The term “C/S,” short for “con safos,” is ending up being a really trendy prize in the tattoo world, and also not just amongst Chicanos, but throughout the plank — white kids, hipsters, etc.

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Despite it’s popularity, no everyone to know its an interpretation and/or where it come from.

From ours understanding, it’s a term the dates earlier to, at least, the 1940’s/50’s, and also was provided as a sign-off top top Chicano “placas” and graffiti throughout the Southwestern U.S. Amongst Chicanos. Some say, that would average “with respect”, or as literally analyzed “with safety.”

In an initiative to clarify it’s origins and meaning, Tribal gear founder Bobby Ruiz has launched The C/S Project, which doubles together a series of virtual videos that document his mission to define what the street icon is every about, with interviews with people in the graffiti, tattoo, gangbangin’ and car cultures; and also an invitation-only merch program for established tattoo shops, custom vehicle houses, pin-stripers, bands, and more … worldwide.

However, as he set out to tackle the project, the learned a lot around it himself, and also will reveal what he’s learned through his newly released CslashS.com website.

“In the beginning, that was type of a mission to specify it, since I flourished up seeing it. Since I was a little, tiny kid, i would see my dad and my uncles usage it and I’d view it on the walls,” Ruiz tells invernessgangshow.net that the project’s inception. “This remained in the mid-70s. That was constantly around, however I began seeing it an ext now in tattoos and tattoo speed . I started see that on, more, white children — it was bleeding right into the hipster and also just the whole tattoo scene.

“It’s the oldest icon from the streets that I know of. Prior to trece (or 13), there was C/S, there to be con safos,” the continues. “It to be a prideful thing in the beginning, and also I to be curious around the origins as well.”

After month of gathering info, Ruiz launched the job online, debuting a collection of interviews with west coastline O.G.’s such as Eriberto Oriol, mr Cartoon, Jack Rudy, Estevan Oriol, and Mark Mahoney, and also discussions with symbols of the younger generations prefer veteran tattoo/graf artist Norm, mountain Diego-based tattoo artist Flaks, and more.

During filming, Ruiz admits the interpretations that what C/S expected were anywhere the place, however hopes what he’s excellent will give the generations come come an expertise of the ax they more than likely wouldn’t gain otherwise.

“I was trying to get these various definitions. It was kinda weird the way meaning kind of went all of the place at times,” that says. “I was the end on a fishing watercraft once, and also these 2 deckhands had actually it on lock — 2 white kids. I had actually a few beers in me, so i hit them increase like, ‘Hey, what the f*** execute you know about Con Safos?’ castle came with some sort of half-assed answer. From there, I began seeing it much more and more, therefore I visited my dad and also he said me what the knew around it. He gave me his definition, and then I began interviewing several of the original muralists from Chicano Park (San Diego). Ns tried to obtain as O.G. Together I could with it.”


Currently, the website attributes a handful of the interviews Bobby has filmed, but an ext are come come, and he tells united state the job will expose an also further background of C/S, which will certainly be released in the coming months.

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Additionally, The C/S project boasts a selection of C/S-branded tees and also other merch, developed alongside established service within the culture, indigenous Goodfellas Tattoo come the Arcadia-based squid Shop. Together of push time, however, merch is only easily accessible for a select variety of shops, yet others are slated come be presented in the comes months.