Kevin Gates is a famous contemporary American rap singer, as well as an entrepreneur. He started his career back in 2005, but reached the peak of his popularity in 2016 after the release of the album of Islah. It was named after the artist’s daughter..
In addition to his career, Kevin Gates is known for a large number of unconventional tattoos. Many people, not just his fans, get inspiration from the American celebrity’s 30+ tattoos. We also suggest you look through Kevin Gates’s tattoos and their secret meanings, which we prepared for you.
We’ll also share with you unique interviews with the rapper about his opinions on facial tattoos, tattoos for his daughter, etc.
30+ Kevin Gates’ Tattoos & Their Meaning
One of the most notable features of Kevin Gates’ tattoos is the presence of tattoos on various parts of the body, even on the face. The artist’s most popular tattoo designs are:
★ A soldier (cross) on his face;
★ Tears on the face;
★ Star on his face;
★ Guns on the palms of his hands.
However, besides these tattoos, let’s take a look at the rest of Kevin Gates’ tattoos and their meaningful message for the celebrity and those around him.
Tattoos on Face and Ears
Tattoos on the face and ears are Kevin Gates’ calling card. People always look at a face first, so his tattoos make him easy to distinguish from many other rappers. So let’s learn more about the meanings of Kevin Gates’ face and ears tattoos.
Kevin Gates said in an interview that many people mistakenly think the tattoo on his forehead is a cross. However, it is a soldier. Unfortunately, the artist would not explain this tattoo’s meaning. He simply said that all the tattoos on his face were a reflection of his heartache.
We speculated what meaning a soldier tattoo might have:
✟ An inner struggle;
✟ Struggle with the world and the desire to stand out;
✟ The hard journey of life.
The tattoo of tears is related to the tattoo of a soldier on his face. Kevin Gates said that it conveys the hero’s sorrow that he periodically experiences between his “battles” in life.
The tear tattoo under the eye is a popular one among rappers. The same can be seen on Lil Wayne’s face. In a broader sense, this drawing is a symbol of a wounded soul, an underlying resentment, or an experience of suffering.
In an interview, Kevin Gates said that the star tattoo on his face symbolizes a man lying in an angelic pose with his arms and legs spread out.
Kevin changed the religion to Islam in 2016, so in a broader sense, the star tattoo could be a symbol of Allah.
The inscription “NUK” on the artist’s ear is the name of his cousin. Kevin got this tattoo as a sign of love and respect for him. However, they are now on bad terms and his cousin blames Kevin in every way possible.
Tattoos on Neck
Some of the tattoos on the front and side of Kevin Gates’ neck remain a mystery to others. At the same time, on the back of the rapper’s neck, the tattoos are more than distinguishable and we can share their meanings with you.
Kevin had a tattoo of an eagle on his neck as a sign of his love for his homeland, the United States. This can be explained by the fact that since 1782 the white-headed eagle has been the national symbol of the country.
The next tattoo is the inscription “Islah Koren Gates“. It is the name of Kevin Gates’ daughter, for whom he got the tattoo as a sign of his love.
Shoulders & Chest Tattoos
Kevin’s chest is the most tattooed place on the rapper’s body. Although the tattoos are different, together they form a common concept. Below we will tell you in more detail about each of the tattoos.
Kevin also has a treble clef tattoo between the 1992 numbers. This drawing symbolizes the artist’s love of music.
Regarding the meaning of the eye tattoo on the shoulders, the artist also did not give comments, so we will list more general meanings:
👀 Protection from envious people;
👀 Joy;
👀 Mystery;
👀 Knowledge;
👀 Peace.
Kevin Gates has a 1992 tattoo above his chest. Unfortunately, the musician never commented on this tattoo’s meaning. So the “1992” tattoo design on Kevin Gates’ chest remains a mystery to others.
As a child, young Kevin was fond of games. His favorites were Tekken and Street Fighter. Over the years, he has not lost his love for them and got a tattoo with several characters at once. He chose his favorite characters from both Street Fighter – Ryu, Balrog, Deejay, Ken, and a few from Tekken – Craig Marduk and Kazuya.
The artist got a tattoo with the acronym BWA. It is the name of Kevin’s wife’s recording studio (Bread Winner’s Association), where the artist spends a lot of time.
Kevin Gates also has a tattoo of Elvis Presley’s face. The artist loved the songs of the musical legend and in a way, they inspired him to create his own music.
Tattoos on Stomach
The artist’s stomach is also densely packed with tattoos depicting different compositions. He has a total of 2 different tattoos on this part of his body and below we will explain in detail their meanings.
On the stomach of the artist, you can immediately see a tattoo in the form of a white house surrounded by trees. As you have already guessed, this is the house where Kevin grew up.
Later, the artist moved to another place of residence and decided to get a tattoo of his house as a tribute to his memory. Kevin’s family home can still be found at an address in South Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The inscription “Inshallah” can also be seen underneath the tattoo of Kevin’s family home. In Arabic, it means “if Allah wills”. It is a direct reference to his religious views.
Sides & Back Tattoos
Kevin Gates’ back and sides have as many tattoos as his chest and stomach. In addition to meaningful symbols and inscriptions for the artist, these areas also have tattoos of other rappers and people who have played an important role in Kevin’s life.
On Kevin’s side is a tattoo of Luca Brasi in different variations. It’s a character from the movie The Godfather. It is noteworthy that Kevin Gates himself has such a nickname and he released a mixtape under that name.
The other side of the artist features the face of his friend OG Boobie Black.
The next artist’s tattoo shows a portrait of a young man. Kevin has not commented on this tattoo, but we can assume that it is a portrait of him.
The inscription “Welcome” is visible on the artist’s back. However, this tattoo means nothing on its own and should be considered together with the drawing below.
Below the “Welcome” inscription, the artist got a tattoo of the Arabic symbol, which means Allah. Together, these 2 tattoos signify the greeting of God in Kevin’s life.
This is probably one of the most famous tattoos of Kevin Gates. It depicts NBA Youngboy, a rapper that Kevin saw as his idea extender. He said he would be Youngboy’s patron and protect him from mistakes.
Tattoos on Arms
The artist has many tattoos on his arm and one of them is his calling card. We are talking about the gun tattoos on his hands. Therefore, let’s proceed to look at their meanings.
On his hands, there are pistols and the inscription IDGT (I don’t get tired), which refers to the artist’s track of the same name. These designs are probably one of the most popular Kevin Gates tattoos.
This composition consists of a starry background and a man with a staff in his hands, which is Jesus Christ. He symbolizes love and innocence.
This tattoo shows a tree and cannabis. The tree can signify the artist’s desire for self-improvement, while the cannabis will reveal its meaning in conjunction with the tattoo below.
This tattoo depicts Bob Marley, one of Kevin’s childhood idols, for whom he made this drawing. The cannabis leaves on the previous tattoo are a reference to Bob Marley’s lifestyle.
This tattoo has an elephant on it. Kevin himself did not comment on its meaning. In general terms, an elephant tattoo can mean wisdom and knowledge.
This tattoo depicts Malcolm X, an actor and one of Kevin’s childhood idols.
The crescent moon tattoo with a star refers to the artist’s faith. The crescent moon represents the god Sin, the sun – the god Shamash, and the star – the goddess Ishtar.
Quite romantic is the dog tattoo from the Disney cartoon “Lady and the Tramp” because it symbolizes his relationship with his beloved wife Dreka.
There is a belief that if men get tattoos with Disney characters, they have a good sense of humor.
This tattoo depicts a portrait of a man, but Kevin did not comment on who it might be.
This tattoo features flowers and a portrait of a young boy. In general terms, a tattoo of flowers means joy and vitality, and at the same time an unexpected loss. The artist did not comment on this drawing, but it may mean a memory of a deceased acquaintance of Kevin.
This tattoo design shows a picture of .
Kevin has CTC (Cut the Check) on his left forearm and Gates on his right forearm, which refers back to his last name.
The web tattoo on his elbow symbolizes the artist’s time in prison. The spider’s web signifies the trap of the system that Kevin has fallen into.
Kevin Gates’ Thoughts About Tattooing
As Kevin Gates pointed out, his facial tattoos are the result of the artist’s pain. Some mistakenly thought the tears under his eye were a symbol of a serial killer. However, according to the artist, they mean “always in sorrow”.
Also, Kevin doesn’t recommend other people to get face tattoos because it’s a big responsibility and facial tattoos change a person’s appearance, making them look like a killer. However, he has a positive attitude towards tattoos on other parts of the body.
It is worth noting that Kevin does not want his daughter Islah Koren Gates to get a tattoo on her body, much less on her face. In one interview, he said that he and his wife Dreki have already done all the tattoos for their daughter.
Summary
Performers of the rap music genre have always attracted people with their tattoos. It’s hard to name the most popular artist with them, but people have always turned to Kevin Gates’ tattoo ideas. This is due to the variety of drawings and the presence of already iconic cross and tears tattoos on the face, and gun drawings on the hands.
Despite having over 30 tattoos, Kevin has a negative attitude towards them on his face and is strictly against having his daughter get tattoos in the future. Such contradictions further draw attention to the person of Kevin Gates.
With his tattoo ideas, Kevin shows the world that these are not just drawings, but that they have deep meaning. They can reflect both happy and sad moments of life, so in this article, we showed you 30+ Kevin Gates tattoos and explained their meanings.
FAQ
🤔 How Many Tattoos Does Kevin Gates Have?
Kevin Gates currently has about 35 tattoos on his body and face.
🔮 What Does Bwa Stand for Kevin Gates?
BWA tattoo Kevin made in honor of the recording studio (Bread Winner’s Association), which he opened with his wife Dreka.
💧 Why Does Kevin Gates Have Teardrop Tattoos?
Tattoos of tears on the face of Kevin Gates mean that the artist is “always in sorrow”. This idea is inspired by the pain and sadness experienced by the rapper.
