Uncle Rum Knuckles was a boxer for The Royal Navy in the Second World War... a champion of the people... a rebellious bare-fisted fighting legend of the streets... a massive mountain of a man. For all his rough-hewn edges and steel lightning fists, Rum Knuckles was a thoughtful, intelligent man who took care of himself and his look... Rum Knuckles was a ladies' man... a well-dressed and soft-spoken gent, as deadly with the ladies as in the ring. True Royalty of The Navy, Rum Knuckles was a gentle giant with a lion's heart. Gone but never forgotten, his legend will live on in the raw gritty sophistication of this streetwear brand, the eponymous Rum Knuckles.
Rum Knuckles is the creation of London-based Artist/Designer RUGMAN, adopting his great uncle's nickname. Uncle Rum Knuckles liked a drink or two, was never an aggressive man but could be pretty tasty with his fists if pushed, took pride in being "a gent" with the ladies and looked after his appearance.
Rugman the Artist mainly paints from his studio in Hackney and has been known to on occasion stencil or paste the streets of East London where his art came to fruition. Along with his commercial art and graphic design career he has always maintained his own paint studio where he has been painting for the last 10 years. This work has been his passion and through the years he has been lucky enough to exhibit work around the world… including in Barcelona, Berlin, California, Dublin, and most notably in London at Cans Festival and Cans Fest 2 alongside some of the leading Urban and Graffiti artists of our time.