Hampton Roads Tattoo Show

had it not been for my friend, Ramel, needing some help to exhibit his art work at this year's hampton roads tattoo show, i would've never known about it and i would've never gotten to touch this yummy creature standing with me in the photo above. ami james is nom noms.

me: can i touch your head?

ami: no!

i smirk. he smiles.

ami: why?

me: because every time i see you on tv i want to touch it. it looks soooo smooth.

he bends down towards me giving me permission. my index finger approaches his shiny baldness. unexpectedly, he tries to bite my finger and i jump back. WHOA! he laughs and finally lets me touch the top of his head. i touch it nervously and the skin is soft and very smooth. my heart pounds excitedly and i'm flushed. the excitement is too much for me to handle so i bid him farewell walking away while fanning myself with my hand.

i swoon.

ladies competed in the pin-up model contest. i love the pin-up look.

how does one decide which tattoo booth to go to at these types of shows? easy... you check out their business cards and if the design is pleasing to you then you know their tattoo artistry has to be worth taking a look at. that's how i stumbled upon jesse smith. he designed two different fronts of his cards so that no matter which way they lay vertically they connect into one image. so genius of him! and his art is badass. check out his website by clicking on his name above.

ramel's artwork always has people stopping by in wonderment. click HERE to check out his facebook page of art. it's good stuff.

one day i'll get a whole back piece too. that'll be me laying on a table for next year's show.

Asa's 3rd Life Anniversary

this lil' nugget is growing up so fast!

dinosaur themed party. how awesome is the cake decoration?!!

The Silver Lining LP Release Party: 8-3-10

j.pharaoh released his first LP and threw a party at 45 degrees martini lounge in chesapeake, va.

j asked if he could include some photos i took of recent performances in the CD insert. this was the first time i got photo credits on a CD!


marco got to play DJ.

j had special performances which included my favorite local ladies band astronaut mike dexter.

j and marie hill.

hen & k scott showin' j some love.

always rockin' the crowd!

wack remix featuring intalek, hen and keynote speaker.




get your copy of The Silver Lining LP at the next show!

Songkran 4-17-11

i recently went to the wat thai in silver spring, MD for the annual songkran festival. as a ritual, thai people show respect to buddha by sticking gold leaves on his statue.

dousing water on a golden buddha statue is also a ritual at this festival.



every year the attendance grows as the smell of grilled chicken and the thought of sweet ripe mango over sticky rice beckon all to come.


i felt like anthony bourdain curiously checking out all the food vendors.


cultural dances were performed by local youth groups. i caught them getting all blinged up before they went out on stage.

SULU Series NY: 8-15-10

guest host koba sounds.

marco mercado on the mic! VA made a presence at this particular show.

alex cena, originally from va Beach, currently resides in DC and hosts the Sulu Series for DC.


757s intalek and dj lockdown.


dr. crystal leigh endsley settin' the stage on fire.


musician jay legaspi.


performance artist kilusan bautista.

excerpt from Sulu Series facebook page:

From September 2005-2010, Sulu Series was a monthly showcase of emerging and established Asian American artists locally and across the country.

Hosted by Regie Cabico, curated by Artistic Director Taiyo Na, with music by resident crowd mover DJ Boo, and brought to you by the Sulu Artist Network, the Sulu Series, named after Sulu of Star Trek - the first Asian American character to venture into unknown galactic quadrants - and a remote island in the Philippines, features Asian American performers in music, spoken word, video and multidisciplinary performances from the local and national scenes.

Regie Cabico, the series co-founder and host was inspired to start Sulu because New York lacked a gathering of emerging and established Asian artists. "When I started performing my work in the Nuyorican Poets Cafe 13 years ago there was no community or support." He is currently Artist-In-Residence at NYU's Asian Pacific American Studies Department and a Poetry Slam Icon having won top prizes in the 1993, 1994 & 1997 National Poetry Slam and has appeared on HBO's Def Poetry Jam.

"I was really impressed with the growing Asian American Renaissance in all of the major cities but realized that there was no center where we could gather at least on a monthly level. We, a collective of Artists at the Asian Spoken Word summit in Boston, gathered New York artists and did a Katrina benefit at Galapagos and at the ImaginAsian Theater. The energy was so good I wanted to keep it going. This is the only performance showcase of its kind with this scope."

"There are mostly Asian nights in New York comedy clubs but this will mix comedy with a strong political backbone and artistic styles. The fact that this series isn't named after a fruit, a beverage or anything edible in the Orient is already taking us light years ahead."

For Artistic Director Taiyo Na, Sulu is about creating a base. "Sulu is for keeping the community inspired through the arts and keeping the artists community-minded. You always need a hub where younger artists connect with older ones and vice versa. You always need that space where you feel a sense of community and legacy and remember to stay a part of it no matter where you go."

Lynnhaven Underground: Props to the DJ 8-26-10

local DJs bumpin' awesome music. a marco produced event.



and all the dancin' we did got me hungry for crispy fried lumpia! nom nom nom!


special guest emcee, intalek.








good times!

Last Tuesdays: 7-27-10

an exhibit of my photography during a Last Tuesdays event.


marco posted a thank you note to my wall.

Canibus Show: 7-30-10

the highlight of the canibus show were the local emcees/artists/DJs that opened up at 37th and zen in norfolk, va.


so they were just sitting there and i went up to ask them if i could take a photo of them just chillin' because they totally matched their environment and held a presence that had me wanting to know "who are these guys?" meet the super fantastic force brothers: jon bibbs (on the right) and derek 320 (on the left).


disko dave.

dicap.




ced hughes.




dj bee.


jon bibbs and derek 320



m-eighty holds the record for the longest freestyle rap


canibus.