Machine Gun Kelly Debuts Massive New Tattoo — And Fans Are Divided

Marco Margaritoff
·2 min read
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Machine Gun Kelly has once again changed his look — but this time seemingly for good.

The rapper-turned-pop-punk rocker revealed a new and polarizing tattoo on Tuesday: his upper body covered in black.

Kelly first teased the body art Monday in a video on X, formerly Twitter, that showed a close-up of an intimidating tattoo gun with 44 needles.

“been wearing a turtleneck for 3 months, taking the shirt off tomorrow,” he wrote alongside the video. “idgaf.”

Kelly shared the end result on his Instagram the following day, which revealed his nearly all-black chest and arms — save for some outlined stripes and a cross.

“for spiritual purposes only,” Kelly wrote in the post, along with thanking the artist behind the tattoo, Roxx.

While it’s unclear what prompted the blackout, it certainly covered up several tattoos that adorned his chest before, including a reference to his 1990 birth year, stripes that looked like shoulder holsters and a sword being driven through a screeching crow.

Kelly’s post has since garnered more than 600,000 likes. It has also spurred some mockery.

“MGK is known for his various tattoos and even his Cleveland tattoos. To get that all covered up and go straight black is wild and weird to me,” one person commented.

“Stupidest fucking thing I’ve ever seen,” another wrote.

Kelly's chest previously depicted a sword impaling a crow and a dozen other tattoos.
Kelly's chest previously depicted a sword impaling a crow and a dozen other tattoos.

Kelly's chest previously depicted a sword impaling a crow and a dozen other tattoos.

Others were more sensitive, with one commenter’s caring reply garnering more than 1,500 likes.

“Ugh. I wish u didn’t do that,” the person wrote. “I loved ur tattoos. I hate when people comment on tattoos (I have 15) but I feel like this is a cry for help. You continuously keep doing dramatic drastic things to erase who you were in the past it seems like. Idk man. I love u but this is a lot.”

Kelly has never shied away from controversial stunts, and whether the new tattoo is his latest antic or not, it has brought the artist plenty of attention — even from convicted felon Joe “Tiger King” Exotic.

“A tiger and a bit of meth and you would be mine. Lol,” he commented.

Check out other responses to Kelly’s new tattoo below.

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