY.
- THE ELBOW IS REALLY DIFFICULT
TO TATTOO
BECAUSE OF THE LOOSE SKIN,
IT'S IN A BONY AREA,
YOU HAVE A LOT OF STRETCHING,
AND YOU REALLY CAN'T EVEN GET
A LOT OF SUBSTANTIAL ART
ON THERE.
WHAT ARE YOU THINKING
ABOUT GETTING?
- WELL, I'M AN ARTIST.
- OH, AWESOME, OKAY.
- SO I HAVE TWO OF
MY CHARACTERS
SPRAY PAINTING...
- OKAY!
- ON A WYNWOOD SIGN.
- WHAT'S WYNWOOD?
IS THAT LIKE A--
- WYNWOOD IS THE ART DISTRICT
OF MIAMI.
- CAN I SEE YOUR CHARACTERS?
- YEAH.
FOR SURE, FOR SURE.
THIS IS BUCK T.
I'M A FULL-TIME ARTIST.
A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST.
I WANT THIS TATTOO
ON MY ELBOW BECAUSE THE CONTRAST
AND THE TEXTURE IN MY ARM WILL
BRING OUT THE BEST IN THE PIECE.
- ARE YOU SURE?
- FOR SURE.
YEAH. MM-HMM.
- THAT ELBOW, MAN.
'CAUSE LIKE, WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT BONES, GOTTA BEAR WITH IT.
- YEAH, IT'S GONNA BE
A REAL NIGHTMARE.
- IT'S GONNA BE A REAL
NIGHTMARE--FOR THE BOTH OF US--
FOR YOU AND FOR ME.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT,
IF YOU'RE DOWN, I'M DOWN.
- LET'S DO THIS.
- YEAH?
- YEAH, YUP.
- YOU READY?
MY BIG BREAK IN THE ART WORLD
CAME AS A FINE ARTIST
IN OIL PAINTINGS, BUT
GRAFFITI ART IS WAY DIFFERENT.
SO, I'M PRETTY NERVOUS
ABOUT THIS.
- I'M FAMILIAR WITH
THESE WYNWOOD CATS.
YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYIN'?
I MEAN, LIKE THAT AND--
- OH, YEAH, DUH!
YOU ARE FROM HERE.
SO AM I DOING HIM JUSTICE
OR WHAT? WHAT AM I DOING?
- I LIKE IT.
YOU CALLED ON YOUR INNER-HOOD
FOR THAT ONE.
I JUST HOPE HE CAN TAKE
GETTIN' BLASTED ON THE ELBOW
LIKE THAT.
- YEAH, HE WAS LIKE,
OH, WELL, I THOUGHT THAT THIS
WAS TATTOO NIGHTMARES
AND I THOUGHT THAT YOU GUYS
WERE THE BEST OF THE BEST.
- OH, GET OUT OF HERE!
HE TRIED YOU, MAN?
- I WAS LIKE, "WHAT?"
- IF YOU NEED ANY HELP,
IF HE TRIES YOU AGAIN--
- OH, YEAH.
- JUST LET ME KNOW.
- I WILL.
- GOOD LUCK.
- YEAH, I'MA NEED IT.
- HI, HOW YOU DOIN'?
- NO WORRIES.
GOOD TO MEET YOU! I'M LOURDES.
- GOOD TO MEET YOU, TOO.
- SO, WHAT'S GOIN'
ON HERE, MAMA?
WHAT'S POPPIN'?
- MY DRESS.
OH, THAT'S A WEDDING DRESS.
- THAT'S A WEDDING DRESS.
I'M GETTING MARRIED
IN TWO WEEKS.
- I'M A TATTOO ARTIST,
I'M NOT LIKE, A TAILOR.
- NO, I NEED YOUR HELP
TO COVER SOMETHING UP.
- ALL RIGHT, WELL, THEN LET ME
SEE WHAT YOU'RE WORKING WITH.
- ALL RIGHT, HERE WE GO.
OOH!
- NO!
MAMA!
- MY DAD WAS ON THE FLOOR.
I HAVE INSULTED MY FAMILY,
MY CULTURE
AND MY FAVORITE BASEBALL TEAM
BECAUSE OF THIS TATTOO.
IT'S URGENT FOR ME
TO GET THIS TATTOO COVERED,
'CAUSE I'M GETTING MARRIED
IN TWO WEEKS.
- THAT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE
A SWASTIKA, RIGHT THERE.
- RIGHT?
- OH, I CAN'T LET A PUERTO RICAN
SISTER GO OUT LIKE THAT!
- THANK YOU!
LOURDES'S TATTOO IS OFFENSIVE
TO ME ON MANY LEVELS.
NOT ONLY WAS I BORN AND RAISED
IN NEW YORK,
BUT I'M ALSO
A PUERTO RICAN ARTIST.
I MEAN, THAT'S SUPPOSED
TO REPRESENT MY PEOPLE?
GET OUTTA HERE!
- I WANT TO RESTORE
MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY FATHER.
- SO, HE'S NOT COOL WITH YOU
HAVING THAT TATTOO.
- NO, NO.
- WOW.
- AND PLUS, THE WEDDING DRESS
EXPOSES THAT.
I GOTTA MAKE SURE I COVER IT UP.
- WHAT DIRECTION WERE YOU TRYING
TO TAKE THIS?
- I WAS THINKING MAYBE
A STATUE OF LIBERTY
WITH THE PUERTO RICAN FLAG
DRAPED ON HER,
'CAUSE I'M A NUYORICAN, SO...
- YEAH
- YA KNOW?
- YEAH, WE'RE A DIFFERENT BREED.
- YEAH, YEAH!
- LET ME HIT THE DRAWING BOARD,
SEE IF I CAN COME UP WITH
SOMETHING THAT YOU LIKE.
- THANK YOU.
- I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
- ALL RIGHT, THANKS.
- HEY, THERE, DARLIN',
WHAT YA DOIN'?
- IT'S JUST EVERYTHING
THAT I DON'T WANT IN A COVER-UP.
LAST TIME I HAD
A COLOR PORTRAIT,
I FELT LIKE SUCH AN ASS
BECAUSE I PUT THAT OUT THERE
FOR THE WORLD TO SEE,
AND I FAILED THAT.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.
JUST THINKING ABOUT IT HURTS.
YA KNOW, I DON'T KNOW
IF I HAVE THE CONFIDENCE TO MAKE
THIS THING HAPPEN.
I WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND
THAT THAT SITUATION
THAT HAPPENED ON INK MASTERS
WAS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
**** BALLPARK, YA KNOW?
- BUT YOU DON'T EVEN--
YOU'RE GOING TO DO FINE.
- THERE'S NO POINT
IN BEATING AROUND THE BUSH.
MIGHT AS WELL GO OUT THERE...
- YEAH.
- AND FACE THE MUSIC.
I'M FEELING CONFIDENT
ABOUT MY DRAWING
BUT WHEN I WAS ON INKMASTER,
IFELT CONFIDENT
ABOUT THAT DRAWING TOO,
AND IT JUST DIDN'T TRANSLATE.
THIS GUY'S A VETERAN, MAN.
I HAVE TO KILL IT FOR HIM.
HERE WE GO.
- ALL RIGHT.
WOW.
THAT'S PRETTY SICK.
- SO, I'M JUST PRAYING THIS TIME
THAT IT'S GONNA BE DIFFERENT.
HOW DID YOU END UP WITH
A CRAZY TATTOO?
- I'M JUST GONNA TELL YA
GANGSTA RAP.
- GANGSTA RAP!
- MY WIFE JUST GOT IN
A HEAD-TO-HEAD CAR COLLISION?
- RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AS FAST AS I COULD.
- DANNY... DANNY.
- SHE JUST STARTED CALLING ME
BY ANOTHER GUY'S NAME.
- ARE YOU SERIOUS?
- YEAH.
- DON'T MOVE, DON'T MOVE.
YEAH, I TRIED TO WARN YA!
I'M USING ALL OF MY PATIENCE
RIGHT NOW WITH CHY.
- JASON, DUDE, HOW DID YOU
END UP WITH THIS THING?
- WHEN I TURNED 21,
I DECIDED TO JOIN THE ARMY.
NOT LONG AFTER THAT,
I GET MARRIED
TO MY GIRLFRIEND
OF FIVE YEARS.
THEN, RIGHT AFTER THAT,
I GET STUCK WITH A UNIT
DEPLOYING OUT TO IRAQ.
SO, THREE MONTHS
INTO MY DEPLOYMENT,
I GET THIS WEIRD MESSAGE
FROM A FRIEND...
- WHAT?
- SAYING THAT MY NEIGHBOR
HAD BEEN STAYING AT MY HOUSE
FOR ABOUT FOUR DAYS,
COMING IN AND OUT WITH MY WIFE,
RAISING SUSPICION.
I SPOKE WITH MY WIFE,
SHE DENIED IT--EVERYTHING.
- HEY, WHAT'S THAT MOANING
IN THE BACKGROUND?
- I HAD TO GIVE HER THE BENEFIT
OF THE DOUBT.
- OH, YOU BOUGHT A COW.
- I THOUGHT
I COULD TRUST HER.
- YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S
YOUR WIFE, YOU LOVE HER.
- SO, TWO MONTHS LATER, I GET
A CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.
- WHAT? MY WIFE JUST GOT
IN A HEAD-TO-HEAD CAR COLLISION?
- I RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL
AS FAST AS I COULD.
- YOU CAN'T HEAR ME, CAN YOU?
- I BET THAT JUST TORE YOU DOWN.
- AW, MAN, IT BROKE ME.
A FEW DAYS LATER, SHE WOKE UP,
AND I WAS SO HAPPY.
- DANNY... DANNY.
- SHE JUST STARTED CALLING ME
BY ANOTHER GUY'S NAME.
- DANNY?
- I MEAN, JASON... JASON, OH!
- AT THAT POINT, I KNEW THAT
THE CHEATING RUMORS WAS TRUE.
I HAD TO WALK AWAY
FROM MY MARRIAGE.
A DAY BEFORE I WAS SHIPPED
BACK OUT, I WENT OUT
WITH A BUDDY AND I HEARD
AN EMINEM SONG THAT SAYS,
"THEY CAN ALL GET EFFED."
I HEARD THAT,
AND THAT WAS IT, MAN.
- CAN YOU IMAGINE
WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED
IF MAROON 5 WAS ON THE RADIO?
SO I WALK INTO THE TATTOO SHOP
AND I SEE THIS RATTY
TRAILER PARK-LOOKING PLACE,
AND THERE'S THIS PREGNANT CHICK
WHO LOOKS LIKE SHE WAS READY
TO POP THREE MONTHS AGO.
- THE TATTOO ARTIST
WAS PREGNANT?
- PREGNANT.
SHE STARTED BREATHING HEAVY...
- YEAH.
- HAVING CONTRACTIONS,
ALMOST SEEMED LIKE SHE WAS GOING
THROUGH LABOR.
- LABOR?
- LABOR.
FINALLY, THE TATTOO
WAS FINISHED.
IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED.
I WAS PUMPED, MAN.
- HAH!
- I'M NEVER GONNA REGRET THIS!
- OH, I'M SO GLAD.
- HEY, THANK YOU.
- YOU WANT TO FRENCH KISS ME?
- NO, THANK YOU, THOUGH.
I APPRECIATE IT.
- EVER SINCE THAT DAY,
IT'S BEEN NOTHING BUT REGRETS.
- I'M FEELING FOR YOU, BRO,
SO, YOU'RE GONNA GET EVERY OUNCE
OF TALENT THAT I HAVE
TO MAKE THIS THING HAPPEN.
- HEY, CHY, COME BACK
TO THE DRAWING TABLE.
WHETHER PAINTING,
SCULPTING, OR TATTOOING,
IT'S ALWAYS FUN FOR ME TO
COLLABORATE WITH ANOTHER ARTIST.
BUT, IN THIS CASE WITH CHY,
IT'S PERMANENT.
IT HAS TO BE PERFECT.
SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THESE CHARACTERS LOOK LIKE
THE CHARACTERS HE DRAWS
EVERY DAY.
I'M REALLY NERVOUS ABOUT GETTING
THROUGH THIS THING.
THE ONLY THING IS
IS YOU GOTTA REALIZE
THAT THIS IS NEEDLES.
THE MORE DETAIL WE PUT IN THERE,
THE MORE IT COULD SCRAMBLE
IT UP.
- YEAH, IT'S NOT EVEN
ABOUT THE DETAIL.
IT'S JUST ABOUT--
THE HEAD WAS A LITTLE BIT
"UNPORTIONIZED."
- LOOK AT THIS GUY.
HE'S LIKE,
"I'MA DRAW MY OWN TATTOO,
RIGHT NOW."
THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS
WORRIED ABOUT.
TOO MANY ARTISTS IS LIKE
TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN.
AN ELBOW TATTOO IS HARD ENOUGH.
IF THIS GUY IS GONNA BE
DIFFICULT WITH ME,
THIS THING IS GONNA BE
A REAL NIGHTMARE.
YOU READY FOR THIS?
- I'M NOT GONNA BE ABLE
TO KEEP MY HEAD LIKE THIS
THE WHOLE DAMN TIME, THOUGH.
- DO YOU NEED A PILLOW
OR ANYTHING, ARE YOU GOOD?
- I DON'T KNOW
IF THAT WILL HELP.
- CAREFUL, CAREFUL.
DON'T MOVE, DON'T MOVE.
OH, OH, OH, DON'T MOVE--
- YOU'RE KILLIN' ME.
- CHY WANTED A UNIQUE PIECE
THAT USED THE TEXTURES
OF HIS ELBOW.
BUT I WARNED HIM THAT THIS
TATTOO IS SERIOUSLY PAINFUL.
AND THE MINUTE I START, HE'S
SQUIRMING AROUND AND CURSING.
WITH ALL THAT MOVEMENT,
THIS ARTWORK COULD SERIOUSLY
BE COMPROMISED.
I THINK IT'S ON YOUR MIND,
BROTHER.
- WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO
IS USE YOUR OLD TATTOO
TO OUR ADVANTAGE.
- OKAY.
- THIS IS WHAT I GOT FOR YOU.
- OH, MY GOD!
LOVE IT!
I LOVE THE TATTOO DESIGN.
THIS TATTOO HAS CHANGED
THE RELATIONSHIP
WITH ME AND MY FATHER.
WE'RE NOT AS CLOSE.
I LET HIM DOWN.
BUT THIS COVER-UP WOULD MEAN
A NEW BEGINNING.
- GOOD RIDDANCE!
- OH, ****.
- YEAH, I TRIED TO WARN YA.
PLEASE DON'T GET MAD AT ME
FOR IT.
I NEED YOU TO SPOT MOVING,
THOUGH.
- I CAN'T HELP IT.
- TRY TO MAKE SURE
TO WATCH OUT FOR IT.
- EXCUSE ME?
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?
YOU'VE BEEN QUESTIONING ME
FROM THE BEGINNING,
AND YOU BEEN SQUIRMING
ALL AROUND.
AND NOW YOU'RE CALLING ME
A BITCH?
I'MA GIVE YOU A LITTLE BREAK.
- ARE YOU SERIOUS, MAN?
I'MA BE HERE UNTIL LIKE,
1:00 IN THE MORNING.
- THIS IS DEFINITELY
CROSSING THE LINE.
I JUST GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE
BEFORE I LOSE IT.
- WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
WITH THIS GUY?
HE'S A DICK, RIGHT?
- IT'S JUST MAKING ME--
LIKE, I STARTED SHAKING OVER IT.
I THOUGHT HE WAS ****
GONNA BLOW UP.
- REESE IS SO SWEET.
THERE'S NO REASON FOR CHY
TO BE DIFFICULT WITH HER.
HE'S OVER HERE ASKING
FOR A DIFFICULT TATTOO,
AND HE'S BEING MORE DIFFICULT
THAN ANYTHING.
- 'CAUSE IT AIN'T NOTHIN'
FOR ME TO PUT A PENCIL DOWN
AND PUT A **** HURTIN'
ON SOMEBODY, FOR REAL.
- BUT I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT--
THAT'S LIKE, NOT WHAT I WANT.
THAT'S NOT WHAT
I'M ABOUT RIGHT NOW.
I JUST WANT TO GET THIS
**** OVER WITH.
I'M JUST GONNA
GET IT OVER WITH.
OKAY.
I'VE HONESTLY FELT
PRETTY DISRESPECTED BY CHY.
HE'S BEEN GETTING ANGRY WITH ME
AND I AM NOT ONE
TO BACK DOWN FROM CONFRONTATION.
BUT I NEED TO SQUASH THIS,
BECAUSE IF I'M NOT FEELING GOOD
ABOUT THIS TATTOO,
IT'S NOT GONNA LOOK GOOD
AT THE END OF THE DAY.
THE ONLY REASON I WANTED TO STOP
WAS JUST 'CAUSE YOU'RE GETTING
KIND OF UPSET WITH ME
WITH THE ELBOW THING.
YOU JUST GOTTA BE COOL WITH ME
TOO, MAN.
'CAUSE WE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER
ON THIS ONE.
I AM JUST PUTTING YOU--
- I DON'T WANT YOU TO FEEL--
I'M SORRY THAT YOU FEEL
LIKE THAT, BOSS.
- WE COOL?
RADICAL, MAN, LET'S DO THIS.
- ALL RIGHT, MAMA,
I GOTTA KNOW,
HOW DID YOU GET THIS TATTOO?
- WELL, I GREW UP IN NEW YORK,
IN A PRIDEFUL,
PUERTO RICAN FAMILY.
- AH, YEAH, CHECK THAT.
- YEAH, YOU KNOW, THAT'S RIGHT.
SO WHEN I WAS 18,
I WALK INTO THE TATTOO SHOP
AND I SAID I WANT
A NICE PUERTO RICAN FLAG
TO REPRESENT MY CULTURE.
AND I WANT "NEW YORK"
IN THE MIDDLE
FOR MY LOVE FOR MY TOWN.
OUT COMES THIS DUDE.
"HE'S GONNA DO YOUR TATTOO."
AND I WAS LIKE, "WAIT A MINUTE,
THAT GUY LOOKS LIKE A MECHANIC,"
YA KNOW?
THE GUY TAKES ME
INTO HIS BACK ROOM
FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE
JUST TO BE THIS EMPTY ROOM
WITH A GYNECOLOGIST'S CHAIR.
- WHY AM I SPREAD-EAGLE
IN THIS CHAIR?
- FOR YOUR SAFETY AND MINE.
- WHEN HE WAS DONE
AND I STOOD UP,
AND I LOOK AT MYSELF
IN THE MIRROR,
"AY, DIOS MIOS,
THEY'RE GONNA KILL ME...
MY FATHER'S GONNA KILL ME."
I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE
A SWASTIKA.
- BUT YOU AND I BOTH KNOW
THAT LOOKS LIKE A "NEW YORK,"
RIGHT?
HUH?
- LIKE, MAYBE THAT WEEKEND,
MY FAMILY DECIDES TO HAVE
THIS BARBECUE.
I SHOW UP TO THIS THING
AND I'M TRYING
TO BE ALL INCOGNITO
WITH A LONG-SLEEVE SHIRT
IN OVER 100-DEGREE HEAT.
- WHY ARE YOU WEARING THAT?
TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!
WHAT'D YOU GET?
- NO, NO, PAPI--
- YOU CRAZY FROM THE CABEZA?
THAT'S NO RESPECT
FOR THE CULTURE!
UNASWASTIKA!
- HE STARTED YELLING AT ME
IN SPANISH,
"THIS IS A DISGRACE."
- HE'S KIND OF RIGHT ABOUT THAT.
IT IS.
- MY FOUNDATION'S LAID OUT,
SO NOW WE JUST COME BACK IN
AND ROCK THIS FILLER.
- WELL, ALL RIGHT, MAN.
YOU'RE ALL DONE.
- WHAT?
I'M DONE?
WOOO!
- CHY TRIED MY PATIENCE
A FEW TIMES,
BUT I KNEW, AS AN ARTIST,
HAVE TO BE
NOTHING BUT PROFESSIONAL.
I KNOCKED OUT THAT TATTOO.
BUT NOW COMES THE REAL TEST
AND SEEING IF HE LIKES IT.
- ALL RIGHT.
- YEAH, THIS IS DOPE.
- DO YOU SEE THAT BEND?
BEND THAT OUT, OH.
- I'M PAINTING, LOOK.
REESE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB
EVEN THOUGH I JUST BLURTED OUT
ON SOME CRAZINESS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
WE STUCK TOGETHER
AND GOT IT DONE LIKE A TEAM.
- BUCK T...
- AND "MI TROOPER".
- AND "MI TROOPER".
- BANGIN' IT!
YEAH.
- FOR CHY'S TATTOO,
I MADE A VERTICAL DESIGN
TO SHOW HIS CHARACTERS
SPRAY PAINTING THE WYNWOOD SIGN.
- I ALSO PUT
THE PAINTING PALETTE
ON HIS ELBOW SO THAT
WHEN HE BENDS IT,
IT HAS A 3-D EFFECT.
EVEN THOUGH HE TESTED
MY PATIENCE,
I WAS ABLE TO GRAB HIS VISION
AND DO A STYLE OF ART
I WASN'T FAMILIAR WITH.
AT THE END OF THE DAY,
I FEEL LIKE I'VE GROWN
AS AN ARTIST.
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
WALK IT OUT, WALK IT OUT,
WALK IT OUT.
- ALL RIGHT, NENA.
WE ARE DONE.
- YES!
I'M ABOUT TO SEE MY TATTOO,
AND I AM FEELING EXCITED.
I WANNA BE ABLE TO SHINE
ON MY DAY.
- YOU CAN GO AHEAD
AND TAKE A LOOK.
- IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU SO, SO MUCH!
THANK YOU SO MUCH, PAPI.
I LOVE THE COLORS.
I LOVE WHAT HE DID,
AND HE KEPT THE FLAG.
YOU LOOK AT IT,
AND IT STANDS FOR SOMETHING.
IT'S PERFECT.
- YOU WANNA TRY ON YOUR DRESS
IN CASE--
- ABSOLUTELY!
I CANNOT WAIT!
- THE WAY THAT I MADE
LOURDES' TATTOO WORK
IS THAT I CREATED
TWO FOCAL POINTS.
I USED THE STATUE OF LIBERTY
ON ONE SIDE
AND EL CASTILLO
ON THE OTHER SIDE.
AND THAT PRETTY MUCH
REPRESENTS NEW YORK
AND PUERTO RICO.
OH, WOW!
- MY FATHER'S FINALLY GONNA SEE
WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET
THE FIRST TIME,
WHEN I GOT THE TATTOO.
IT'S GONNA BE THE SPOTLIGHT
OF THE WEDDING.
- * YEAH MY PEOPLES
ARE BEAUTIFUL ONCE AGAIN *
- MAN, IT'S BEEN
A HELL OF A DAY.
- SURE HAS.
- BET YOU WANNA CHECK
THIS THING OUT, HUH?
- SO BAD.
- I AM JUST A NERVOUS WRECK.
THIS IS MY SECOND CHANCE
TO PROVE THAT I CAN BE
A REALISM ARTIST.
I HAVE TO HIT THIS.
- YOU'RE KILLING ME.
- TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BRO.
- YEAH.
OH, ****.
WOW, MAN.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
THAT IS AMAZING.
THE TATTOO BLOWS MY MIND.
HE PUT THE TEAR IN HER EYE,
AND IT CAME OUT PERFECT.
THE CAMO THAT COVERS OVER THE
"EFF" TATTOO IS UNBELIEVABLE.
- SOMEWHERE IN HERE,
THERE'S SOME NASTY CURSE WORDS.
- RIGHT.
- I LOVE THIS TATTOO.
I'M PROUD OF THE PORTRAIT.
IT CAME OUT GREAT.
I USED THE MORE
MODERN-DAY WOMAN,
THE ONE YOU WOULD FIND
IN THE SERVICE.
AND THEN I TOOK
THE ARMY FATIGUES
AND I FADED THEM OFF
ONTO THE COVER-UP
- WHOA!
- CHECK IT OUT.
- OH, YOU A BAD MAN.
- I'M HOPING
THAT THE PEOPLE OUT THERE
SEE I ACTUALLY HAVE
THE ABILITY
TO PULL OFF
A TATTOO STYLE LIKE THIS.
AND NOT FOR NOTHING,
IF THE JUDGES ARE WATCHING.
HA, HA, HA.
YOU MESSED UP.
- TRUST ME,
IT WAS WILD ALL AROUND TONIGHT.
- YOU KILLED IT, THOUGH.
YOU KILLED IT.
IT LOOKED SO GOOD.
MAYBE WE CAN GET YOU A DRINK.
- I AM SO READY.
LET'S DO THIS.
- LET'S CLOSE UP.
- WOO!
WHAT A DAY!