I Got Caught With a Gun — Then Became an Artist in Prison | Matthew Martinez

Locked In with Ian Bick

Ian Bick

Society & Culture

4.8 • 743 Ratings

🗓️ 12 April 2026

⏱️ 98 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Matthew Martinez joins Locked In with Ian Bick to share his story of growing up after losing his mom at a young age, being raised by his dad, and finding an early passion for drawing and creativity that would later shape his life. Matthew had never been arrested until he was 23 years old, when a gun charge led to a 3.5-year sentence in New York State prison. In this episode, he talks about what it was like going from never being in trouble to doing real time, and how he used his talent for art to survive on the inside, turning drawing into a hustle behind bars. He also shares how that same skill gave him a second chance after release, ultimately becoming a tattoo artist and rebuilding his life. This is a real conversation about mistakes, adaptation, and turning a talent into a way out. _____________________________________________ #PrisonStories #PrisonHustle #PrisonLife #ExConvict #RealStories #ArtInPrison #LockedInPodcast #LifeAfterPrison _____________________________________________ Connect with Matthew Martinez: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paintedpeopleartstudio?igsh=MXcxcGRnZWZsaXRvYg== Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@paintedpeopleartstudio?_r=1&_t=ZP-95STf7ARNbb _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 Gun Charge & Arrest (Full Story) 01:51 Growing Up in New York 03:38 Family Struggles, Loss & Upbringing 10:12 School Life & Early Passions 14:34 Using Art as Therapy 18:10 Life Changes & Becoming a Father 23:30 Arrest, Charges & The Case 33:40 Sentencing, Prison Time & Lessons Learned 38:43 Life in Prison: Politics & Survival 42:22 Hustling in Prison: Art & Making Money 49:23 Prison Tattoo Culture Explained 55:28 Turning Art Into Opportunity Behind Bars 01:02:20 Prison Jobs, Programs & Early Release 01:10:07 Solitary Confinement & Prison Challenges 01:18:14 Life After Prison & Rebuilding 01:26:13 Tattoo Career & Personal Growth 01:29:18 Fatherhood, Family & Giving Back 01:36:35 Final Lessons & Reflections _____________________________________________ To advertise on the show, contact sales@advertisecast.com or visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/LockedInWithIanBicka Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	I got followed from the place where the incident happened.
0:03.0	I ended up getting caught with a gun.
0:06.0	A bill had just passed in July where there was mandatory prison time for weapons in New York City.
0:11.0	Now are you thinking about those consequences before you get caught?
0:14.0	When I heard the guilty verdict, I can't look back at Japan, but I hear them crying.
0:18.0	I felt like I was at my own funeral.
0:19.0	Matthew Martinez, I went to prison for a criminal possession of a weapon.
0:22.6	I found, refound my love for art while I was in prison, and I came home and I used it to propel my career as a tattoo art.
0:31.6	Matthew Martinez had never been arrested until he was 23 years old when a gun charge sent him to New York
0:38.0	State prison for three and a half years, where he ended up turning his talent for drawing
0:42.4	into a hustle just to survive. I grew up in New York City, Queens to be exact.
0:52.2	What was your upbringing like? I was originally born in the Bronx, and my mom passed away when I was seven.
1:00.0	When she passed away, I went to live with my dad down in Bushwick, Brooklyn, with my stepmom, and dad didn't work out with them, so me and my dad separated from my stepmom, and we moved over to Ridgewood Queens. I've been there ever since. So I've been there since I was about 10. So when people ask me where I grew up, I just go from where I was at, you know, most of my time. Were your parents separated since birth? Yeah. My mom was actually, she was married to somebody else, but separated. I'm the only child between my mom and dad. I have brothers from my mom's side and a brother and sister from my dad's side. So I'm the only child between them. So every, all my brothers and sisters have. How do you think your mom's death impacted you at that age? Um, it forced me to become a man, um, a lot faster than I probably wanted to.
1:44.6	I was seven.
1:46.0	She had cancer.
1:46.7	She died of colon cancer.
1:47.7	And I wouldn't, I would be lying to you if I told you I'd remember her.
1:55.1	She would be in the room with us right now.
1:56.3	I probably wouldn't even know that that's my mom.
1:58.8	I lost all my photos of her. I've lost, you know, kind of any real memory I have of her.
2:05.6	But it helped me be a man because I was raised by a man.
2:09.6	And my dad was very big on, I'm going to teach you how to do everything so that you don't need anybody.
	...

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