Today we’d like to introduce you to Sev’n Anderson.
Hi Sev’n, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
The summer of ’96 was a baptism by fire. Not the kind you find in the church, but the kind that scorches a path into your soul and leaves you forever changed. We rolled into Atlanta smack dab in the middle of Freaknik, and I was just a kid, eyes wide as saucers, plastered to the car window. All I could see was a sea of people, music thumping in the air, and this unmistakable energy that screamed freedom and belonging. I didn’t know it then, but that moment was an unspoken vow. Atlanta was going to be home.
Before that, home was Newark, New Jersey. My dad, a ramp agent for Continental Airlines, caught a lucky break – a promotion that meant a one-way ticket south. He envisioned Atlanta as our escape from the concrete jungle, a chance at a better life. And in many ways, he was right.
I was supposed to be the next big thing in music, the pint-sized prodigy. Piano lessons, vocal coaching, the whole nine yards. My parents put everything into it. But I was restless, my heart yearning for something else. Music was there, lingering in the background. Atlanta was teeming with musical talent, the stage was set, but that wasn’t my calling.
Baseball was my first love, a diamond dream. First base, shortstop, the crack of the bat, the slide into home. I was good, really good. Maybe good enough to go somewhere with it. But the pressure, the expectations…it began to feel like someone else’s dream, not mine. The joy faded, replaced by a sense of obligation. So, I walked away.
That’s when art truly took hold. It had always been there, a quiet undercurrent in my life. My mom had these old drawings I’d done as a toddler, scribbles that hinted at something more. She and my dad nurtured that spark, enrolling me in art programs, buying me supplies.
I’m thankful for my father because without him I may not have ended up in Atlanta. I know a lot of people have excuses about their upbringing, but I can’t say my dad wasn’t there. He made sure that my brothers and I saw things, experienced life beyond our block. From walking through Martin Luther King Jr.’s home to trips that expanded my world. He wasn’t perfect, and we had our differences, but his presence shaped me.
The Eastside became my stomping ground. Lithonia, Decatur, the S.W.A.T.S. By the time I hit high school, MARTA was my lifeline. I started getting out more, exploring all that Atlanta had to offer. Discovering new spots, meeting new people, soaking up the city’s creative energy.
And in the midst of all that, the itch to create never went away. I wanted to make art, to leave my mark on this city that had embraced me. I started sketching, painting, experimenting more than ever, and people liked it.
That’s when I decided to try my hand at tattooing. I still remember doing a few at a skip party junior year of high school. I went pro right after turning 18 working for Ramon Taylor at Zion Tattoos on Candler Road. I used that to build my platform. Eventually, I opened my first shop with CJ McCaskill (@cjgotit) and started the InkBySe7 brand—which ultimately grew into the #TATLANTA we all know and love today.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
They expected me to take the traditional route—school, degrees, a “safe” career.
And I could’ve. I had the opportunities, the ability, the support, the access.
My parents gave everything to set me up for success.
But life had other plans.
By 16, I was already clashing with authority, drifting, trying to figure it out.
Art wasn’t a dream I chased—it was a lifeline I grabbed onto.
Tattooing found me when I was on the edge.
And I never let go.
Back in 2006, Black tattoo artists weren’t visible like that.
We weren’t in high-end shops, we weren’t doing conventions,
we weren’t being featured.
Most of us were working out of houses or hidden back corners.
But I knew I wanted more.
I didn’t want to be a scratcher.
I wanted to be respected.
So I put in work. I asked questions. I studied.
I knocked on shop doors that weren’t opening for people like me.
Eventually, my work got noticed.
Even now, the grind doesn’t stop.
The struggle just shifts.
But every tattoo I do, every client I meet, every story I help tell—
it’s a reminder:
This path wasn’t handed to me.
I built it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
“What do I do? I create—by any means necessary.”
I’m a tattoo artist and piercer by trade, but that’s just the surface. I specialize in what I call urban Neo new school—it’s a mash-up of photorealism, bold power lines, deep shading, and wild gradients. I like turning your favorite photo into a cartoon on your skin—or flipping a cartoon into something that feels alive. I gravitate toward animals, 90s cartoons, Afrocentric art, and anything weird enough to make people stop and really look. If it makes your eyes question what they’re seeing, that’s my kind of tattoo.
But art doesn’t stop at the skin. I’m also a published writer, illustrator, and songwriter. As a musician, I move through genres—pop, trap, soul, EDM, country—you name it. One day I’m writing a song that belongs in a strip club, next day it’s a love ballad with a live band. I don’t chase trends; I chase feeling. The goal is always the same: composition, quality, truth.
Outside the art world, I breed high-quality French, English, and Chinese bulldogs. Not just to sell dogs—but to give people pets they can actually raise without heartbreak. No bad temperaments, no major health issues. Just happy, healthy, forever-home-ready dogs. I never want one of my pups ending up in a shelter. That’s the line.
And now I’m building Tatlanta—an Atlanta-born tattoo supply and apparel brand with one goal: to become a household name. Built from the ground up, fueled by the culture, and driven by the kind of hustle that doesn’t sleep.
So what do I do?
I build. I breed. I write. I sing. I tattoo.
I make things that matter—and I make sure they last.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Consistency. Straight up.
Momentum is everything—it’s the key to success, to progress, to staying sane when you’re building something from scratch. Especially when you work for yourself. Doubly especially when you’re using your art to feed your family.
You gotta have thick skin. Real thick. You’ve gotta be innovative, adaptable, and relentless. There’s no room for ego when you’re grinding from the bottom of your soul every day. And when you’re creating at a high level—art that actually means something—you have to protect your energy like it’s gold. Keep your thoughts yours. Keep your space clean. That spiritual hygiene matters more than people realize.
Because what we do? It’s survival for us. It’s recreation for them.
That’s one of the hardest pills to swallow in this business. No one will ever take it as seriously as you do—not the clients, not the followers, not even the ones who say they support you. So you can’t let their energy dim your spark. You can’t lose your joy, your creativity, or your desire to make.
And especially in Atlanta? There’s 50,000 other tattoo artists out here. Skills alone won’t always set you apart. So sometimes, being solid—a good person, or at the very least, someone fun to be around—that’s what makes the difference. That’s what gets you rebooked. That’s what keeps people coming back.
This journey’s not just about ink or art. It’s about building something that lasts, staying true to who you are, and never letting the grind steal your light.
Pricing:
- $100- Palm Sized Tattoo (or 5 basic piercings)
- 4hrs for $400 (numbing included)
- $600- Half Day Tattoo Session (up to 2ppl)
- $1,000- Full Day Tattoo Session (up to 3ppl)
- $2,500- 3Day Group Tattoo Session (up to 5ppl)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ChannelSe7n
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inkbyse7_?igsh=bzdqcHZ3cnFscXZi&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1BYEb5V2EJ/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Soundcloud: https://on.soundcloud.com/ANNM7jGs3w5cAKEfA
- Other: http://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kyngpanda/field-mob-feat-bj-bowers/
Image Credits
Willie Styles
Kirstie Frady
