Deviant Nation : Artist : DGAF

DGAF

Original Kottonmouth Kings frontman Saint Dog’s reckless lifestyle might have got him thrown out of the California’s rip-hop innovator, but he’s found a new crew of misfits, miscreants and outlaws with DGAF. An acronym for “Don't Give a F**k”, DGAF is the new supergroup featuring Saint Dog, his brother Big Hoss, Chucky Chuck, Gillies and DJ Circa. The group’s recently released self-titled debut album combines the punk rock attitude of The Sex Pistols and mashes it with the fearless bravado of N.W.A’s street level hip-hop.

Writer: Kerosene

Apr 02 08

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Original Kottonmouth Kings frontman Saint Dog’s reckless lifestyle might have got him thrown out of the California’s rip-hop innovator, but he’s found a new crew of misfits, miscreants and outlaws with DGAF. An acronym for “Don't Give a F**k”, DGAF is the new supergroup featuring Saint Dog, his brother Big Hoss, Chucky Chuck, Gillies and DJ Circa. The group’s recently released self-titled debut album combines the punk-rock attitude of the Sex Pistols and mashes it with the fearless bravado of N.W.A’s street level hip-hop.

Deviant Nation caught up with DGAF’s Saint Dog and Gillies to get a lowdown on the group’s new album, along with the group’s love for tattoos and why they just don’t give a fuck about anything or anyone.

Can you give us an idea of how DGAF came together and where the name originated from?

Chucky: DGAF started in south bay; Me and all my knuckle head friends causing mischief. The name originated from when I was in high school. My class mates would be like "Chucky chuck don’t give a fuck" and then I od'ed on acid in my class. It became official. I was Mr. Dgaf. My lil’ buddy Gillies met the Kottonmouth Kings and that’s how we got the DGAF recognized worldwide and it took off from there.

Gillies: DGAF came together by riding ditbikes, surfing, skating, smoking weed at Redondo Union High School which was a high school we all went to. Now DGAF the group consists of myself, Chucky Chuck, original Kottonmouth Kings frontman Saint Dog, his brother Big Hoss and DJ Circa. We all been part of the SubNoize camp for awhile now and it was just our destiny.

Saint: I think I first heard of DGAF from out the South Bay. Chucky Chuck and Gillies were making t-shirts and selling them at shows or just giving them away to people that they considered DGAF. These shirts were custom made from spray paint and stencils so if you got one you know you were getting something that had some time invested. They kept the clothing line very underground. You'd have to be a local or a friend of a local to get one so this made the shirts that much more sick to own. The group came together after meeting up in the studio to feature on Chucky’s solo album. After we recorded a few songs everyone just seemed to like the chemistry and from there one song turned into a whole album.

Chucky and Gillies, you both went from being a crew member to the spotlight in DGAF. What is it like to finally ahve your moment in the sun?

Chucky: I roadied with KMK for three yrs and started doing back-ups with Big B on stage. Then I was featured on both SubNoize Souljaz records and Kottonmouth King tours, ICP, funk junkies and random shows. So now with this project finally being our material and a chance to show case don’t give a fuck to the world is a dream come true.

Gillies: Man no joke, dreams do come true! I remember skateboarding down Kottonmouth Kings’ Bobby B’s street everyday just to see if I could see him. Even in the beginning, just becoming friends with the Kottonmouth Kings was a trip. Me and Chucky were huge fans and still are. We have the biggest smiles on our faces just kick it with them. Bobby B took me in at the time when I was living in my van and he offered me to stay in the garage we used to call it the Crab Shack. I’d help Bobby B with his records and stuff which lead to Chucky and I becoming crew members for them. We’d help set up the stage, make sure everyone had water, beers and pack bowls or roll joints and then at the end of the night, we’d break down the stage. It was work but, at the same time, we were having the time of our lives. It’s like Chucky says "From setting up stage to serving the stage is a dream come true.”

There is a whole lifestyle movement attached to the music. Can you give us some insight on just what it means to be DGAF and some of things you do?

Saint: Big Hoss being Dgaf, for instance, once he was asked to be in the group, he immediately went to our tattoo shop and had DGAF inside some brass knuckles blaskted on the back of his head. To me, that pretty much explains a facit of the dgaf lifestyle. Not giving a fuck what people think, doing what you feel like doing spontaneously, and if you decide to dgaf, be consistant otherwise it don't count, walk your talk, Don't talk shit and hide. Fuck what people think, let your nut's hang and do not submit to the powers that be. Fuck the system!

Chucky: Well DGAF means certain things to certain people. You can take it how you want it but my lifestyle attachment to it is fuck society, fuck authority, fuck rules, and regulations, fuck the courts, laws, and fuck the world attitude.

You guys started out spray painting DGAF using cereal boxes. Are you guys still into that world and graffiti world?

Gillies: STENCILS. We fucking love them . . . spray painting em’ up everywhere surfboards, skateboards and shit like that on walls.

Chucky: I love the world of graffiti and there is some bad habits as a kid that you just can’t get rid of.

"Knuckle Up" could be the soundtrack to a UFC fight, care to give some insight into the track?

Chucky: Knuckle up goes out to those people, those steroid boys, that think there hard cause they got a lil’ muscle and or training so they think they can disrespect. So were basically letting ignorant people like that know that "We Don’t Give A Fuck how long you have been training when we swing these skateboards were smashing your brain in."

Saint: Knuckle up was a track that Chucky came up with. From there, we just all went with the concept and wrapped up the song. Pretty much just kept it old school. Quoting Gillies "One on One Don't need no gun, Knuckle up Punk and let's have some fun."

Gillies: We just got done filming the music video. It was a blast! My boy Dino is finishing up editing it right now actually. The song is real energetic and in your face. More a street style fight song if you ask me, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the fighters likes it from the UFC. It's an all around fight song.

"With Us Or Against Us" is pretty self-explanatory but have you encountered a lot of people who are shit talking DGAF?

Saint: I personally haven't encountered anyone talking shit about DGAF cuz if they did, I would probably bust em’ in the lip. “With us or Against Us" is basically just a big fuck you song to anyone that wants to hate. It's got great energy and I think everyone can relate with this concept. Chucky told me how he came up on the concept thru our big Homie Matt Hall, the south bay Psycho. And it is that easy. You're either with us or against us, and if your against us, Fuck You! I fell in love with the Idea as soon as Chucky let me hear it. Lyrics just poured out of my pen as I sat down to write.

What is it like to be aligned with Suburban Noize verses a major label?

Saint: No comparison. Suburban Noize is a major indy label that gives it's artist complete creative control; offers everything a major could and more. The Noize is for the artist. Because of this, artists work hand in hand with the label and together they grow. The growth of the label over the last ten years has been tremendous and I'm sure it causes majors and artists to pay close attention. I can't wait to see where Suburban Noize Records will be in another ten years from now. Hopefully I'm still putting out music thru the Noize at that time. Either way, I'll be proud to say that I was a recording artist under Suburban Noize Records.

Gillies: Suburban Noize Records is more a family and a strong underground movement that promotes smoking weed and supporting radical habits which fits perfect with the lifestyle we live.

Chucky: Suburban Noize is a family so creative control making music about what we want to make is priceless. I would never want to feel like a puppet on a string singing a song that I don’t want to sing. Suburban Noize Records is on the rise and I felt at home with them since day one. Mad love to the whole tribe and the KMK putting us on the map.

All the group’s members are heavily tattooed. What are some of your favorite tattoos and where did you get them done?

Gillies: I get most my tattoos done in my friend’s house in Hermosa Beach. His name is Gary Post and he’s been doing tatts for a long time. He did a beach scene on my chest with a sick wave barreling and an angle above it. It's definitely my favorite. Still not done but I also have a lot of other tattoos. I started getting tattoos when I was 15. I even did a few on myself. Also, my boy Chucky too homemade shit back in the day. DGAF on my knuckles too. I got it when I was like 18.

Saint: All my tattoos just remind me of where I've been and what I've been thru. Each one has its own meaning. I quit counting a long time ago. I've had a lot of my tattoos done while on the road touring, meeting different artists thru out the nation. Lately, I've been getting most of my tattoos from Hosstyle Tattoo in Apple Valley.

Chucky: My favorite tattoo is every single one that I got, but I have to give a lot of credit to the Kottonmouth krown on my stomach. Bully from Bull's Eye Tattoo in Banning, California where we don’t set trip, we set trends.

Saint, you have a tattoo parlor with your bother Hoss, can you tell us a bit about it?

Saint: Yeah, we set up shop in Apple Valley, California and have been holding it down for about two years. The name of the shop is Hosstyle Tattoo and it’s on the corner of Highway 18. Call for an appointment or just stop in to say what up. We can do anything from cover ups to freehanding or whatever you can think of on the spot. Come through and I can guarantee you will leave with an insane piece of art.

Give us the lowdown on the DGAF clothing line.

Gillies: Well, we started making clothes out of stencils, cut them out of cereal boxes and spray painting them on cheap t-shirts and hats shorts. Recently, we just signed a deal with Suburban Noize Records and its always been a dream of Chucky and I to team up with SRH and SubNoize, Kevin Zinger so be on the lookout for the new line coming in April full of sick new designs.

What can people expect when they pick up the DGAF album and who do you describe it to someone that's never heard you?

Gillies: The DGAF album is full of energetic, in your face type hits. Some stoned ass hallucinations that knuckle up punks, misfits and people that don’t give a fuck.

Chucky: In your face smash mouth knuckle head rap.