Machine Gun Kelly revealed a striking and bold transformation. The 33-year-old rapper recently showcased a dramatic blackout tattoo spanning his upper body and arms on Instagram.
Accompanying the image, he wrote,
“For spiritual purposes only.”
Kelly disclosed that the intricate tattoo required 44 needles for its completion. In a tweet posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, he expressed his anticipation, stating,
“Been wearing a turtleneck for 3 months, taking the shirt off tomorrow.”
Kelly credited the tattoo artist Roxx, who also posted about the design on Instagram. The latter posted,
“Never met a tougher one.”
Kelly turned to his Instagram followers for feedback, inviting their honest opinions on his new appearance. Responses were candid, with one comment garnering over 14,000 likes for bluntly labeling the tattoo as the “stupidest (expletive) thing” ever seen.
Additionally, some fans expressed disappointment over the concealment of Kelly’s prior tattoos.
“I had an emotional attachment to those tats,” one follower wrote, while another agreed, “I like your old tattoos they were like your history and so iconic.”
Amidst the mixed reactions, Mod Sun offered his support for Kelly’s transformation, affirming on Instagram,
“Proud of u brother, the change has been beautiful to watch.”
Concurrently, Kelly hinted at upcoming music releases, adding anticipation to his evolving aesthetic.
In a 2013 interview with Untitled Magazine, Kelly recounted his tattoo journey, revealing that he began getting inked at the age of 14.
“Last year, I gave myself my first tattoo ever in Humbled County, when someone gave us a free bag of weed and I woke up the next morning, and I was like, ‘Holy (expletive), I gave myself a tattoo yesterday. What an idiot,'” he shared.
Reflecting on the experience, he deemed it as “the most punk rock thing” he could do to himself. However, he expressed some regret over the proliferation of tattoos in popular culture, especially upon seeing figures like Adam Levine embracing them.
Kelly’s diverse tattoo collection features a Salvador Dalí painting on his back, acquired in what he described to GQ as a “really gross hotel.”
Additionally, in 2021, Kelly and Travis Barker commemorated their collaboration with matching tattoos bearing the name of their upcoming album, only for Kelly to later change the album’s title. Reflecting on the decision, he simply remarked, “My bad.”
