Hip hop artists sport them, so it’s only natural that fans want them.  Their lyrics are often graphic and speak of street life, prison and yes, of course sex.  Hip hop tattoos run the same gambit from the profane to the lyrical and these tattoos are often memorable for the same reason hip hop artists are renowned – namely for their cleverness and wit.

Hip hop has been on the rise for about the same length of time as the resurgence of the tattoo as popular for the everyday person, and some have noted this trend thinking it’s no coincidence. Rappers such as Tupac, 50 Cent, and Eminem changed music history, and they perhaps inspired others to make some tattoo artist almost as famous as the hip hop artists themselves. The rock and roll generation made tattoos so common they’re now glimpsed in boardrooms as often as they are in bars.

Rappers can appeal to their audience as being both popular and rich, and an outcast at the same time.  They can represent the glamorous life of a music star or the lowly life of the incarcerated street thug as with Tupac’s own hip hop tattoo.  The slain artist had the lettering ‘thug life’ across his abdomen.   Like Tupac’s tattoo much of hip hop tattoos are either lettering with plain or newsprint fonts, and very elaborate dark tattoos.  For instance, many hip hop fans go for the mural design, copying the style of their favorite music artist.  This can be a large design fitting best on the chest, abdomen, back or upper arms.

The lettering usually includes artist’s sayings, mottos or names.  Designs that have meaning to the hip hop community or to the life of the artist being duplicated are often included.  Tattoos on the face haven’t been that popular in America or the UK and until recently they were usually only seen on people in prison or bikers.  The typical tear drop tattoo many hip hop artists now wear was once a very common one in US correctional institutions.  Face tattoos make a bold statement, but artists aren’t compelled to have to go to job interviews and this type of tattoo is impossible to hide if you find yourself needing to spend time regularly in a conservative climate.

Many of the lettering tattoos fans get have the names of artists they most admire along with a word or favorite sayings.  When a hip hop artist dies, many fans feel compelled to get a tattoo memorializing them with their lyrics, religious symbols and date of death.  Most hip hop tattoos are completely original and are created per the customer’s tastes and the tattoos artist’s talent.  It’s not a bad idea to ask to see a tattoo artist’s work before discussing your plans for a tattoo.  Be very clear on each aspect of the tattoo you want to avoid confusion.