WILLY NORTHPOLE: THIS IS MY STORY

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From 2Pac's famous "Thug Life" tattoo on his stomach to Mike Tyson's tattoo on his face more then ever Hip Hop artist are not only expressing themselves with their music but know with ink. Artist such as Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, 50 Cent, Flo Rida, Birdman, Oschino (formally of State Property), Jim Jones, Willy NorthPole, Plies, Pharell, The Game, Kanye West, Young Jeezy,  B.G., Gun Play of Triple C's, Three6Mafia, Jacki-O, Young Buck, and Cashis (artist on Shady Records).They are only a  hand full of artist that don't have tattoo’s such as Jay-Z and T.I. to name a few that comes to mind. I recently reached out to my dawg Willy NorthPole aka Mr. Body Marked Up repping DTP and the West Coast or Phoenix, Arizona to be exact to talk about his story behind his tattoos and music.................

 

24: What lead you to go get your first tattoo and what did you get?

Willy NorthPole: My first tattoo was my favorite because it symbolizes where I’m from and the hood I grew up in, and my cousin I lost. The Demons and the Angels that were around me. It’s my back tat all done at once.

24: How fast did you go back to get another tattoo after the first one because I know a lot of people say it can become a little addiction?

Willy NorthPole:  Yeah, it took a little while but I knew I was going to go in with that tats and yes those muthafuckas are addictive. I went in a few months later and started sleaving.

24: I know people get tattoos to express themselves in different ways from Pain to Joy so explain the meaning behind a couple of your tattoos for me and the readers?

Willy NorthPole: I get tats cause bitches like the..hahahahaha naw I'm playing every tat means something to me. I feel like I will never regret my art but I wish it was all positive. But that's my story, that's my image and that's me. "My Bodys Marked Up like a Subway in Harlem" and it means a lot to me that people understand exactly why.

24: How many tattoos do you have all together?

Willy NorthPole: You can't really count my tattoos because they all together. I got big tatt's with a whole lot of shit inside of them. It's not like how some people get a whole bunch of individual tatt's in different spots there damn near like sleeves on my back, chest and arm.

24: I know a lot of people go to Cartoon to get inked up in the West Coast but I'm sure you got your personal go to guy out in AZ?

Willy NorthPole: This cat from Denver does my shit, my dude Yayo. I deal with him  and fly him out from Denver. I also mess with a dude called Reggie Tatt's who I mentioned in my song "Body Marked Up" out in New York he's done a lot of work with the whole G-Unit.

24: I know you actually did a casting call for your video "Body Marked Up" for everyone come through and show off there tatt's so tell me how did that go?

Willy NorthPole: Man, that was the craziest shit! What people don't understand when I did the video it was like a historical moment for AZ because niggaz ain't never seen no shit like that. I didn't even realize that bunch of the niggaz I fuck with was tatted up like that but we did the casting call and basically people come through show their shit males and females and we went with the best ones that made sense for the video & song.

24: How would you say you spent on getting tattoos so far out of pocket?

Willy NorthPole: They actually hook me up for free because of who I am and what I do and there do quality work.

24: I know you recently shot the Video for "Body Marked Up" so tell what type of response have you been getting from it so far? I personally thought it was a great look for you because in today’s game you need a video to go along with the music not to mention the Ludacris cameo that put that extra stamp approval on it.

Willy NorthPole: What's crazy is that everyone you see in that video came there for me, nobody knew that Ludacris was coming. If I would of said something everyone from the state would have been there but for thousands to show up for me that was a good look. Having that nigga come to the hood which is where we was at and really show love and shake niggas hands I really respect that nigga for that shit. It made my city feel better, a lot of people don't know the history behind "Broadway" that’s my hood and for me to bring Luda there to Broadway that shit was big. Only people from AZ can understand that shit. When he showed up and we shook hands that were real it was a one take on the set he had just walked up for real. We had nothing planned or acting that was just filmed.

24: I know you’re in the studio right now so tell how is the album coming out?

Willy NorthPole: I hate when rappers say that this is going to be a great album but this shit really going to be a fucking great album real talk. I put my heart to this shit just like I put my heart into my mixtapes, you know what I'm saying. I put my all into this shit to really be a universal artist my nigga when I write I see Grammys. I don't just see hood niggas and hood bitches or cars, riches. I see Grammy! Everyone knows I'm from the streets but I can step out the box and do this or that and just mix it up. It's always going to be hood but I put the shit together right like how The Chronic would have skits and shit. The only problem I had with the album was narrowing down the damn album with songs that Chaka loved, Luda, my manager the A&R and myself to 14 songs.

24: What's Next In Line for Willy NorthPole in 2008?

Willy NorthPole: I finished up a couple of mixtape with DJ Skee, DJ DOn Cannon and DJ Green Lantern so look out for those coming this summer. I got my own hat I designed with New Era for the bird city thats Phoenix. I'm on the DUB Car Show Tour right now hitting 12/13 cities. I'm about to shoot another video with Luda for the internet so they can see what's going on. I got a record with Ne-Yo called "The Life" its going to be a real big record. Man, now that the album is done and I can breath a little bit I'm going hard with these mixtapes! I want people to understand what I do and I'm not just a rapper with a black tee shirt and a pair of Versace shades I have been doing this since I was 10 and I'm talented!

For more info on Willy NorthPole log on to www.myspace.com/willynorthpole or www.myspace.com/officialwillyborthpole.