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.

So why are Allen’s tattoos so interesting? Allen says people are fascinated with his tattoos because each design tells a story and gives clues about his past life and his plans for the future. Each season Iverson adds a new tattoo and his fans try to figure out what it means.

History of the famous Allen Iverson Tattoos:

Family is important to Allen so he had the names of his two children (Tiuara and Deuce) inked onto his left chest area to remind him of how special they are to him.

On the back of his neck Allen has a spider web tattoo with the name Virginia on top of it. This tat represents his birth place and his rough and tough life as a youth. Also on the neck Iverson has a written the name “RA Boogie” in memory of his friend Rashaan shot to death and “Loyalty” which reminds him to stay true to his family and to his heritage.

“Only The Strong Survive” is probably Allen Iverson’s most famous tattoo. It reminds him of his survival growing up in a gang related area with friends that were fancied themselves gangsters.

“The Answer” was Allen’s nickname in college and represents himself as a strong and bold individual that always gets what he wants. A tattoo with a similar meaning is his “Hold My Own” tattoo which reminds him to be self reliant and stay true to his beliefs and ambitions.

The “Head of a Soldier” tattoo reminds Allen that life is a battle and he needs to be strong to win the war.

The tattoo on his left hand says.. “Money Bagz”

Not all baseball fans know that Allen Iverson is also a rapper and has a successful recording career. He records under the name “Jewelz” and has that trade name tattooed on his forearm. The initials CT tattooed on his leg represent his recording company known as “Cru Thik”.

Whether you are a tattoo lover or not it’s hard to deny that Allen Iverson has leveraged his tattoo designs into a marketing strategy that has enhanced his celebrity status and helped draw thousands of new viewers to the National Basketball Association games. The strategy has also drawn more attention to Allen’s music and catapulted his recording career to new levels of success.

The thing that makes the Allen Iverson Tattoos fascinating is the story behind each one of his tattoos. Every tat represents something Allen believes in, something that has happened in his life, or something that is important to him. In fact the images help Allen stay motivated and give him inspiration.

Who said bad boys can’t do good and become a role model?