Rappers And Their Reasons For Their Face Tattoos
Back in July, Post Malone revealed the reason why he decided to get face tattoos. In an interview with Captial Xtra’s Tim Wood, the artist said that he did it because more than anything, he just wanted to annoy his mother.
“It’s not right,” said Malone. “I got a face for radio anyways, so why not?”
Meanwhile, Lil Xan told Billboard that he always knew that he would never get a 9-to-5 job, which is why at the age of 18, he decided to get a face tattoo of his mother’s name. While the trend seems de rigueur among SoundCloud rappers, it looks like the rest of Hollywood has yet to get onboard this fad.
The Repercussions Of This Inking Trend
Face tattoos have become the ink of choice among young rappers, so much so that this year’s MTV VMA’s host, Kevin Hart, couldn’t help but point out this fact at the show. On Aug. 20, the comedian roasted Lil Pump and Lil Xan, saying that they are “the reasons that your 12-year-old cousin wants a face tattoo.”
“Stop writing on your face, it’s stupid,” the comedian continued. “You’re not going to get a job if this [expletive] don’t work out, stop it.”
Hart may be on to something as Joel Jose Molina, a tattoo artist at Chicago Tattoo & Piercing Co., told The New York Times that he and his co-workers have a special moniker for face tattoos.
“We call them job stoppers,” said Molina to the news outlet. “Your possibilities are cut down. You’re going to be working at the Trader Joe’s putting groceries away or working that bar job.”
Just A Passing Fad, Or Is It Here To Stay?
No one predicted that tattoos would become part of the mainstream culture as everyone from celebrities to moms and even socialites are getting inked nowadays. However, are face tattoos about to become as commonplace as the infinity symbol on the wrist as seen on many Instagrammers?
Perhaps the reluctance of some tattoo artists to give clients this type of ink may affect the popularity of the face tattoo. Speaking with The Outline, tattoo artist Sara Antoinette said that she mostly gives this type of body art to longtime customers who already have tattoos on their bodies. She also added that she and her co-workers would turn away anyone who wants a face tattoo as their first ink.
British tattoo artist Kevin Paul echoed Antoinette’s sentiment, saying that as artists, they have a responsibility to educate their customers about making good choices when it comes to getting inked.
“Having face tattoos myself, I know how people look at you and judge you differently,” said Paul. “I personally wouldn’t have done it if I could go back again.”
Sources:
1. Selena Gomez and 3 Friends All Got Matching Tattoos Together, EOnline, https://www.eonline.com/news/961275/selena-gomez-and-3-friends-all-got-matching-tattoos-together
2. Post Malone Reveals The Reasons Behind His Face Tattoos, Billboard, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8464523/post-malone-face-tattoos-video-interview
3. Lil Xan On Face Tattoos And Overcoming Addiction, Billboard, https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8094841/lil-xan-betrayed-interview-chartbreaker
4. Kevin Hart Disses Lil Pump And Lil Xan For Their Face Tattoos At 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, XXL Mag, https://www.xxlmag.com/video/2018/08/kevin-hart-disses-lil-pump-lil-xans-face-tattoos-2018-mtv-video-music-awards/
5. Face Tattoos Go Mainstream, The New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/04/style/face-tattoos.html
6. The future has a face tattoo, The Outline, https://theoutline.com/post/3355/face-tattoos?zd=2&zi=lfny44uq
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