MQ “The Most Qualified” on tattooing, Japan & graff

We are proud & excited to have one of the illest graffiti writers known to man, MQ! Thats right, MQ! The Wild Styles obtained this exclusive MQ interview with the help of our good friend the one & only, NY hardcore rapper, Skam Dust.

In this interview Skam covers MQ’s 3 week trip to the land of the rising sun, Japan.

SKAM: Your looking good MQ, considering the madness that Japan is, how you feeling?
MQ: I’m feeling good, it’s great to be back, it’s like I stepped out of the matrix…

SKAM: (Skam & MQ laugh) Ya I know what your talking about…
MQ: Yes you do, we did that Japan mission together many times.

SKAM: Ya that place is the Matrix. So how you feeling?
MQ: I feel great, I got much needed rest, I am back with my family, very happy. There is nothing like getting back home & safe from a long & far away travel & seeing your family, they’re #1.

SKAM: I understand, I know you asked me to keep this interview short & I will, but lets begin with a few questions..
MQ: Skam you know me, I am very selective with whom I speak with. The Wild Styles are good people, they support the NY Hardcore Scene & Hardcore world wide. So that’s why I am giving this interview, just easy on the questions… (MQ laughs)

Skam you know me, I am very selective with whom I speak with..

SKAM: I gotcha.
MQ: Thanks.

SKAM: So the last 3 times I was with you in Japan I noticed more & more people asking you to autograph their skin. Was this the inspiration for you to go back there & do a tattoo tour?
MQ: Yes those fans got me thinking about it & I took notice of that. Norm DMS has also inspired me, plus it’s an honor to have people asking me to tattoo my name on there skin. It’s a bug out.

SKAM: When & where did you do your first tattoo?
MQ: It was in the early 90’s in Corona Queens at Hoya Roc’s house, I tattooed Freddy (MADBALL), I did his last name (Cricien) on his stomach.

SKAM: Last time we were together in Tokyo I was featured in your video we shot a commercial hovering over Tokyo in a helicopter for Adidas Originals, do you have more MQ videos coming?
MQ: Yes I do, I have another Adidas video coming & I am working on another graffiti video, both videos will be dropping before June.

SKAM: What year did you put up your first tag ?
MQ: 1979.

The first tattoo I did was in the early 90’s in Corona Queens at Hoya Roc’s house, I tattooed Freddy (MADBALL), I did his last name (Cricien) on his stomach

SKAM: You must of been 10 or 11 , during those early years what writers inspired you ?
MQ: Angel Duster aka AD, Dondi, Kid56, Fuzz, Flame, & IZ The Wiz. I remember you & your brother Nom use to hang with Kid56, Fuzz & Flame. I was bugging out how you guys knew these kings.

SKAM: Ya my brother Nom & me where KooL kids & we were welcomed by those older writers. Is there a writer from the new school that has inspired you?
MQ: Yes, that would be the one & only TIE.

SKAM: King TIE, rest in peace.
MQ: Yes, rest in peace King TIE.

SKAM: How did he inspire you?
MQ: TIE was a master, Skam no joke at that time I was like 28 he was like 18 & I was learning from him. He truly was one of a kind, like Bruce Lee, there’s only one Bruce Lee & there is only one TIE, King TIE.

SKAM: Yo M thanks for sharing that, TIE’s life was cut real short, he must of made an impact on you, cause that TIE blockbuster you did on that ship was a monster!
MQ: It was the 2nd biggest blockbuster I did, TIE deserved a big blockbuster & there was nothing ordinary about it! Me, Fate & BNE did that blockbuster on that ship.

TIE deserved a big blockbuster & there was nothing ordinary about it! Me, Fate & BNE did that blockbuster on that ship.

SKAM: I remember looking at that ship on the news & saying to my self what the fuck, TIE would be proud, so what was that blockbuster you did that was even bigger?
MQ: That would be my second ship I hit, it was 650 feet big ass MQ, that’s as long as a NY city block.

SKAM: How much paint is that ?
MQ: 100 gallons of chrome paint, even the stores in SF ran out of chrome paint and a lot of paint thinner was needed as well, it helps stretch the paint.

SKAM: That’s a super blockbuster!
MQ: Yes it definitely was.

SKAM: Is there an artist right now that you would want to collaborate with?
MQ: First guy that comes to mind is Phil Frost.

SKAM: Oh, I love that guy.
MQ: Ya he is amazing, his vision is so far ahead, I remember you talking to me over the phone about him, what was that one molecule thing you were saying?

SKAM: Oh ya, I was saying that Phil Frost was like margarine, margarine is one molecule away from becoming plastic & Phil Frost is one molecule from turning into Spock from Star Trek.
MQ: (MQ laughs) Ya he is genius.

SKAM: What’s up with that Ghostface collaboration?
MQ: Ya, I did that with photographer Craig Wetherby, sold it for $4,400

SKAM: Thats an amazing piece!
MQ: Frank151 bought that & it’s now being displayed at their L.A. office.

SKAM: So what’s next for MQ?
MQ: There too much, I don’t think I can get it all in (MQ laughs) but I know you & me are going back to Japan in June.

SKAM: That’s right, we are doing the second annual Skam Fest, with special guest Damian Burnz DMS!
MQ: Ya that’s right, thanks Skam, there so much going on, I can’t even talk about it. Long story short, I am the boogie man of graffiti!!

Long story short, I am the boogie man of graffiti!!

SKAM: (SKAM laughs) I hear you & I feel you, you want to keep this interview short…
MQ: Ya you know me…

SKAM: Ok lets shut this down, in closing what would you like to say ?
MQ: Yes, I want to give a shout out to my posses from Japan 246 Crew, WANTO, TOM, GKQ, SECT, JU, SAME, RESQ, CN1, NOE, PINE, YK, AVEE, RUST & ZOMBRA, GATO420. Also want to give a shot out to Stephen Malbon of Frank151!

More info:
MQ – MQism.com
Skam Dust – Skamdust.com

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Major thanks to Skam Dust for doing the interview!