How was it growing up in Hawai‘i with limited resources to things you were interested in?
Now when I think about it, it was hard, but at the time I didn’t know anything else. But like any curious kid you want more. The little information you get from TV and friends was about it though…we did more trial and error type of stuff. No Internet back then. For example, I danced for like 10 years…yes, breakdancing. [Laughs] I found out about it through a buddy of mine that had watched Beat Street. I didn’t even watch it. So he would show me his interpretation of what he saw and I would copy that. He gave me all the wrong names for the moves, everything was a mess. [Laughs] I was in like the seventh grade. I thought I was really cool. That kind of led to graffiti, wanting to see and know more, but the only graffiti books I knew about were in the library and they wouldn’t let you borrow them. I guess people would borrow them and not bring them back, or borrow them and bring them back with a few pages missing, so I ended up jacking one. [Laughs] I was like, “I’m not gonna keep coming back here to look at this.” Wow, this is really incriminating information. I still feel the same way though. Being on an island in the middle of the ocean is not the easiest way to gain knowledge of the outside world. It’s also 10 times as hard to make a name for yourself, and I’m not talking hometown hero either. That’s why I think a lot of people move away. Don’t get me wrong, I fricken love Hawai‘i and all of its awesomeness, but there is so much cool stuff out there that people are missing out on.

Well since you talked about B-boying, remember Panic Zone?
Sweet! [Laughs] If this gets printed Chris Kam will never let me slide. That guy gives me shit about it all the time. Panic Zone was, or should I say is, my B-boy crew. Only the best crew in the whole universe, duh! [Laughs] Nah, just a really cool bunch of homies. That is a whole other story in itself, but a few of the guys in my crew did graffiti. That, and it kind of fueled the whole art thing. Also going to jams and functions, I met other B-boys, artists and writers, a few of which are doing big things these days. That opened the doors for networking and painting and meeting new people. The whole surrounding yourself with good artists thing.

Are you into old cars and bikes?
I don’t fix them, I’m just a big fan. It’s not just cars. I just like seeing classic stuff. It doesn’t even have to be cars, could be anything nostalgic. I guess that all started when I was a kid checking out lowrider magazines, cruising Waikiki, and going to Ala Moana Beach Park to look at all the cars and bikes on the weekend. Lots of good ones and lots of shitty ones. [Laughs] It didn’t matter. There would be a cool ass Impala…then a jacked up Honda Civic with hydraulics would roll by. It didn’t matter. Good times. I wish that stuff still happened. But like I said, I’m not a grease monkey or anything or front like I’m a crazy car guy, but I do own a few old cars and a Harley, and I learn a little here and there through friends. It’s also hard not to want them when all of your friends have them and you see them playing with their really cool toys and you can’t play. So I had to get with it.

Last words?
Just want to thank everyone who supports me in what I do and to all the people out there putting in work and making positive moves to bring Hawai‘i up, whatever that may be. Good attitudes and positive vibes. Respect all. Fear none.


ラッキー・オレロ
ラッキー・オレロはホノルルに在るSoulSignatureと言うタトゥーパーラーで働くアーティストだ。彼は世界中に顧客を持つ。タトゥー以外にもSoulSignatureアパレルのデザインを手掛ける。現在、彼が関わったタトゥーとそのアーティストを載せた本を制作中だ。