Rico

Rico’s passion for tattooing started early. As a kid, he watched his mom and her friends come home with fresh ink and was instantly hooked. By 14, he was sketching designs straight from the phone book during visits to their local shop. At 15, he met his mentor Hoezae—also known as Badnewz—a respected airbrush and graffiti artist from Chicagoland. With the full support of his mentor and his parents, Rico began learning the craft and has now been tattooing professionally for 16 years.

Known for his creative range, Rico works across multiple styles including fine-line micro tattoos, bold realism, and eye-catching illusion tattoos that look like they’re jumping through portals. His focus is on more than just clean execution—he aims to create tattoos that connect with personal stories and give every client a meaningful experience.

He currently tattoos at Club Tattoo in Scottsdale, where he’s part of a high-energy, tight-knit team of talented artists. One of his proudest pieces to date was for a client who had just retired after 30 years in the Army. The tattoo landed on Memorial Day, the client’s birthday, Father’s Day, and his retirement—a rare moment that made the design even more powerful.

When he’s not at the studio, Rico spends his time with family, shooting pool, bowling, and exploring new creative ideas. For him, tattooing is about connection, storytelling, and constantly pushing the boundaries of what ink can do.