Machine Gun Kelly Faces Backlash Over New Tattoo
Machine Gun Kelly has divided fans over a bold new blackout tattoo that he unveiled on social media on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old rapper took to his Instagram account to unveil his new look, which shows black ink covering his chest and arms, save for a large cross and symmetrical lines breaking up the block of ink.
Already known for being heavily tattooed, the "Rap Devil" hitmaker has allowed for some of his previous body markings to peep through the blackout tattoo. On his stomach, his colorful "Locals Only" and "I Want Change" tattoos remain visible.
In unveiling his new look, MGK, whose real name is Colson Baker, added in a caption that his blackout tattoo is "for spiritual purposes only."
He also thanked and tagged his Los Angeles-based tattoo artist Roxx. Sharing a photo of the musician on her own Instagram account, renowned visual artist Roxx wrote: "Made some art with @machinegunkelly. Never met a tougher one."
Responding to the post, MGK thanked Roxx "for the joy and the pain."
Roxx, who hails from London, told TMZ that she started working with the star on his new look in mid-December. The process involved 13 six-hour sessions. Roxx added that there's still some more tattooing to do.
Newsweek has contacted Roxx and representatives of MGK via email for comment.
The image was also shared on X, formerly Twitter, where it was met with a wave of criticism.
"It's technically not black face yet right?" asked one X user, who received the response: "Black body is black face adjacent."
"Bro is totally blacked out," another commented. "Getting the n-word pass by all means comes with so much sacrifices and doing this in Black History Month is absolutely ridiculous."
"MGK tattoos his whole body black," read another post that included a trio of laughing emojis. "So much for #BlackHistoryMonth."
One X user called the tattoo "ugly," while another chimed in: "Money is truly the route of all destruction cause [what the f***] would possess you to do this??"
Another quipped that there's "no way" MGK's partner Megan Fox is "attracted" to the star's eye-catching inking.
Amid the flood of negative comments, some X users spoke out in defense of MGK.
One fan branded his new look "cool," while another remarked that MGK would now "make a great villain [in] a fantasy movie."
Responding to the criticism, another wrote: "It's not for you. He isn't trying to impress you. Stop living your life for other people. You only got one life so life it how you want and do what makes you happy. Quit judging people and just focus on your own life."
While MGK has got social media talking with his new tattoo from Roxx, he announced in an Instagram Story post that he will be unveiling new music on YouTube on Wednesday.
Blackface is a racist, centuries-old practice of a non-Black person applying dark makeup, often to mock Black people. Blackout tattoos are commonly applied to large sections of the body. A solid, opaque block of black ink is often used to cover older tattoos. However, they have also become popular as standalone tattoos. There has been some debate over whether these can sometimes be likened to blackface.
On her website, Roxx is described as a "blackwork visionary whose medium is the interface between ink and the human form." Her style of tattooing "blends mark-making, blackwork, and geometric motifs," the site says.
"Her technique honors traditional indigenous, spiritual, and tribal cultures, and she derives the unique patterns that define her style from forms occurring in nature and architecture viewed through her own queer-punk sensibilities."
Ricky Martin, Rosie O'Donnell and Adam Lambert are among the stars listed as Roxx's clients.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
