Tattooing became a team sport on season nine of Ink Master. Countless teams did not have what it takes to earn the title of "Master Shop" because they sought to find the ‘I’ in “team.” On the other hand, DJ and Bubba came representing Old Town Ink and were armed with trust and talent. The first veteran team to return, their portfolio for the season consisted of art that pushed the envelope and risks that paid off.
If you’re unfamiliar with the structure of the Shop Wars season, nine of the top tattoo shops across the country came to represent their shop and meet challenges of technical ability as well ingenuity. Each week, a veteran shop would return, and we'd see a familiar face from a previous season. These veterans included wickedly talented runner ups for the title including, Christian Buckingham, Clean Rock One, and of course season nine, finalists Katie McGowan and Matt O’Baugh.
With so much talent in the house, the stakes were higher than ever. The grand prize the bragging rights and title of "Master Shop," a feature in Inked Magazine, and the largest monetary prize yet of $200,000.
Easily, it was the most competitive season yet, but Old Town treated it like another day in the office and did what they do best; create art. When it came to artistry, other teams leaned toward safety with tattoos they knew would appease the judges. Old Town Ink knew the title was one to be earned and went for cover ups, the Japanese style with Chris Núñez' meticulous gaze, and of course the back portrait for their master canvas. When confronted by their decisions, they stood by them and would proceed in the same fashion if given another chance.
Early in the season, the argument of how much art it takes to tattoo arose when Boneface returned, infamous for getting competitors to lose their cool. DJ was not an exception to this, but argued his point flawlessly. This team understands that you need art in tattooing, and it was incredible to see them shine all season long.
They were a team and it blew my mind how each competitor tried to ride Bubba off as the weak link, despite how he proved himself on multiple occasions. What others didn’t understand was that they knew how to function as a team. Bubba wasn’t shy to let DJ take the lead - he did learn a lot from the dude! Doing so didn’t make him a weak player as he played the game strategically and seized opportunities to showcase his skills. Behind the scenes, he still looked to learn more, and practiced styles to add to his box of tricks. He wasn’t passively waiting for DJ to make decisions and lead them, despite the conspiracy from competitors.
Truthfully, they needed no alliance in the competition. They were their alliance.
