Trap music pioneer Gucci Mane to perform in Rockford
Mane will perform at Hard Rock Live, inside Hard Rock Casino Rockford, at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 30th.
Along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, Mane is credited with pioneering the trap music subgenre of hip-hop with albums such as Trap House (2005) and Hard to Kill (2006), which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 single 'Freaky Gurl.'
His mainstream breakthrough came in 2009 with the release of The State vs Radric Davis and its double platinum single 'Lemonade.'
Mane has released 16 studio albums, and has worked with artists such as the Weeknd, Drake, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, Selena Gomez, Mariah Carey, Usher, Bruno Mars, and Marilyn Manson.
His latest single, 'You Don't Love Me' with Sexyy Redd, was released in 2024.
Tickets for the Rockford performance go on sale Friday, April 11th on or at the Hard Rock Live box office.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Boston Globe
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Hamilton Spectator
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Boston Globe
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Here's another way to remember your loved ones, by preserving their tattoos after death
'He got that one long before we met,' mused Angelica, speaking via telephone the other day from her hometown of Wheeling, 'I'm guessing he got it in the late '80s, maybe early '90s. It was on his right triceps, part of an arm sleeve, his only sports tattoo … and he loved it.' Advertisement Just as Radevski's memory lives on with Angelica, 35, and Preston, their 10-year-old son, so does his Steelers tattoo. Soon after TJ's death, Angelica had it preserved and framed by Kyle Sherwood, an Ohio-based mortician and third-generation funeral home director who nearly 10 years ago founded Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Right now, I've got TJ in the dining room,' said Angelica, referring to her late husband's framed tattoo, which is approximately 25 square inches. 'He's sitting in my grandmother's chair. But we'll move him around, dining room, living room, mantel. It's feels good to hold him.' 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Once removed, the artwork is placed in a kit, containing a preservative powder placed by Sherwood, and then shipped to Sagamore Hills. Turnaround time, according to Sherwood, is approximately 90 days, with finished pieces typically framed and placed under museum-grade UV-protective glass. The company also offers 3D mounting for customers interested in, say, preserving a sleeve tattoo just as it appeared on an arm. Sherwood said he is well aware that the concept of tattoo preservation, and the thought of loved ones holding on to the art of the deceased as cherished keepsakes, often causes a negative 'kneejerk reaction' among those hearing about it for the first time. 'Most of the time,' he said, his words punctuated with a light laugh, 'people that I've talked to, I've kind of maybe swayed them a little bit to seeing our side of the fence.' Advertisement Never expecting the day would come so soon, said Angelica, she and TJ discussed the preservation process just weeks before he died. She knew of Save My Ink Forever, recalling that she first learned about preserving skin some 25 years ago when watching a 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not' episode on TV. 'We talked at length about it,' she recalled. 'And TJ was fine with it. He said, 'Look, Babe, whatever you want … just don't stuff me and stand me up in the living room corner.' It was son Preston, a diehard Eagles fan, who insisted that his dad's Steelers tattoo be saved. 'That was another neat part of this,' said Angelica. 'He loved his dad, even though they feuded over Steelers and Eagles all the time. So when Preston heard, it was, 'Yay, we're saving T's Steelers tattoo!' ' A tattoo from Steelers fans TJ Radevski, which was preserved by Save My Ink Forever, an Ohio-based company. Keith Delarosa The TikTok live episodes often have been emotional and sometimes exhausting for Angelica. People have been eager to talk about the tattoo preservation process, sports, and topics related to losing one's life partner. She tells them to grieve in their own way, at their own pace, and go with what makes them feel best. She and Preston wore Steelers jerseys to TJ's services. She knows some felt that was odd, perhaps disrespectful, but she was convinced it was right … for her, for Preston, and for TJ. Angelica was delighted, during one TikTok live, when one husband and wife said they would preserve a large portrait of three Steelers players that he has tattooed on his back. 'They showed it to me, it's in black and gray,' said Angelica, 'and it's beautiful.' Advertisement Someone not into sports might not fully understand what saving such a piece might mean. 'That's the thing about sports,' she said. 'It's not about a win or a touchdown. It brings people together and you support each other through win and loss, right? Friends become family, those bonds, that's what it is.' Perhaps the comment that struck her most, said Angelica, came from a Kansas City fan who, of course, first noted no love of the Steelers. 'But I am sorry for your loss,' added the fan, 'and this [tattoo] is bad ass.' 'I mean, for a Kansas City fan to say that,' Angelica added, 'that's huge.' Kevin Paul Dupont can be reached at
