B to Z
Mental health and wellness
B to Z
Life Lessons in Tattoo and Ministry with Ronnie B.
Could you ever imagine the grind and grit it takes to become a masterful tattoo artist without a single day of formal training? This week, we sit across from Ronnie B., whose story reads like an adventure novel, filled with passion, self-discipline, and a relentless chase for artistic excellence. Starting with childhood sketches and navigating the murky waters of online forums, Ronnie's obsession with art led him on an epic quest from inking in solitude to earning his stripes under the guidance of industry veterans like Matt Driscoll.
Picture a world where your fists do the talking, both on human canvases and in the Muay Thai ring. Ronnie's tale weaves through the alleys of personal transformation, where the punches of physical training meet the strokes of a tattoo gun. Our conversation traverses the arenas of volunteering and youth ministry, unfolding how Ronnie's eclectic life experiences shape his ability to mentor and make meaningful connections. His candid reflections on storytelling, whether grappling with the brevity of modern attention spans or the potency of life-earned wisdom, will challenge your perceptions of influence and inspiration.
As Ronnie brings his narrative to a close, we're left pondering the profound impact of spirituality in both art and life's battles. His pursuit of truth and readiness for life's unpredictability resonates through his ministries and martial arts. With an election on the horizon, Ronnie speaks to the heart of community resilience, underscoring the urgency of support networks in the face of potential relapse triggers. If you're seeking a blend of passion, art, and soulful insight, join us for an episode that promises to leave an indelible mark.
All right, all right, all right. Good morning listeners. Good morning. Everyone's having a great day. This is Zach on B2C Podcast and I'm here with Brandon May. Hello everybody.
Speaker 2:And a very special guest, Ronnie B. What's up?
Speaker 1:Well, I do want to hear it, because you said everybody messes up your last name. I do, yeah, please tell us your last name. So I don't messes up your your last name like you.
Speaker 2:yeah, please tell us your last name, so I'll mess it up. Yeah, it's borosik. It's uh czechoslovakian. You know white boy name? Yeah, nobody can pronounce. It's like a step of ronnie b.
Speaker 3:Yeah ronnie's one of my homeboys. Uh, we tattoo together. Uh, at events, I've been tattooing with ronnie and known him for about what? Six years maybe, or something like that now I feel like Brandon Heat man.
Speaker 2:It feels like six years bro.
Speaker 3:I think it's been like two, like realistically, I don't know we'll go with six. He tattoos. He's always got something interesting to say, so that's why we brought him on today. He's not somebody who really does the small talk, but he does save his words for, uh, to use them with a purpose. Um, ronnie's been tattooing for how many years?
Speaker 2:12, now, 12 years. Yeah, I just kind of like when I start coming over here and tattooing a little bit. I mean, he was talking about how long we've been in the game and I started counting the years and I was like, yeah, it's 12 now. Yeah, it's like man.
Speaker 3:One of the things about Ronnie that's a cool thing and which is really hard to do is he's self-taught. Ronnie is self-taught tattooing and he actually made it. There's very far and few in between tattoo artists that have been self-taught who really still continue to do the craft and uphold high standards that he holds. That's a cool thing. Thank you, man. I appreciate that. I guess my first question would be do you feel like not apprenticing or teaching yourself has hurt you in any way in tattooing, and how did you get your start if nobody gave you a torch?
Speaker 2:that's a great question, man. I uh, yeah, being self-taught it, it hindered me and I think it took me twice as long to learn the same thing, you know, as it would with, like a mentor. Yeah, so it really slowed me down. It made me be. I had to be twice as driven to go get information, you know because because back then I was, like I said, about 12 years ago, you know they had forums and stuff, so I would go search the forums and I have my notepad you know what I'm saying and I would have to decipher all the bs info because, remember, they try to mislead you, you'd be like, hey, how?
Speaker 2:how far do I hang my needle out? Yeah, and do it be like two inches right and put it right in your nut set you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:They just give you a jacked up answer like trying to, so I had to keep the information away, yeah, yeah, so I had to be.
Speaker 2:I had to have tunnel vision to to make it happen. I did a lot of things wrong, you know. But yeah, slowly but surely, you know, you research it enough, you're you're obsessed with it. That's what it was. It was an obsession.
Speaker 3:Mm, hmm, like, have you always been an artist? Like, did you, did you grow up as an artist and or did? Were you influenced?
Speaker 2:then you got into it to be a tattooer yeah, man, I've always been an artist like I started off as a kid drawing cartoons and stuff. Man, like bart simpson, you know all that stuff. Now I got into superheroes, you know Batman, spider-man, uh, you know drawing all the villains and stuff like that. So, yeah, like I've been in drawing uh, my whole life. My neighbors did it when I was growing up in my neighborhood. Uh, the neighbors drew and they were, they were good man, they drew comic book characters there. They're amazing. And and, uh, chris and Adrian, man, they used to bring me over. I was younger, they didn't have to kick it with me, but they let me come in anyway. And they, they saw, I saw.
Speaker 2:I had a little bit artistic talent, I guess. So they let me kick it with them and they showed me how to do stuff and it just took off from there. I started getting obsessed with it and, you know, people start complimenting you. You know, uh, your friends and people at school. So, yeah, uh, I think, yeah, people start speaking it into my life after a while. You know they're like you're gonna be an artist or you're gonna do something with art. Right, I think it stuck too. And then it works in my personality too. You know, I'm saying like I was meant to be an artist, bro, yeah do you have a favorite tattoo artist?
Speaker 2:now um cory miller, cory miller.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just dude the reason I say that is because of uh, like not only his style, but like just the man he is. Uh, you know, you go to conventions and stuff and like anyone who knows him or doesn't know him, I mean, I walked right up to him and was sitting there by himself it was uh in the beginning of a convention and dude talked to me like he knew me for 10 years, man, like, just just cool, you know, and he's like he always gets back to people on his uh, on his post, you know, on instagram, you know he tells people thank you, you know, uh, he's just just a humble guy and I remember watching him on la ain't dude.
Speaker 2:Remember that show yeah yeah. So like, yeah, I'd be watching him and I'd just be like mesmerized by this dude's like tones and like how soft he would get stuff. And then he was just a laid-back dude, he wasn't a diva, you know. He didn't try to get all that attention and like, yeah, we got cory miller, man, that's for sure, I like cory mill lot too.
Speaker 3:Um, I like how he draws everything on. He draws most of his tattoos on and they are solid. Um, he's got a very uh cultured, uh tattoo, rich culture style as well, like um kind of like lowbrow style culture. Yeah, um, the Tiki era, the rockabilly era. Yeah, the Tiki era, the rockabilly era.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he was a band. Too right, he was a drummer. Yeah, is he Some band?
Speaker 3:yeah, I know he's tattooing a dude from Metallica.
Speaker 2:You know, he just like running around with him I saw that post.
Speaker 1:yeah, which is tight, you know have you ever tattooed anybody famous or anything like that.
Speaker 2:No man, yeah, not that I could think of. No, I mean not that everybody would know. You know what I'm saying. Right, right, right people that are locally famous.
Speaker 3:You probably offended somebody right, yeah, for sure, what the one dude I forgot I'm famous the one dude I forgot and the one girl I forgot.
Speaker 1:Yeah right, sorry about that, it's like I just dropped out of the last week, what you mean?
Speaker 2:hey, I kind of circle back what made you want to do everything the hard way and not the traditional way, if you don't mind me asking oh, man, you know, like, back then, like it people, it wasn't that easy if you didn't have a friend or a family member that was in it. Uh, you had no way in and I had no way in so I would go around to, to tattoo shops. Um, like, I remember went over to a zombie tattoo over in norco, uh, with my portfolio. Man, I was nervous, bro, I don't know these cats. They're a bunch of cholo-looking dudes at the time, you know, and I was like and they were all family, yeah, like, literally they were related to each other. So I walk in there in my portfolio and I show homie, the main dude who owned it you know he's flipping through my stuff and he's like you're not that good fool and I was like, I know, I was like I know that's why I'm coming Like to to try to pursue, you know, like, a career in art, like, you know, to be a tattoo artist. You know, and he didn't really give me the time of day, I didn't.
Speaker 2:And I think that was my first experience with what the industry really was and how protected it was. It wasn't like you could just walk up in there, and you know what I'm saying. Like that, looking back at that man, like I can't help but smile thinking about that situation. You know, just just ignorant, just not knowing. And so, uh, I went around to a couple of other shops, you know, I got some better feedback.
Speaker 2:But, uh, to be honest with you, like I didn't have the time in my mind it was, it was time to go, you know what I mean. Like I had already I knew, I already knew more than they thought I knew at that point. Like I had already been researching, I already been looking into it. I would, I would have hit it, hit the ground running if I would have been in one of those shops. But I just didn't get offered. So I was like you know, we're gonna do this right. Like here we go, yeah, I got, I got a lot of. I got a lot of, you know, at the time, stupid friends you know what I'm saying that were all about it. Hey, ronnie's been drawing his whole life he got a tattoo kit.
Speaker 2:Let's do this, you know, and it's like, oh my god, god bless those guys for giving me their skin. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3:Let me practice what, what would you tell the artist today that's uh, pursuing tattooing his job or career, that is struggling to get an apprenticeship? What, what kind of what would you give them? Would you tell them the same thing?
Speaker 1:that you did.
Speaker 2:No, I would direct nobody to do that and, to be honest with you, I I knew better like I was told nobody to do that and, to be honest with you, I knew better Like I was told not to do that also. But now I know why, because I live through it. Now you know, and if I got to do it again I absolutely would have taken the time to. You really have to just hang around in a shop, like go get tattooed there, you know. Go get tattooed there, talk with the dudes, you know what I'm saying there. You know. Go get tattooed there, um, talk with the talk with the dudes. You know what I'm saying. Like, uh, you have to kind of like ease your way in. They have to like you, and that takes time because it gotta be around your house for eight hours a day or, however, 10 hours a day. Uh, you know. So, yeah, I, I would have, I would have went that route. I would have just taken my time more, I think you know. But so how did? How did?
Speaker 1:that, that ronnie, yeah, turn into, turn into today's ronnie. What, what was, what was the in-between part of all that? Um, uh, did you? I mean you, you consider yourself a pretty good artist now, right, pretty successful artist like? You're on the right track.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I, yeah, yeah. What does the journey look like? Yeah, I would say that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so was it struggle the whole way through? Oh my gosh. Yeah, did you have some, you know some bright spots.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I guess. So All right. So, yeah, so about two years, I was tattooing on my house, right, and doing all the no stuff, brandon, all the you know what I mean. All this stuff you shouldn't be doing. Tattooing the designs like learning the hard way. Why did this? Why did this ink fall out? Why does it send me pictures? You know what I'm saying, like, why didn't this stick? Why didn't I? And I'm learning like different, you know, like my hand pressure. I'm learning like the needle depth. I'm like I'm just learning. You know what I'm saying, which is wild. So, yeah, two years, right, I knew I had to get my portfolio to a certain point if I was ever going to get into a shop and they were just gonna have to hire me because I was good enough to get in the shop, not because I needed an apprenticeship, because I kind of that ship had sailed.
Speaker 2:At that point, like in my mind, I was already too far I was already almost close enough to get into a shop like my, my quality of art and the tattoos that I was putting out. So, um boom, I went over uh to uh ink sanity over in uh in Lake Elsinore and I had gotten tattooed there before uh when I was younger and uh, so I went over there. The guys were cool to me back then so I figured they'd be cool now.
Speaker 1:Maybe you know so I went over there and go. Guys were cool to me back then so I figured they'd be cool now.
Speaker 2:Maybe you know what I'm saying. So I went over there and go talk to them and they were like yeah, yeah, you know, let's see your portfolio. So I handed it to them, you know, and they start flipping through it and I can see them, I can see their faces, you know, and the guy goes not bad, you know, the guy goes not bad, you know. He's like I can see, I can see the talent, like I could see. It's there, you know. And uh, they didn't give me much, though I'll tell you that, like they were, they weren't mean to me, but they didn't tell me a whole lot. So I'm sitting there and I'm kind of waiting for an answer and then, uh, they're like all right, man, we'll you know we'll we's a couple other artists that came in, you know.
Speaker 2:So we're going to go through you guys and figure out which one we think is best. And boom on Tuesday. I get the call.
Speaker 1:I get the call dog.
Speaker 2:On Tuesday they were like hey, man, we'd love to have you over at the shop, you know. You know, bring your stuff over on this day. And yeah, let's roll. And, bro, I was jumping up and down dude. And yeah, let's roll. And, bro, I was jumping up and down, dude, I was so pumped. My tunnel vision, bro, my dream of what I had been envisioning in my head just came true. I'm in a professional tattoo shop now.
Speaker 2:I made it through the whole apprenticeship, the whole thought of maybe I'll never be able to get in there, maybe I'll never have a path in. Boom, it was there. And not only that. Um, the dude who looked at my portfolio, um, I found out real quick once I got there that, uh, he, he's got one of the dopest styles in the world, like even to this day. Uh, his name is matt driscoll. Um, his hand was like raptor laser on, uh, on ig. And uh, dude, dude was super cool. Man, he let me, he let me sit with them. Like, I was so mesmerized by a dude in his style, yeah, I didn't even want to tattoo yet I was like hey, can I just come?
Speaker 2:sit in your booth and he's like, bro, yes, please come sit in my booth. You know like I'd love to show you some stuff. You know he was like I'm leaving in like six months. He's like so we're trying to hire. You know, like other artists to like come in here and keep the place going and busy, and that you know. And, uh, so he's like I'll, I'll share everything. I know, any question you have, bro, like I'll answer it. And I was like you know I've already been geeking right for like two years on this and now I get somebody at this high level dude that I've never even had. Back then, at 12 years ago, dude, it was still like a new, uh, kind of a new style. You know what I'm saying and so, um, it was mesmerizing to watch, dude, like you'd have to see the art to like understand what I'm saying.
Speaker 1:What kind style is it, dude?
Speaker 2:it's like, it's like a new school style uh he calls it real school. Okay, so it's, it's realism mixed with new school. Nice, you know what I'm saying. So they, they use all these crazy cool tricks, you know, and like textures, and like highlights, and like the way he lays it out and it's everything it was, and he free-handed everything. Bro, this dude had a box of Sharpies and every client would come in, bro, he didn't even know. I would hear this fool go all right. So what do you want?
Speaker 2:And they'd be like, oh, I want a zombie on my forearm, you know this, and that You'd be like all right, man, you know, go ahead and have a seat, you know, and shave his arm. Shave the arm, you know, get his markers up. This fool would freehand damn near every design, and it was the dopest it wasn't even like kind of cool, like dude would knock it out the park.
Speaker 2:And then, not only that, you come back and tattoo this thing like crispy, clean color, super saturated, super high contrast and depth, and like super animated, you know, like characters, what was in this dude's head like blew my mind.
Speaker 2:So I got to sit with this dude and just watch and ask questions, you know, and, dude, like I started jumping up levels within that six months of being with that dude, um, to the point to where um, in the shop like I was probably one of the best dudes in the shop, uh, or equal to just from learning from him, just from learning from him just from that six months of being with him.
Speaker 2:But the drive that I had is what fueled that, you know what I'm saying like when I got there I already had that fire lit under my ass and so, yeah, it was already a passion of mine. That was just like a gift from god to me like so.
Speaker 1:So the shop owner taking a chance on you, yeah, and then him kind of bringing you under, yeah, that was. That was like like two gifts, boom boom.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and and and it was cool man Like he, you know. He went to a lot of different tattoo conventions and people were starting to get to know. Anyways, I started guest spotting and doing some stuff and I went over to Corey Miller's shop six feet under over there in Upland and I go in there and I got my little portfolio and I'm like, oh man, I'm going to start hitting some of these spots, maybe I could tattoo and meet some of these guys and kind of move around. And I got to meet Corey bro. He was in the back doing a tattoo, doing his old back piece.
Speaker 1:I was like I feel like I was hallucinating dude, like what a fanboy you know, I see him and I'm like no way I watched him on la ink.
Speaker 2:This is surreal, you know what I mean. And he's doing a big old black and gray back piece, like the style that he does and everything, and he like waves me back in he just waves me on in hey, come on in, you know. And he's like hey, can I? Uh, can I see your portfolio? Like can you flip through it while I'm tattooing this guy? And I'm like already blown away like yeah of course, dude.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and he's like I get to sit there and kick it with him, um, but yeah, like around that time is really when stuff started like taking off for me, because I got to introduce to different people different styles. I started meeting people in the industry. You know, we went back to a convention in New York and we got to meet at the time Remember when this, when Ink Master came out, brandon, I do. Ok, so like the first three seasons, I remember after that it's all a blur right.
Speaker 1:It was like 50 seasons or something.
Speaker 2:I don't know no one's name no more, but season three man, we flew back there and we went to Westchester tattoo convention. Man and I got to meet like a handful of them, you know, and the shop I was with dude, like he knew him, so he took us all out to dinner. Afterwards, you know, after the convention, we got to sit and talk and like, yeah, I just really started meeting people, you know, at that point, but yeah it it started to take off once I got into that first shop, like you were asking me, like how did I get from my house to here? Yeah, like that that's what I was doing. You know what I mean. Like that's how it happened. I, uh, jesus like said it's 12 years ago now. So, yeah, I mean I know, um, no breaks, yeah.
Speaker 3:You fight as well. You're a Muay Thai fighter. Is that something that you do to kind of for work? Is that for a hobby? What are you doing? What are you doing with the fight world? Yeah, so I take a fight. So, yeah, so I train.
Speaker 2:Muay.
Speaker 1:Thai right. Like I call myself a fighter. You know, I'm more of a lover, I'm more of a lover.
Speaker 2:I like the, you know, yeah. So the reason I do it for me initially was I really appreciated the art style. We're artists, right, so it's like when you watch a fighter and you watch a martial arts style, that is art dude. It just captured me, you know, just watching, watching these dudes and and their technique and how it flowed together and and I was just like man, this is tight and I was thinking also health wise, right, like at the time being a tattoo artist, you can get real used to doing nothing, right.
Speaker 1:Like sitting in your chair getting a getting uh scoliosis or I don't know what you know. That's me right now. So I'm packing it on right now. I'll tell you, I'm trying, I'm gonna eat, I'm gonna eat you happy, bro, you're happy uh.
Speaker 2:But yeah, dude, I um, uh, I do it, yeah, to blow off steam. You know, um, and uh, like I said, it started because of physical health. I had to find something that was exciting to me and was uh, I have to trick myself. I don't know how you guys are, but, like you, tell me to go in the gym and like hey, we're gonna go lift weights or hey, we're gonna go run, I'm it, just doesn't get it.
Speaker 2:don't do it for me, yeah, it's not me. So I was like I know myself, so I need to find something that will get me in the gym, right, so I had to. So when I found Muay Thai in that art style, you know, I was like I'll do this. People do it just to stay in shape, right? So that's really I would say why I got going in it, you know. And then it just took on a whole deep meaning for me.
Speaker 2:After that, once you get beat up, right, and you're sweating, uh, you're, you're with your boys, you know, they're sweating, they're getting hit, they're getting beat up. Um, I started like discovering something about myself that I didn't know, like I had never really I played, played sports, you know, I was in high school like football and stuff like that. But combat sports it's different, you know, when you're like purposely trying to inflict pain on somebody and learn a new skill and a new martial arts and anyways yeah it took on a whole nother meaning for me, like I after I had no idea that I had fight in me.
Speaker 2:To the extent that it's in me, I feel like everyone kind of knows. You can kind of guess, but you don't really know until you have been to a your your limit mentally and physically. You know what I'm saying. All of a sudden it hits a new depth. Bro, you know what I'm saying. And then the guys you're training with you're seeing the real them Like you're training with you're seeing the real them like you're seeing you're, you're learning more about them in those moments than like we could just talk about. We don't gotta talk, but we train together and we're brothers, bro, right, right, it happens real easy. You know I'm saying you get close with people and it was. It was transforming me inside too. It was like making me a monster inside in a good way, like it was making me. I was more confident in myself. I was uh, yeah, I walked a little more sure-footed. I guess you could say you know, uh, and I don't know where I lost it along the line.
Speaker 2:But I feel like in life, dude, like you do need to reintroduce yourself to like that fight or flight mode. You know I'm saying like that that is something we don't get to experience a lot. And uh, nowadays we're so mode. You know I'm saying like that that is something we don't get to experience a lot in. Uh, nowadays we're so safe. You know, in our like climate control cars, in our, our ac units. You know I mean it's illegal to fight. You know I'm saying you go to jail like no, we don't do that in our society.
Speaker 2:There's not a lot of struggle in that sense. So when you go putting yourself there purposely, uh, it's crazy. The strength that comes from it and and how it transforms you is mind-blowing to me.
Speaker 1:I'll start to unlock things.
Speaker 2:It sounds like yeah, man, yeah, and then all the all this stuff that used to piss me off, man, when people in shape people would come tell me like hey, man, you know it. Uh, it's a lifestyle, you know what I mean? Like uh, uh, and I'll be like man, shut up, bro, like it's easy for you. You know what I mean, like, and I'll be, like man shut up, bro Like it's easy for you.
Speaker 1:I'm the chubby kid, you know what I'm saying. I like to eat.
Speaker 2:You know, like don't judge me, I just felt. I just felt like they were so far from me. You know what I mean. And now, like, all of a sudden, like, I'm there, you know what I'm healthy and all of a sudden I'm making you know comments that probably piss people off here and there.
Speaker 2:you know but it's a true thing, man, like the positivity, like that comes from working out and your your muscles repairing, like your body being broken down and going through the healing process. You know it's like, um, you're getting like shots of dopamine the whole time you're healing, the whole time you're building up, and I didn't realize how much that affected my mood. You know, like, all of a sudden, I was happier without the training and stuff.
Speaker 3:Who do you? What's your mood like? Are you grumpy or uh, dude, I would be honest with you.
Speaker 2:I would say like less energetic okay and, like I would say, less positive, like you can hear a lot more pessimism from me, man, like if I'm not doing good, like if I'm not healthy, if I'm not like you, kind of always got to look like man, I don't know, like he don't believe you.
Speaker 3:Ronnie always looks at you like he don't believe you. Yeah, real shit, he's like.
Speaker 1:I don't know. Yeah, yeah, he kind of be looking like, hmm, I don't know. Yeah, we'll put a picture up. Y'all be the judges.
Speaker 3:He'd kind of be looking like hmm, I don't know if I can trust that shit sometimes. Hey man, you know.
Speaker 2:You know, what's funny, bro. I thought, man, this is. I sound Conceited for making this comparison, but I don't mean to make this comparison. But, bro, One time I was sitting, I was listening to Elon Musk right, and they asked him a question. This fool would look and take so many seconds to process the question before he opens his mouth and I thought someone's wrong with the dude.
Speaker 1:But it's Elon Musk. You know what I mean and I noticed, bro, the deeper I get like that.
Speaker 2:Like that, I'm a deep human. Now, right, Like my conversation, the more I notice like me being slower to speak. Bro, yeah, I hear you, but like I got to process before it comes out of my mouth.
Speaker 1:Because if I just say, it.
Speaker 3:Sometimes it don't come out, man, I don't give a fuck if you Elon Musk or not. If you pausing Got to be quick.
Speaker 1:Yeah bro, we're not going to talk long, we're not going to talk long even if it's Elon, I'm like all right, yeah he's cool bro, but that motherfucker, he talks slow. Like you don't hurry the fuck up, You're also well, I was kind of interested in you're also involved. I hate that shit. Hold on, Let me keep going.
Speaker 3:I hate that shit when you a story and they just yeah, and then it's like man, if you don't tell the story already? You told me you was going to tell a story and you just went over here dancing around and shit you know.
Speaker 2:You know why, bro? Because that attention spans like this. So as soon as I'm talking to you, it's like get to that point or my mind and my eyes are drifting. Yeah, bro, I did that with this.
Speaker 3:I need cliff notes. I ain't trying to hear the whole motherfucking story, unless you can tell a story like an old head if you can't tell me a story like an old head, you know, yeah, describe everything.
Speaker 2:You gotta be a good storyteller 100% and that's not towards you as far as not being the fuck up but like that's towards everybody.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is towards you too, that's towards everybody.
Speaker 3:Shit. Yeah, it is towards you too, that's towards everybody. You know you're doing good today.
Speaker 2:Bro, I do that shit to myself. Like you ever thought that you've been talking. You know, maybe you smoked or something Like maybe you drank something. You're sitting there and it's like you're like damn bro, I haven't even got to my own point yet. I'm still talking. You know what I'm saying. Like I can't imagine what everyone else feels, you know?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I don't know. I think that's what you know. Intelligent people do just try and give shitty answers. You feel me? Just shoot from the hip man. Be natural. You know I'm over here pausing. Let me give you a response. You feel me Like, get the fuck out of here, bro. Like you know exactly what's going on. You pay people to know what the fuck is going on and you, acting like you don't know what's going on. Specifically, elon Musk. Elon Musk, shout out to him, though I don't got no problem with him, you know, yeah.
Speaker 2:So let's keep going.
Speaker 3:Shoot from the hip, bro, go for it.
Speaker 1:Let's talk about what His volunteering yeah, the industry and the volunteering. Yes, yes, yes, yeah.
Speaker 3:Right, so he runs Glory Hole out of Elsinore. No, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 2:He's volunteering oh my. God, oh man Brandon.
Speaker 1:Brandon. Brandon opened it. Brandon opened it, 10 years opened it and 10 years ago with the tattoo shop. Yeah, yeah, he took my place. It's called.
Speaker 2:B-Man Glory Hole.
Speaker 1:He's standing in for me. Now I'm done. Oh man, oh man, my goodness.
Speaker 2:Yeah, what a segue. Yeah, what a segue.
Speaker 3:So he does services and you know all types of services. He's a big humanitarian. Let's get serious for a minute. Horrible segue, that's my fault, but it's cool shooting from the hip sometimes you hit, sometimes you don't it's a super important thing that he's doing out there. He's helping out the youth all over the place and he's choosing to do so. Go ahead and tell us a little bit about the things that you're involved in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man, so, like I started volunteering, maybe like six years ago now, seven years ago it's been a minute now. You know I started volunteering, uh, just locally, like whether it was at like a food bank or uh, or like local churches or um, really anywhere that just needed help, like free help. You know what I'm saying. And uh, yeah, I I got into it and I would just do simple stuff, you know, I mean like they little setup stuff, this and that, but I was doing it because I thought I was going to help them. You know what I'm saying. And then shortly into it, maybe like a month in, I started finding out I'm like I want to go, I'm waking up and I'm like man, I want to go there, I want to be there and it was a trip. Man, like how it really takes my selfishness away.
Speaker 2:My self-centered. You know what I'm saying. I'm always thinking about me. It's, it's, it's it's normal, right, it's like it's human nature to to just be so self-absorbed, you know. And so volunteering, like just taught me it, it did something for me, it let me not be selfish for the day, like I figured, if I did that once a week, the rest of the days is for me. You know what I mean. Like that works. But yeah, I forgot what you asked me.
Speaker 3:But yeah, we were talking about the services that you're going out there to help out, and one of the ones that I'm specifically talking about is, uh, the youth ministry yeah, okay, so, yeah.
Speaker 2:So after I was, I was volunteering, uh, at this, this church, um, over in corona, it's called south hills. Uh, I started getting to know people and then, uh, you know, the pastors there uh would come up and ask me like, hey, you know, would you come by maybe? Like you know, maybe work with like the young, the young males, you know, like the, uh, high school boys, the, the college kids, you know they got nights for everything too, you know. And I was like, yeah, sure, you know, um, and I'd go there. And he'd be like, hey, man, we all have like a table of kids right. And uh, he'd be like, hey, uh, can you lead a table? And I'm like I don't know what, that is, okay, lead what. He's like, go sit at the table, you know, and here's the focus question we're going to give, and then you just go around the table and kind of facilitate it. You know, let the kids talk, let them get stuff off their chest. You know this and that.
Speaker 2:And when I sat there, dude, I found out like real quick that they listened to me and I think a lot of us to do is because of how I look. You know what I'm saying, like just the fact that I don't look like someone that came from church or was born in there, they would like they would ask questions, like stuff resonated with them, like they'd want to hang out. They want to you know what I'm saying. They want to, they want to be friends and stuff, you know. And uh, the, the pastors would be like, man, you know they, they really respond to you. Well, you know, like, would you mind keep coming back? And like I thought the kids were cool. So I was like, yeah, man, I'll keep coming back, you know.
Speaker 2:And uh, same thing, bro, like I started seeing their, their lives change, having like a positive role model in their life. Because one thing I found out being with them is like a lot of them, you know dad's dad's not there, mom's not there Uh, there's something going on at home, you know, uh, isolating themselves from the family, uh, type of stuff running away, um, you know, just getting into stuff, you know what I'm saying Getting off to a rocky start. You know, in life, and you can just tell man, with the, you being consistent there changes everything for them, like they see you there every week, man, and it's like, all of a sudden, you know their, their mood, their attitude changes toward you.
Speaker 2:You got to man with kids and young people. You got to earn their, their respect. You know what I'm saying. Like, you got to be consistent or they ain't going to respect you. They're not going to receive what you say. Very well, that's right.
Speaker 3:I've got a question. Ned's dope that you do that and shout out to the church that he's working on. What was it the church again?
Speaker 2:Oh, it's called South Hills.
Speaker 3:Thinking about Corona. I find it interesting that life has this way of choosing your job for you based off of what you've gone through right and the opportunities it gives you. What opportunities have you gone through that make you qualified for a position to mentor, to teach?
Speaker 2:dude, that's what's wild, bro. Like there are no, because, like, call it, life qualifies you and what's the trip there's like. Even even like recent uh like reports and and feedback I've gotten from people, um, like therapists and counselors. They're quickly finding out that people that have life experience are much more effective on the clients, on the patients. I don't know what you call them, what the word is, but a college degree like it doesn't resonate with. When you're talking real life, you know what I'm saying and and uh.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I think it's like the most potent thing is to be life qualified. You know what I'm saying, like I mean that that's what changes lives, man, is that you walk the walk and you went through it. You know I'm saying'm saying Like you're you remember? You know listening to people, um, you know drug counselors or something like that. If the drug counselor got his degree or her degree but has never been a drug addict and they're sitting there with me, you know what I'm saying? Uh, one, I know that right away you don't even got to tell me that you have not been where I've been, I can see it and just the way you talk, the way you hold yourself, um, and then we're kind of done. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 2:The the conversation doesn't really go from there. Uh, there's, there's no need, you know, they don't know, that's, that's good. So I think that's why, like they leadership in places, if they see that in you you do got to, you do got to be around, they got to know you really well, to even, you know, put you in a spot like that and in charge of anybody or anything you know. So it definitely took like a few years of me being around them like consistently, in order for me to get, like offered this stuff, you know Like a tattoo shop. Yeah, man, yeah, just like that exactly and that's interesting.
Speaker 3:You make that comparison. It immediately makes me think of this, this there's a visual. I'm gonna paint a picture for you guys. There's, you know, you're going through a divorce and you get two therapists. One therapist is fresh out of college, has never been married, 21 years old, and you have another therapist who's been married two to three times and divorced at this point, at 50 years old. Who do you want to take information from? Yeah, you know, does uh life experience, what? How does life experience equate to a college experience? That's a very interesting comparison. Yeah, yeah, definitely. I did construction a lot. You know what I mean, and one of the things that construction workers complained about was when somebody would come out of college and take the job with little hand-on experience, and I agree with them and disagree with them. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:Yeah, there's good in both. You're absolutely right. Like you know a college degree, like there's things you know and learn, that I have no idea, I just don't know.
Speaker 1:Is that stuff helpful to?
Speaker 2:know, probably sometimes, sometimes probably not Might be useless, but you're right, there's a little give and take there. It's just what's most effective, I guess. What do people respond to the most?
Speaker 3:And I think that slows people down too. Because they don't have a college degree, they feel like they can't help. I know, you know, and that is messed up, because intent is what is the the special thing that is going on there? It's the intent to want to change somebody's life or be involved in a way to help somebody out. Most people know how to do that without a motherfucking degree. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3:Like that, you know, we're definitely not trying to give information or talk people off bridges or anything like that here as well. You know, we're just trying to be insightful and, you know, trigger something in your day-to-day hustle and bustle, and I guess you can compare that to ministry a little bit too right, because they come in your day-to-day hustle and bustle and I I guess you can compare that to ministry a little bit too right, because they come in one day a week and then they hear you speak and you know yeah, you're trying to leave an imprint on them yeah per se, yeah, you hope, you hope it relieves like a little weight off their shoulders for the week, man, you hope.
Speaker 2:You hope it feels like a little medicine to them. You know, it's just something good for people. You know like a place to go that they didn't have to go, and now they got people that they could kick it with, just like. But you're absolutely right, man, it's so similar a tattooing, uh, in ministry, like I know it doesn't sound like it is, but the, the atmosphere and the way it is is very much like that, because it's very much like, uh, like counseling or therapy. You know what I'm saying? Just kicking with people is therapy, man, like like-minded people being around each other. Therapy, bro, like me and you, kicking, we have a good day, bro. When you go home, like, feel good, you know what I mean. Like man, it was a good day, I had fun.
Speaker 3:I laughed a lot about some cool stuff, you know. So, yeah, that's therapy in itself. You know, what I think one of the best teachers in life is is, uh, adversity, adversity, I agree, you know, it's not that somebody who hasn't gone through anything can't teach me, but for some reason, every time I receive information from somebody that is like core they, they're going through some shit you know what I mean and it's just like damn man, like what is it about? Adversity that, you know, is channeling all of these profound thoughts, these quotes that we speak of. You know, um, it's through the turmoil, the drama yeah, you know, exactly, you know exactly.
Speaker 3:You know, uh, when I got into tattooing, my dad was like yo, like um, why is everything so negative in tattooing? Why is everything so negative? Why is the imagery so negative? That's a good question, and I tried to draw in a positive direction for him but that shit is hard, it is, that shit is hard to draw a positive.
Speaker 3:It's something about capturing drama that taps into a different emotion, I believe, or maybe it's a heavier emotion, just naturally, so humans attach to it better and it's more graphic. Or maybe it's imprinting, I don't know the medium of it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, maybe that plays into it a little bit, but since we're on art, you know, do you do religious art as well? What kind of arts do you tend to focus on when you approach a piece and how is your religious convictions taken when you're in a tattoo studio? That's very taboo in our world. It's not taboo in the aspect of like we tar and feather motherfuckers. It's not like that. But it is close. You know what I mean. If you show religious belief heavily in a tattoo shop, you're seen as a fucking nerd or some shit like that. Motherfuckers don't like you. You're damn near a piercer or some shit. You know what I mean.
Speaker 2:So you feel about any piercers?
Speaker 1:listening right now, dog.
Speaker 2:No, you know what I mean.
Speaker 3:We always talking shit to the piercer man. It ain't gonna stop. You know what I mean. Like white-skinned brothers get no respect. You feel me, same shit. You feel me. We love both of y'all. You feel me. Yeah, same shit, you feel me. We love both of y'all. Let's start at the bottom. Yeah, yeah, we love both of y'all. You feel me, we love both of y'all. So yeah.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, like my beliefs do feel they kind of bleed into my art. Definitely, I notice Because, bro, it becomes like a part of you, you know, and so it's. It's, it becomes like a part of you, you know, and so is art. So they're like naturally gonna bleed together, you know, um, and it's deep like religious art, like I guess you could call it that. Like it's, it's somewhat deep, you know.
Speaker 2:I think like when people see it, um, like you said, it hits like a certain certain tone with them. It hits a certain like nerve, you know, um, depending on the scene. But but yeah, it definitely like bleeds into, uh, to the art world. For me, you know, because it's, yeah, it's like I said, it's a part of me, but, uh, but yeah, it's all mixed in, bro, like tattoo art, uh, you know religious art, um, just random ideas, you know, uh, lettering, graffiti, all that stuff, like I love it all, and so, to me, like I mix it all together. You know what I'm saying and uh, that's how it infiltrates that part of my life um, but yeah, more now than before, for sure I didn't used to draw.
Speaker 2:I started off drawing dark stuff. You know I'm saying, you know, back in the yeah, we used to draw a lot of like, uh, yeah, that's just how the industry was, you know, it's just how the industry was, you know, it's just more evolved now. So I think more images are like allowed and look good, you know, and before it wasn't, it was like skulls and, like, you know, roses.
Speaker 3:It's funny too. We talk about religions and I'm going to cut you off Religion and tattooing, right? Oh yeah, that was the second question. It's taboo to be religious in a shop, but I don't know not one shop that doesn't have a Jesus piece up. That's a good point. I never thought of that, or a cross or some type of devil, Something yeah something, Angel yeah something.
Speaker 2:So what is it?
Speaker 3:that causes motherfuckers to hate on a motherfucker who's super religious. I mean, first off, some of y'all religious motherfuckers be coming off a little cheesy and corny. Sometimes you feel me Like and like the Dockers and the Dockers and the Penny Loafers gotta stop.
Speaker 1:You, feel me, even if you're a missionary.
Speaker 3:Y'all can switch up the fit and give them a different uniform. You don't like the black, uh yeah you know. Corporate suit and tie. Look Like I'm into the Baptist. Look you feel me, my black ladies with the hats and shit like that covered clean.
Speaker 3:If you're going to cover clean like but when you lose me, if you got some dockers on with some pleated pants and some penny loafers on and you about to come up to me and talk to me about hey, brandon, I got a message for you I'm like, no, you don't. I got a message for you too Once you're done. I'm going to tell you something too Change your pants. You know what is it. There's an overtone.
Speaker 2:I'm just saying Go ahead the tattoo world does not accept beliefs in God, like you're right you know, does not accept beliefs in God, like, like you're right you know, like I don't. I know it might be sound confusing, but like I don't consider myself religious. For me it's, it's a, it's a spiritual thing. You know what I'm saying, like, but I, but it does, it does. I know what you mean. So, like the, the look of it. So when I go into a shop or when I'm in a tattoo convention or something like that, uh, the dopest thing about it, bro, is I'm just me and this whole belief in god is just here with me. So it's real subtle. You know what I'm saying, like you know you. You you're of figuring it out, you're figuring me out a little bit, but yeah, it's real subtle. So, and that's the dopest thing, dude, it's like, and what I believe, like Jesus, that's that the way he was with people was very non-abrasive. He'd kick it with you. I think when people are religion, they get it all backwards. When they try to tell you something, they try to tell you what you need to, how you should, where you going if you don't right, um, but the way that is modeled like to me properly, just like me and you sitting here kicking it right now. Man, you know I'm saying it's, it just eases in over time. You know the more you, the more we kick it, the more you find out about my beliefs and the more they might not sound so religious to you anymore. You know they might not sound so wild. You know you might be like oh I see, I see where you're getting that from. You know stuff starts making sense. So it's for me it is abrasive and I don't throw it in people's face for that reason. So if I'm around tattooers, especially dude, when I'm in shops, man, it's like. I know that. I know that.
Speaker 2:I've gotten in talks with dudes with you know. You know. You know when everyone's not tattooing and we're all out front, everyone's smoking or something, we're all in a circle kicking ackie sack or something. I've gotten in those conversations about that. You know I'm saying like, in those places and people respect you when you stand on your shit dog, so I don't care what they think and they, they know about it, so I don't, I don't really trip no more about it. You know I'm saying so but, um, like said, I'm not offensive about it either, you know. So I don't expect. I don't expect no crazy coming my way, because I don't give it. You know what I'm saying. But you're right, though Like it depends how you carry yourself in that but just off the bat it's not accepted because of how it's perceived. You know what I'm saying.
Speaker 3:Yeah, appearance is part of the delivery. Yeah, dog Appearance is part of the delivery.
Speaker 2:yeah, dog appearance yeah, appearance is part of the delivery, you know. Yeah, but you're right, man, like I enjoy. You don't want to get in them conversations in the tattoo shop either too much. You know what I'm saying. Because, like you say, you got like six dudes right and boom, you get into some some. A conversation like that, uh, it can go off the rails like real quick, oh, you're gonna have a real car.
Speaker 1:It's a, it's a, it's a certain type of way, yeah, you have to feel a positive or negative, and that's the fucked up thing about like.
Speaker 3:Religion is just like. Oh, you don't do that, you are this you're immediately telling somebody yeah, they are in a negative light because they're not following the prophecy of whatever it is that they believe in. Yeah, and so I understand the opinions upon that shit, just like politics is like okay, you don't believe in what it is that I believe, you're a fucking idiot. You know what I'm saying like what I see.
Speaker 1:What I see, too, is a lot of us that are in the same age group right here.
Speaker 3:We don't practice it like we were raised to practice it so we already have our guard up.
Speaker 1:We might believe something. We might believe the same thing we did when we grew up. We don't believe it the same way, we don't practice it the same way anymore, so it's almost like a guilty feeling that's what. I see too. So guys got that chip on their shoulder, so they're already ready to jump down. Yeah, they got answers. I got something to say.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, and you know, like that's a huge mistake, bro of the church, like that's our fault. Yeah, absolutely. The way that it's represented is 100%, like when you said, dude, you got an imperfect human being telling you another imperfect human being what you're doing wrong and what you should be doing, when you know damn well that there's stuff in their closet they got skeletons in that closet and they know it too, but they're sitting here telling you the hypocrisy of it is disgusting, bro, and it's seriously something that the church is misrepresented, and I feel like we need to take responsibility for that, for for putting almost the opposite out there, bro, than what this really is. And I and I hope that's what people see when they, when they're around me a lot is that it's not what you thought it was, it's not what you remember, it's not what you were taught all the way, not what you thought it was, it's not what you remember, it's not what you were taught all the way. You've got little bits and pieces of it just enough to get yourself into some some shit.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, like, you know just enough about it to question it. And they're good questions, bro. I had all these questions right, the deepest questions, you know. Is god real? Is he there? All of that stuff, I had to like sift through all that In these years. That's what's been happening is me just looking for the truth on deeper levels.
Speaker 2:Every year I'm always like sifting the bullshit out and, bro, I tell people, if this stuff wasn't real, I'd be the first dude to be out here telling all you guys hey man, don't be following this shit, dog. I looked in it. You know what I'm saying. I want good for you. You know I'm saying I don't want to lead you down a bad path and I wouldn't go down either if it was that you know. But yeah it's. It's something that's proven itself to me and it's changed me. And what blew my mind was when I would read scripture is the scripture would tell me how it's going to change me and it would happen. You know what I'm saying, like I would morph into what the scriptures was saying.
Speaker 1:And I'm like what is going?
Speaker 2:on man Like I get these light bulb moments that would just go off in my head, you know, and then the pastor's making sense.
Speaker 1:You know what I'm saying, Like I heard growing up.
Speaker 2:So much, so many pastors just not making sense right, Just yelling out verses and not explaining them and getting all riled up and everybody yelling and stuff. And I'm like, wait, what did we learn? What was it about? It wasn't a message.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but now you know like there's so many good pastors and like theologians out there that they just when I listen to some of these messages especially my pastor dude I remember saying to myself when I sit down in this church service I'm volunteering here, anyway, I might as well go listen and see what the man's got to say on the pulpit. And I remember telling myself man, as soon as I hear some bullshit, as soon as I hear some nonsense come out this dude's mouth, I just won't go in there anymore. I'll keep helping the church, but I just won't go listen Bro every.
Speaker 2:Sunday Hasn't happened here Every Sunday, bro Seven years later dog.
Speaker 2:No joke, no joke, man, I haven't heard. No BS, come off that pulpit dude. And yeah, I have to acknowledge truth. Man, I can't heard. No BS, come off that pulpit dude. And yeah, I have to acknowledge truth. Man, I can't lie to myself. Once I hear truth, I have to like, acknowledge it, I have to pursue it. You know, I can't be like, oh man, yeah, this stuff's cheesy so I'm just not going to listen. It's like no man, I want the smoke, even if it's like an answer I don't want to hear, as long as it's the truth.
Speaker 3:You know, but yeah, any other questions? No, no, man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, I could ask questions all day.
Speaker 3:Yeah, let's round it up, I would like to.
Speaker 1:His quote is pretty darn good. Okay, let's talk about it. Would you like to?
Speaker 3:so far round up.
Speaker 1:Our guest, ronnie, brought us a quote. Go ahead and tell it for us, ronnie.
Speaker 2:It's pray for peace and prepare for war. I feel like our conversation was that, to be honest with you, I mean Muay Thai, physical training, spiritual training, spiritual push-ups, right, both of those things for men. I'm sure for women too, but speaking from my stance, men, we need that, we need that. I do the most good, you put the most good out there. Right, you got your best intent, but you know the world, you know it's cold, you know it's harsh. So you prepare, prepare for war, hoping that it doesn't come, but you're ready. You know what I'm saying. That's sort of that's how I keep it. I keep it in the background, I keep it ready and I put my best foot forward. And I just think that I don't even know where I saw that saying. I think it was on the back of a t-shirt. But yeah, man, it resonates, you know.
Speaker 1:Well, I was going to let you know, too. That's a big military phrase too. Oh, okay, so as soon as he said it, as soon as I read it through his bio that we had him fill out. So the Latin version is Si vis possum per bellum and the Latin version is Si vis possum per bellum. And that's the Latin version, is everywhere in the military, along with the English version. So I'm like, okay, that made me even more curious as to what you were going to bring to the table.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, man, it's cool man, it's a part of me, but yeah, that describes it well.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I like that. You know, I stay ready.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You're a sucker if you don't, yeah.
Speaker 3:I stay ready at all times Mentally, not necessarily physically. All the time I got to work on that, like I said, I've been eating and shit. You know the mind we gotta keep it sharp. Thank you for coming in today, man. I really appreciate your interview and Absolutely. Ronnie rents and tattoos here all the time.
Speaker 3:He gets spots at the studio All the time B-Main Studios. If you guys want a tattoo From Ronnie, or if you're seeking Some Youth ministry, or you know, check. Or if you're seeking some youth ministry or you know, check them out at the church in South Hills. Yeah, he likes to do black and gray, he likes neo-traditional style, he does lettering, he's commissioning for paintings and all kind of other artwork outside of tattooing as well. Yeah, everybody that I bring to you guys is a resource In case you're struggling With mental health. He's also Personal trainer and teaches Muay Thai as well. So if you guys are interested In tapping in and that Please check him out, ronnie, go ahead and drop your Instagram.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's Ronnie B. Tattoos Ronnie B.
Speaker 3:Tattoos. So check him out On Instagram guys.
Speaker 1:Any last minute shout outs From Europe.
Speaker 2:Yeah, actually. So at South Hills, there I'm, actually I just got asked To start A recovery ministry. So Anybody Suffering from Any sort of I mean man we talk about Addictions from it ain't even just Drugs and alcohol, dog, it's like Beyond that, you know what I'm saying Like the money spent, yeah, like your focus is, you know, spending money, addictions, video games, you know, wasting your life away on all kinds of Americans. That's what we do. We're addicted to something. So, so this ministry, dude, is going to be focused on that.
Speaker 2:Like I think people are going to lose their minds when this election gets. I don't want to open this right now, but when this election is closed, bro, like, I just have a feeling, you know, people are going to fall off, like moms, dads, bro, that are that are normally there, fall back into addiction. Because, you know, I don't know what's going to happen and with the world, I don't know, but I just know someone's going to lose their shit. That's all I know. So it's like I try to think ahead in times and like, what are people going to need? How can we help? You know? And this recovery ministry, bro, I think is going to be huge. But yeah, it's out South Hills? And yeah, we'll be. We'll be launching in June.
Speaker 1:So who's the contact for that, the South Hills, or would they be able to send you a DM?
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. You can message me, or you can go to South Hills. They got their Instagram and Facebook page, but yeah, you can. You can come right to me too. I'm running it so sweet we appreciate you, ronnie.
Speaker 1:Yeah, thank you, yeah, enjoy.
Speaker 3:Good, good, all right, cool man.
Speaker 1:Have a great day. Thanks, man, thank you.
