Richie Bulldog is the co-founder and creative director of the world-famous Hustle Butter tattoo care.

From getting his first tattoo in New York when the practice was still illegal in that state, to creating an all-natural, cruelty-free and vegan-friendly product, Richie and his Hustle Butter brand have seen the tattoo industry grow to where it is today.

We interviewed Richie about the ideas behind his products, the people creating body art from the Hustlers Parlour tattoo studio, and a sneak peek at the next big thing to come from the Hustle Butter empire!

How did you get involved in the tattoo industry?

One fateful day in 1993, while at my first duty station during my enlistment in the United States Marine Corps, I walked into a dingy tattoo parlour on a dodgy street: Lucky Tiger. There I met tattooer JR Maloney, another Marine tattooing in his free time. We immediately struck up a friendship over our mutual love of skateboarding, NYC, hip hop, graffiti cultures, and of course tattoos.

I gazed into his sketch book and was amazed by his graffiti tattoo style. I had never in my life seen the familiar street art in tattoo form, which is what he did. I knew JR and I had a connection. I started getting tattooed by him extensively and spent all of my free time at Lucky Tiger. It was then I became involved in the tattoo industry.

Why did you decide to make a tattoo butter?

Long before Hustle Butter, I had been healing with petroleum products just like everyone else… A and D ointments, the bacitracins, the bleeding, scabbing, and breakouts. The healing process was almost as bad as getting the tattoo. I knew there had to be something better for your body, skin, and tattoo.

As an American with Puerto Rican roots, I knew cocoa and shea butters were widely used for healing, and as moisturisers. I figured if it was good for your skin, it could be fantastic to heal tattoos… Next thing you know, Rob Hill - a tattoo artist from California who was asked to try out the product with his clients - told me “Hey man, this makes a great tattoo glide as well…” And bang!!! Here we are ten years later.

How important is the city of New York to the Hustle Butter DNA?

We are a proud NYC brand, born in Brooklyn, “the county of Kings”. NYC is a huge part of what we do and how we do it. NYC, the 5 Boroughs: Hustle, Pride, Grit, Edge, and Swagger. Always striving to be bigger and better, all while keeping things 100% real. There is no realer place in my opinion on this earth than New York City, and real never fades!

Can you tell us about the Hustle Butter team and your relationship with co-founder Seth Love?

My Hustle Butter team is super important to me, the brand, and the industry. Pierre Bustos is our Team Manager and my friend for at least 25 years, who also manages Hustlers Parlour all while tattooing a full schedule of his own clients. Simply irreplaceable.

I’ve travelled the world to hand pick the best of the best.  The team is international, and we sponsor thousands of artists. Team Hustle is strong and yet we have sponsored tattooers at all levels providing they show love, honour, and loyalty.

Ah Seth Love; my partner, big brother, mentor, accountant, life planner… I could’ve never done alone what we have done together. He is the wind in my sails, and together we are an unstoppable force, a hustle juggernaut. I truly believe that. But I can’t forget my wife Charlotte, and my children, Daniel, Celeste, and Kayla who made the biggest sacrifice holding things down while I was traveling the world with Seth laying the foundation of what Hustle Butter has become.

Who are some of your favourite tattoo artists working today?

Filip Leu, Igor Mitrenga, El Whyner, Lux Altera, MASHKOW, David Giersch, Kamil Mocet, Levgen Knysh, Schrail Edmund, Craig Foster, Michael Perry, Jason Butcher, Thanks Aanderton, shit I could go on all day!

Which conventions are the most fun to attend or MC?

London Tattoo Convention at Tobacco Dock, the old Milano show at Ata Hotel Quark, and of course my two favourites are the NY Empire State Tattoo Expo and Golden State Tattoo Expo, both of which I’m “Master of Ceremonies” so they’re close to my heart!

But there are plenty of great conventions worldwide. Evergreen Invitational, Hell City, Due South, any of the Paradise Retreats just to name a few!

You’ve also been known to DJ, what made you want to try that out and where can we see it?

I’ve always loved music, most kinds - it’s one of my strongest influences. I’ve always felt that music makes the moment “more”. I’ve always been surrounded by DJs. As a child I can still remember standing behind DJ Frankie while he spun those amazing records that had the whole party under his control.

I always knew I wanted to do that, be that. So when I was finally able, I bought some equipment and launched Hustle Butter Radio. Our radio show can be seen and heard LIVE on the Twitch platform… Follow RichieBulldog for a good time!

How many tattoos do you have and which is your favourite?

When I’m asked how many tattoos I have, I often say one, but honestly I’m about 70% covered. Most favourite are my left inner calf by JR Maloney, my left hand from Fillip Leu, and the big skull on my belly by Q Tattoo, the crown above it is by Levgen Kynsh, and my latest cover up by Kamil Mocet.

Do you have any plans for your next tattoo?

THROAT, NECK, EL WHYNER!

Why was it important to make your products vegan-friendly?

I needed it to be that way personally for me and my family. I knew it would be used daily so it had to be clean, all natural, and let us not forget cruelty-free. The world is more in tuned with natural quality… chemicals are bad… mkay!

This year you celebrated 10 years of Hustle Butter – how does it feel to have hit that milestone?

I can’t even begin to explain the feeling. It feels both like a split second and a lifetime. I almost can’t remember anything before we started Hustle Butter unless I try! It was a tough road at first. So many naysayers when I started: “the name won’t work”; “you’re not a tattooer”; “no one will EVER use something with any scent”; or my favourite of all time, “enjoy it while it lasts”.

Hundreds of products have tried to emulate our signature scent from in-process and aftercare products to stencil products. Ten years later, Richie Bulldog Certified has become the true mark of excellence, revered in the tattoo industry worldwide and still locally respected!

How do Hustle Butter Deluxe and C.B.D. Luxe help artists do their best work?

During the tattoo process while using Hustle Butter Deluxe as a glide, it soothes, heals, and reduces skin inflammation, bleeding, and seeping, keeping the skin soft, fresh and super happy to receive the ink. It’s incredible for not overworking skin since you can see every highlight, every line when it goes in nice the first time.

Now the difference with the C.B.D. Luxe is that it does all those amazing things the original Hustle Butter does, and goes one step further. It reduces soreness to the tattooed area, and as the CBD penetrates, it tends not only to the skin surface but the muscles underneath as well.  And that is a game changer! Not to mention it’s amazing for aches, pains, soreness, and all kinds of other ailments.

Why should artists use your tattoo care before, during and after?

Before: Hustle Butter products promote healthy skin. If your skin is moisturised and healthy already when you go to get tattooed, it makes the skin more receptive to the ink.

During: Nothing keeps down redness and swelling better than Hustle Butter products, making the tattoo process better for both the artist and collector.

After: Hustle Butter should be used as directed by your artist. Hustle Butter when used as aftercare will shorten heal time dramatically. When fully healed, continue to use Hustle Butter daily as a part of a heathy skin regimen to always keep your tattoos and skin hydrated, looking and feeling its best.

Why is it so important to start the process of healing as soon as possible?

The healing process starts the second Hustle Butter makes contact with the first line of ink. And that’s important when managing trauma put on the skin. So you're really benefitting in the healing process because of the reduced trauma during the tattoo. So literally the Hustle Butter has been at work healing since the tattoo has started. Crazy, right?

Do you think CBD products are here to stay?

My C.B.D. Luxe works for me - I actually use it in the gym to manage my tendinitis, and hundreds of artists sing its praises for tattooing, healing, carpal tunnel, and bad backs. I do believe the fad aspect will die down, and the flood of shit products will go away leaving the good stuff here!

Why should artists replace green soap with Hustle Bubbles Deluxe?

Our Hustle Bubbles Deluxe use most of the same ingredients that are in our Hustle Butter Deluxe to soothe and moisturise the skin during the tattoo process. Nothing to dry out or irritate the skin the way green soap does.

Will we be seeing a new line of Luxury Hustle Wear in the future?

Of course! Since Hustle Butter’s inception, it was always the plan to be more than a product. Hustle Butter Deluxe was a lifestyle brand. Something more than just a cheap something to put on a bloody tattoo. No, it was expensive, something specially made for your skin, your art, your life. It was luxurious. Mixed with that love for tattooing, art, fashion, and music, Luxury Hustle Wear was born.

The majority of the art comes from our head designer, El Whyner. John Caleb, Anrijs Straume and Aaron Diaz have all had drops with us. We’ve done a new line every year since we’ve started made limited runs and sold out every time. We missed 2 years due to the FUCKDEMIC, but back on track!

What does the word “hustle” mean to you?

EVERYTHING!

Can you tell us about Hustlers Parlour and the artists working out of there?

In 2014, as Hustle Butter Deluxe grew with artists using it around the world and a loyal following growing, we wanted a studio in NYC where people could get tattooed by the greatest artists from around the world, while making Hustle Butter Deluxe and Luxury Hustle Wear available to the public. So Hustlers Parlour was born.

The current artist list is: Kamil Mocet, Igor Mitrenga, Schrail Edmund, Stefano Phen, Tomasz Lech, Federico Costantini, David Giersch, Pierre Bustos, Egor Kubrak, Akos Strenner, Vittorio Mustacchio, El Whyner, Deborah Jeong, Juan Pablo Mejias, Christos Galiropoulos, Mike Amanita, Mello Rosa, Eena Choi and Oscar Conejeros.

Returning artists include Massacrov, Daniel Pecho, Hard Times, Zach Brunner, Joe Miller, Aaron Diaz, Bryan Sanchez, Sad Amish, Nora, Anna Chernova, Konstantin Strokin, Polina Cohen, Raimundo Ramirez, El Franco, Simone Terrone, Paul Urquiza, Caleb Morgan, Tom Petucco.

Are you developing any other products right now?                        

YES! I’m proud and excited to say we have a few products READY TO DROP VERY SOON! I want to keep the surprise, but I’ll give you one: a 50 SPF sunblock we’ve been working on perfecting for some time now. Totally reef-safe!

We will be dropping a special limited run MASHKOW X HUSTLE BUTTER 10th Anniversary Tub! LIMITED RUN - KEEP YOUR EYE OUT!

What’s next for Richie Bulldog and the Hustle Butter empire?

Look for exciting things soon to happen in the Hustlers Parlour in NYC! Since we are already worldwide, I guess we need to book a few spots on these new intergalactic trips because we’re shooting for the stars… We will continue bring people natural products that enhance their lives today, tomorrow, and forever.

Real Never Fades, You Can’t Knock the Hustle.

We hope you enjoyed our interview with Richie Bulldog of Hustle Butter! You can follow the brand on Instagram and Facebook to find out about their latest products, or get the whole range on the Killer Ink site!