By Kathy Iandoli
Gucci Mane and Yung LA are not alone.
While hip hop has maintained a longstanding relationship with ink, the idea of drawing on faces is a not so recent phenomenon as well. Rappers like Tech N9ne choose to put removal war paint on his mug. However, many rappers (and one athlete in particular) have done the unthinkable and put the paint on permanently. Check out some of hip hop’s most notorious facial tattoo bearers.
6. Gucci Mane
We just mentioned him, but bear with us. While Yung LA took the plunge into the ridiculous pool with a cartoon duck on his face, it happened only weeks after Gucci got an ice cream cone tattooed to his cheek. Never one to disappoint in the shock value department, Gucci’s tat runs the length of his face, from eye to chin. Before that was a thing, Gucci had three teardrops on the opposite side of his face next to his eye. Now he really has something to cry about.
5. Soulja Boy
Soulja Boy has an assorted collected of tats on his face. Over his one eyebrow reads "SODMG" or “Stacks On Deck Money Gang,” along with Chinese symbols trailing down his eye. Those can mean “Peace” and “Prosperity” or they can mean “Beef With Broccoli.” We don’t really know what they mean, so we’ll end the translations assumptions. His face is pretty bare tattoo-wise all things considered since once below the chin, Soulja Boy is covered in ink.
4. Birdman
Birdman has gigantic red stars all over his head. These were put on in celebration of his album 5 Star Stunna. Prior to that he had a few typical teardrops. However, now Birdman has a hairline full of 5-pointed stars. The fact that he sports a bald head makes these tattoos more apparent, obviously. However, in the event that he grows tired or ashamed of these stars, he can always grow his hair out.
3. Game
Game should next get a tattoo of a chameleon in honor of his one face tattoo that changed shape several times. First it was a butterfly, which went out of order from a caterpillar and changed into a symbol of LA. Still, some parts of the butterfly remained present in the LA tattoo, so then the tattoo turned into a giant red star with LA written in the middle. Plenty of people have tattoos that they regret, so at least Game knew how to accurately morph the one he was displeased with into something he can live with.
2. Lil’ Wayne
Oh, Weezy. With “Fear” on one eyelid and “God” on the other, Lil Wayne may “Fear God” but he clearly doesn’t fear a tattoo needle. With tattooed tears running down his face and calligraphy C (for Carter) in between is eyes, Wayne didn’t stop there. The rapper has a cross above the C, with “I AM MUSIC” written in red over his one brow. Then there is a tattoo tracing of veins at the top of his head that make his forehead appear to be cracking open. Still, these tattoos are minimal compared to the body art happening from the chin down. He even has ink behind his ears and inside of his mouth.
1. Mike Tyson
In a way, Mike Tyson was a trailblazer for facial tattoos. Sure they existed way before he had an African Tribal embossed around his eye/cheek, but the shock alone of Iron Mike getting this tat was enough to make people want some. Rappers get letters tattooed, rappers get tears. But no rapper previously had tattoos that blatant on their faces before Mike Tyson. Now, there are plenty of cartoon ducks, ice cream cones, and stars to choose from.
What are your thoughts on face tattoos? Tweet to us at @MTVRapFix or tell us in a comment below?