10 Machine Gun Kelly Tattoos Decoded As Musician Debuts New Blackout Body Art Covering His Upper Body
Machine Gun Kelly surprised fans on Tuesday when he revealed his dramatic new body art.
The 33-year-old Bloody Valentine hitmaker – real name Colson Baker – talso took to Instagram to debut a blackout tattoo covering his entire torso.
Black ink envelops the Ohio native’s upper body, while a few of his original tattoos can still be seen through paneled holes along his arms and in the cross symbol etched across his chest.
As concerns from fans grow, the rapper and rocker, who is engaged to Megan Fox, released an emotional new song titled Don’t Let Me Go on Wednesday, which suggests that he had suffered a ‘breakdown’ before getting the ink.
The performer sings: ‘Wish I wasn’t listening, just like I wish they’d understand me once / I had a breakdown and licked my whole body except for one line / Everything’s fine.’
His tattoo artist, Roxx, told TMZ that MGK’s existing tattoos no longer resonated with his current mindset, calling them ‘chaotic’ – but what do some of them mean?
Machine Gun Kelly sent shockwaves through fans on Tuesday when he revealed his dramatic new body art – but what do the rest of his tattoos mean?
1. MGK
Pperhaps the most prominent of Kelly’s tattoos is the large MGK piece spread across his upper back in an ombre pink and blue color.
The rapper and singer has never shared any insight into this particular ink, but it’s clear that it symbolizes his stage name, Machine Gun Kelly.
Perhaps the most distinctive of Kelly’s tattoos is the large “MGK” piece spread across his upper back in an ombre pink and blue color
2. Anarchy symbol
Another of MGK’s most notable tattoos is the Anarchy “A” symbol printed in the center of his stomach.
He chose the design because it makes a ‘very strong statement’ about social reform.
However, the rock star revealed that his team were not too happy with the play.
He told TheDrop.fm in 2013: “Everybody was like, ‘No man! No goddamn way, man. You’re already a little black-balled in the industry, and you want to put it on your body. Now no corporate sponsors will fuck with you”.’
He added: ‘I just got anarchy because it’s a very strong statement about social reform. There are no fucking rules. There is no code. You can’t tell me how to live my life. This is my own individuality and I wear it proudly.’
One of MGK’s most notable tattoos is the Anarchy ‘A’ symbol printed in the center of his stomach. He chose the design because it makes a ‘very strong statement’ about social reform
3. XXX
Another prominent athe tattoo on Kelly’s lower stomach – and just above his groin – is a red XXX sign, which sits just below the words Almost Famous.
The design, to put it bluntly, serves as a warning to anyone who might be thinking of getting intimate with the star.
He told TheDrop.fm: ‘That gives girls fair warning about what they’re getting into. Some nasty shit is about to happen.’
4. 1984-inspired bell tower
On his upper left arm, MGK had a tattoo of a bell tower with a single eye that looked like an ode to George Orwell’s dystopian sci-fi novel 1984.
The bell tower represents Big Brother looking down on tattooed silhouettes of a crowd of people below.
He said: ‘It’s the idea that Big Brother is watching you, and down here you see all the people rebelling against it. There are people here who keep bats and all that shit. And I am with the people. Keep your hands out of my pockets. I got that when I was 19.’
On his upper left arm, MGK has a tattoo of a bell tower with a single eye that looks like an ode to George Orwell’s dystopian sci-fi novel 1984
5. Salvador Dali artwork
More than half of Kelly’s back is covered by a rendering of artist Salvador Dali’s work, “The Temptation of Saint Anthony,” which took approximately 50 to 60 hours to complete.
The colorful piece includes the golden cup of desire, a parade of elephants – one of which is carrying a naked woman – and the figure of Saint Anthony kneeling in the lower left corner of the desert landscape, while the sky above is shrouded in fiery clouds.
While the classical painting’s interpretation is quite subjective, for Kelly, it marks repentance of sins and making amends before it is too late.
6. Hotel Diablo
In honor of his 2019 studio album of the same name, Kelly had the title “Hotel Diablo” inked in a dotted rectangular box on the back of his head.
Kelly had the title “Hotel Diablo” inked in a dotted rectangular box on the back of his head in honor of his 2019 studio album of the same name
7. Banksy ‘I Want Change’ artwork
Beneath his left ribcage is a famous Banksy artwork etched onto Kelly’s skin, of a depicted homeless man holding up a sign that reads: ‘Keep your coins, I WANT CHANGE’.
MGK told TheDrop.fm: ‘It’s a Banksy piece and I think it’s a brilliant play on words. People don’t get it all the time. I do not know.’
Beneath his left ribcage is a famous Banksy artwork etched into Kelly’s skin, depicting a homeless man holding up a sign that reads: ‘Keep your coins, I WANT CHANGE’
8. Good and evil female characters
MGK has two tattoos of opposing female figures inked on either side of his shoulders, one appearing gentle and virtuous draped in a soothing blue dress, while the other has green skin, electrifying hair and a sinister smile
Kelly explained: ‘I just have two views on women. Some are the accursed devil, and some are angels who come to help you.’
He added: ‘But I’ve just now come to terms with realizing that not all women are bad. Now some of the most beautiful people in my life are women.’
MGK has two tattoos of opposing female figures inked on either side of his shoulders
9. Locals only
One of the few tattoos still visible on Kelly’s now darkened torso is the vibrant red “LOCALS ONLY” phrase.
The rapper and singer explained that the lyrics pay homage to his upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio, and the type of people he might want to resonate with more.
He said, “Locals only” means we only f*** with thorough mothers. If you’re from where I’m from, and it doesn’t have to mean literally, it just so happens that the people I roll with are Cleveland-type sh**, it’s not about the regional life.
“But if you’re from where I’m from, as far as mentally and demographically, I’m going to mess with you. If you’re the kid who brushes off all the negatives and only puts them into positives, then I’m with you. ‘
‘You are one of those people I am willing to embrace. I don’t embrace the exterior. It is what it is.’
One of the few tattoos still visible on Kelly’s now-darkened torso is the vibrant red “LOCALS ONLY” phrase, which pays tribute to his Cleveland upbringing
10. Red double-decker London bus
In 2013, MGK was hit by a double-decker bus in Manchester, England while crossing the street.
To commemorate the experience, he had a red London vehicle – which is the more characteristic of English buses – tattooed on his side.
To commemorate the experience of being hit by a bus in England, MGK had a red London vehicle – which is the more characteristic of English buses – tattooed on its side
The cutting of the accident scene was complete with broken windows, a stick figure to represent himself and the date of the unfortunate event: 14.5.13.
He told GQ in 2019: ‘I make the one mistake every foreign guy makes: crossing the street and looking the wrong way.’
‘This double decker bus hit me so hard. My face was the first to be hit. All I remember is waking up and everyone screaming. I’m going to the hospital and there’s nothing wrong.’