Society in general considers all tattoos to be thug tattoos and worn mainly by gangsters, criminals, addicts, and bad boys. Of course, that is not the case. People from all walks of life enjoy wearing tattoos that have personal meaning or connects them to another person, place, or event. It would probably be safe to say that only about ten percent of tattooed people are in any way associated with the underground world of crime.

In fact it is becoming a status symbol to sport a spiffy tattoo that sparks conversation and tells a story about the individual wearing the tattoo. In part this new trend has been popularized by Hip-Hop artists, professional sports icons, and movie stars that have made it OK to wear a tattoo. Even a thug tattoo.

Photo Thug Tattoo

The connection of thug tattoos to the music industry originated with heavy metal bands and rappers that wore and still wear expensive body jewelry known as “Bling” and display gangsta tattoos, ghetto tattoos, or thug tattoos on there upper body so their fans can identify with their lifestyle.

Tattoos are becoming mainstream and can be an important fashion accessory when attending music events or insider celebrity parties. Showing off your latest gangsta tattoo might get you a date or a business deal with your host. In other circles a thug tattoos could get you in big trouble. If the symbols, words, or images of your tattoo are gang related and you are wearing them without gang approval you might want to get out of town quickly.

Police officers love tattoos because they are one of the main sources of identifying criminals. When a suspect is arrested all his/her tattoos are photographed and fed into a national database to be used in future investigations. All the better if the criminal gets more thug tattoos in prison because they will also be cataloged and used as evidence in future crimes.

What is a thug?

A thug is an individual (usually a male) who is tough or likes to act tough and uses physical force or threats to control other people. The thug wants undeserved respect and will go to any lengths to get it. His/her weapon of choice is fear but a real thug will also use violence to get what he wants.

In many cultures young men have thug tattoos etched on their bodies for two reasons. Firstly to convince themselves they are tough guys and secondly to make other people fear them. On the other hand many young men (who are not thugs) wear thug tattoos simply as a fashion statement.

In North America the number of people getting tattoos is increasing every year and the social stigma associated with gangsta tattoos, ghetto tattoos, prison tattoos, and thug tattoos is slowly giving way to social acceptance of tats. The change in attitude can be credited primarily to Hip-Hop artists, rappers, entertainers, movie stars, and sport personalities all wearing tattoos to express their lifestyles and personal views.

The Grim Reaper is the last person on earth you would want to visit your home because as everyone knows he only arrives to announce the death of someone that is close to you or to give a warning that death is lurking close by. But is the Grim Reaper really a bad guy or is he just a messenger of an event that has already happened or is about to happen. Many people believe the Reaper is not evil at all he is just a cool guy that has a sinister look that can be incorporated into some very unique Grim Reaper Tattoos.

Some Grim Reaper Tattoos show the shadowy hooded figure riding on a horse with his sickle raised as if he was about to kill someone himself. The horse is sometimes a light color as portrayed in the Book of Revelations as the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse. In some Grim Reaper Tattoos the horse is black and represents death.

Photo Grim Reaper Tattoo

Although the image of the hooded character is most often displayed in shades of gray and black, with his face is hidden, some creative tattoo artists have given the stranger a modern makeover with vivid colors such as bright red representing blood and shaded orange colors as flames. Colored Grim Reaper Tattoos are catching on with biker gangs and other individuals who consider themselves to be tough guys.

History of the Grim Reaper:

Also known as the Angel of Death the Grim Reaper has been associated with death since the 15th century and is characterized as a skeleton wearing a black cloak and hood and holding a scythe. In some cases he appears to a person just before they die, in other cases he comes to personally kill the victim and sometimes he just appears to warn of an impending death. All of these personifications can be woven into creative Grim Reaper Tattoos.

In some cultures the Angel of Death is a good angel who comes to relieve the pain of a dying person therefore images of him show a grieving or sad Reaper. In other societies the messenger of death has no feelings or emotions he simply arrives to transport the dying persons soul to its final destination. Grim Reaper Tattoos of this emotionless shadowy figure often show him as evil. He enjoys his job and stands majestically over his victim.

Cartoon Grim Reaper Tattoos:

For people who are not afraid of death, or intimidated by superstitions that conjure up evil characters like the Angel of Death, the Grim Reaper can be portrayed light heartedly and seen a cartoon character. Some tattoo artists specialize in drawing elaborate and very funny portraits of the Grim Reaper then selling a series of cartoon Grim Reaper Tattoos.

To see the very best collection of Grim Reaper Tattoos go here.. Grim Reaper Tattoos

The street art reflects the feelings and emotions of the socially and economically depressed young people who live in the community. They spray paint their associations with gang members, their frustrations, their hopes for a better world, and their personal statements in bold, daring, and colorful designs that force the observer to pay attention and try to interpret the meaning of the words or designs.

Picture Eminem Ghetto Tattoos

The most common ghetto tattoos are words that make bold statements, symbols that show gang allegiance, skull tattoos, partially naked ladies, self portraits, pitbulls, classic cars and memorials to friends who were killed.

Hip-hop music artists like to wear ghetto tattoos and can influence a lot of people to wear similar street, thug, prison, or gangsta tattoos.

Maybe you are wondering what the difference is between ghetto tattoos and gangsta tattoos? The answer is the ghetto tattoos are creative works of art and gangsta tattoos are symbols that portray violence, criminal behaviour and tough guy attitudes.

The are four types of gangsta style tattoos and each represents a different street culture.

Letter Tattoos: are tattoos that are comprised of words that have special meaning to the individual wearing the gangsta tattoos . Names, slogans, quotations, gang associations, and words of warning or doom can all be inked onto the skin using various combinations of fonts, colors, and background images or art.

Tribal Gangsta Tattoos: are tattoos that identify gang members and the gang they belong to. They are usually worn as arm bands or head bands. Thug Tattoos can be used to identify members with local or international gangs and to brag about the number of years a member has spent in prison.

Photo gangsta tattoos

Skull Gangsta Tattoos: are popular with motorcycle gangs and individuals or groups who want to strike fear into the hearts of ordinary folks or give the impression that death is not far away.

Prison Gangsta Tattoos: are tattoo designs that tell a story about the how much time the prisoner has spent in jail. Examples are a tear drop tattoo worn under the eye or a spider web tattoo. Gangsta style tattoos that originate in prisons are usually black and gray only because it is hard to get colored inks in prison. Some of these gansta style tattoos have very intricate designs woven into them and are very artistic and interested to look at.

One of the most common gangster tattoos is a basic crucifix known as the Pachuco cross. It has three small dots above the cross and is worn on the hand between the thumb and index finger. Hispanic gangs have adopted this thug tattoo design and call it “mi vida loco” which means “my crazy life”. Asian gangs that wear the Panchuco cross say it means “I care for nothing”.

Picture of Pachuco Cross

Tattoos in general have long been associated with bad guys such as pirates, gypsies, and rebellious young men looking for trouble. Gangsta tattoos are often worn by gang members who are involved in the drug trade and other illegal activities.  In spite of the negative associations gangsta tattoos continue to be popular and are considered to be very cool tats. Many of the young people wearing them are not bad the just want to fit into the crowd and look cool. They consider their gangsta tattoos to be works of art and are proud to show them in public.

The US Army recently revised its policy on tattoos so they could recruit individuals who had previously been excluded. The Army now permits tattoos on the hands and on the back part of the neck providing the the tattoos are not anti American, racist, or sexist. Head tattoos are still prohibited

Before you rush out and get yourself some gangsta tattoos you should seriously consider the social consequences and the trouble you could get into if they are gang related and you wander into the wrong neighborhood.