iAmCompton built his reputation musically when his Rich Homie Quan collaboration, the Southern Cali themed “Turn it Up,” was featured on World Star HipHop and skyrocketed to over a million views in its first week. Now he's back with an anthem to the west-side that sounds like two tracks in one as he reminisces then flips the beat on its head for the second half. As a a multi-talented creative who's flexing all of his skills, this connection between his cast member life and his artist life is an exciting one! Watch episde highlights from BIC below and listen to new single "Westside" above.
About iAmCompton
Star of VH1’s “Black Ink Crew: Compton” Danny Kirkpatrick became known professionally as iAmCompton when his three-part identity as an ink icon, artist and musician (the “i,” “A” and “m” in his new moniker) solidified in his young adulthood. Hailing from the much talked about and often misunderstood city of Compton, California, iAmCompton built his reputation musically when his Rich Homie Quan collaboration, the Southern Cali anthem “Turn it Up,” was featured on World Star HipHop and skyrocketed to over a million views in its first week. Music had long been a passion for the multi-talented creative, and this success was part of a life-long commitment to the arts. But iAmCompton’s path to becoming the loved rapper, tv personality and business owner that he is today hasn’t always been smooth.
Growing up in the hip-hop culture of Compton and listening heavily to popular artists like Tupac, Jay-Z, DJ Quik, E-40, Eminem, Kanye West, LL Cool J and Eazy-E sparked iAmCompton’s interest in music at a young age. But it wasn’t until the threat of time behind bars was looming over his head that he realized he needed to focus on his creativity and steer clear of the traps around him. After narrowly avoiding incarceration in 2005, iAmCompton became passionately committed to music and art, and soon his skill in the tattoo world had him adorning some of hip-hop and R&B’s greatest talents, including Kelly Rowland, P. Diddy and even the legendary Nas. The trifecta of Ink, Art and Music (I-A-M) became his defining skill set and personal brand, as few others could rise in the ranks of the art and music worlds with such force. Ink Art Music soon marked the record label that he released his music and began an international tour under, and before long the brand became a brick-and-mortar tattoo shop, the very first Black-owned tattoo business and art collective in Compton.
The Ink Art Music shop is such a one-of-a-kind place that it was only a matter of time before it became immortalized on screen...in 2019 VH1’s hit reality show series “Black Ink Crew” (BIC) centered on the city of Compton and on the tattoo crew and shop that iAmCompton founded. This newest and arguably most-compelling installment in the BIC series has propelled him to a new level of stardom and introduced the Ink Art Music brand to a huge new audience of fans. As the daily lives, struggles and triumphs of iAmCompton, his partner Kyla Pratt and the other artists who make up their unique “family” light up tv screens all over America, we can only guess what other striking accomplishments are in the cards for this uniquely talented individual.
Follow @iamcompton on Instagram Now