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Hip-hop and tattoos have a somewhat dodgy history. We've laughed at ceratain mistakes and copied the great successes. We remember LL talking about his microphone tattoo and Gucci Mane filling the pages of gossip rags with his curious ice cream cone tattoo. We've even seen members of the hip-hop community memorialized through body art.
When good, hip-hop tattoos are explicit signifiers of identity. They match the style of the wearer and speak to personal values. Other times, common designs become linked to specific stars, which give those tattoos new power and incorporate them into hip-hop culture.
There are a few memorable tattoos that didn't make the top fifteen. Eminem's tribute to fallen homie Proof and Aesop Rock's "…MUST WARN OTHERS …MUST NOT SLEEP" are cool. So are some of the pieces on Jim Jones and Cory Gunz. Wayne and Wiz, we know, are well covered.
Tattoos, in the last two decades, have simply become part of the hip-hop aesthetic. To commemorate this phenomenon, here's to hip hop's most iconic ink getting the recognition it deserves.
Check out our collection of The Best Celebrity Tattoos in Hip-Hop.
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15. Goodie Mob
Tatto: Crew Tattoos
The Goodie Mob pioneered the horizontal lettering that was later adopted by everyone in rap.
14. Big Gipp
Tattoo: Dungeon and Family Arms
In the rap world, it's all about being the original. Big Gipp does that by being the first rapper with a neo tribal tattoo.
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13. Dame Dash
Tattoo: Sleeve
One of our favorite sleeves of all times was done by Mike Rubendall for Dame Dash. A lot of time sleeves get too busy, and no one knows what's going on, but this sleeve is the perfect balance between too much and too little
12. DJ Paul
Tattoo: Barbed wire neck
DJ Paul's barbed wire neck is brilliant in its brutality.
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11. Yelawolf
Tattoo: "RED" Neck
A good tattoo should be legible—no arguing against legibility here. The tattoo is a touch tongue-in-cheek and is also explicitly about Catfish Billy's identity.
10. Project Pat
Tattoo: "Tennessy"
"Tatted on my left arm, spelled like Hennessey." Everything about this tattoo is fantastic. Lettering to match the spelling, this is the only tattoo you will ever see where a #FAIL is, in fact, a victory. Note: this is Gary Warnett's favorite hip-hop tattoo of all-time.
9. Prodigy
Tattoo: "MOBB DEEP" knuckle dusters
This is possibly the first knuckle tattoos in rap and undoubtedly the most iconic. It almost makes you believe that the extra "B" was included in the Queensbridge group's spelling for the express purpose of hand tattoos. The only other hand tattoos in hip-hop with equal force are Peedi's North Philly jawns.
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8. Wale
Tattoo: Malcolm X
Nikko Hurtado did this ink of Malcolm X on Wale's arm. We all know that anything that involves Malcolm X is going to be epic.
7. Eve
Tattoo: Paws
Eve wouldn't be Eve without these. Her little paws are the most iconic tattoos on any female MC.
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6. Paul Wall
Tattoo: Sleeves
Mr. Cartoon is the king of rapper tattoos. His client list includes 50, Eminem, etc., etc. Paul's sleeves are indicative of Toon's style and also nicely mix home state allegiance with some fun personal notes. Paul as a clown with diamond teeth, what's not to love?
5. Method Man
Tattoo: "LIFE/DEATH"
Let's face it: this is not a spectacular tattoo. However, it is an important tattoo in hip-hop culture. Meth is the most famous wearer of a rather ubiquitous design and is responsible for inspiring a slew of backpackers to follow in his footsteps.
Method Man made this a hip-hop tattoo. There's only one tattoo that more influential in the history of hip-hop ink... you'll have to read on to find out what that is though.
4. Lloyd Banks
Tattoo: "Rotten Apple" back piece
Fans of Miami Ink will know this tattoo well. Chris Garver (whose work is absolutely fantastic) is responsible for it. Few tattoos are as blatantly related to album marketing, but that is also part of the charm. 50 has his "Southside" back piece, and Banks followed suit with something that has a little more narrative quality and in so doing trumped the G-Unit general.
3. Stalley
Tattoo: Hands
Among Stalley's many tattoos, his hands stand out. The lettering was done by BJ Betts and reads "know more." The horses and horseshoe were done by Bert Krak. Anything done by these two was bound to be iconic.
2. David Banner
Tattoo: "Mississippi" back piece
Banner's famous for the "Mississippi" text across his shoulders, which is some of the best lettering in hip-hop (done by Cartoon). Again, legibility wins out. The clarity of the tattoo provides the punch.
Xzibit has a solid back text as well reading "Lost Angel"(also by Cartoon), but Banner's tattoo figures so centrally in his career that it deserves high level recognition.
1. Tupac
Tattoo: "Thug Life" stomach rocker
This is the most important tattoo in hip-hop, and probably the most famous stomach rocker in history. Tupac got this tattoo back in 1992 from Dago at Dago's Tattoo in Houston. Pac was allegedly tattooed eight times in that shop. It's such a brazen tattoo, with a bullet replacing the "I" in life.
This is arguably the most famous tattoo in music.