Novem Life, Yo!

From graffiti art to illustration to tattooing, Debt has been able to develop the skill and apply his style. A native of Tennessee and Chicagoan by fate, Debt has made his mark in multiple states over the past decade. Now, as an official shop artist at Old Town tattoo, his hard work is starting to pay off, as Debt begins to make a name for himself in the highly competitive world of tattoo art.

When did you begin to take interest in art?
When I was around 7. I was really into Skateboarding, and I would try to recreate some skateboard graphics. Drawing just stayed with me since then.

Where’d you get the name DEBT from?
My homie Click gave it to me. When I met him I was writing “Frisk”, I didn’t like that name too much and Click came up with “Debt”, I liked it cus it was catchy and the letters were a challenge for me.

Who were some of your early influences?
Click most definitely gave me that west coast influence. I met him back in high school when I first started tagging. I got busted for tagging at school one day and Click was in the principal’s office for the same thing. Click was being a dick to the principal, I thought it was hilarious. After that day we started chillin and he started schooling me, the rest is history.

Why did you get into Tattooing?
It kind of just fell into my lap. Once I got out of college I couldn’t find a job, not one I liked anyway. Click was already doing it, and pretty good at it so it just started rubbing off on me. It was one of the easiest choices I’ve made, thank god I decided to go that route.

How does your graffiti background influence your tattoo style?
Yea, it does in many ways. Spacing, color theory, boldness… all that stuff I picked up from painting pieces and I put it to use everyday.

What’s some of the weirdest tattoo you’ve given, or have had happen to you while doing someone’s tattoo?
Umm, I don’t really think I’ve ever done a weird tattoo, but I have had something pretty funny happen. One time, I was tattin this girl on her breast, and every time I would wipe the ink, her nipple would pop out. It got to be pretty distracting so I asked her if we could just let it out so she wouldn’t have to keep putting it back in and she was cool with it, hahaha.. Everyone in the shop would walk by and peep her nipple, it was pretty funny.

You also had a period of your life where you did mostly Graphic Design, do you put any of that into use today?
Yea, I’m working on my own site right now. Look out for it hopefully in January. Im gonna have a bunch of shit on there, tatts, paintings, drawings, graff, a little bit of everything. Debthreat.com

Whats your creative process like when you approach a tattoo or a piece or anything?
I don’t really have one. I just dive into things, if I think too much about it I get distracted.

What brings you more satisfaction, painting a dope piece, or finishing up a dope tatt on someone?
I can’t really compare the two. I feel like tattoos can be more rewarding because you are influencing someone else’s life and your art will be on that persons body for life, Where as pieces can get buffed and pictures never do them justice. Tattoos last forever, so in that aspect I would say tattoos.

What should we look for from Debt in 2008 and on?
Yea, I’ve been messing around with some oils & acrylic, some stencil work on canvas, trying to get into some different things, giving up on sleep pretty much. I’m going to get my name out there some more, get busier. Travel and get into some different states, I love Chicago but I gotta got out there and make my name in other places and live a little.

Any final words? Shot outs?
Fuck corporate America. Oafs a lazy ass muthafucka, shot outs to NSH,USC,IA, OLD TOWN TATU and NOVEM.

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- A Viduarre