Number Tattoos

Iggy Azalea

Photoshot / PacificCoastNews
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Iggy Azalea got this tattoo of a number “1” on her right forearm in 2015 and later covered it up with the mane of her horse tattoo.

The tattoo most likely celebrates the success of her single “Fancy,” which was a number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  She was, at the time, only the fourth female rapper to ever top the chart (Cardi B later became the fifth) and with seven weeks at number 1 she had the longest reign.  Having spent the previous few years building up her career in the UK, she had never charted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at all prior to the release of Fancy.  With her feature on Ariana Grande‘s “Problem” in the number 2 spot while “Fancy” was number 1, she tied the Beatles as the only artists to have their first two chart entries simultaneous occupy the top two spots.

Ultimately success was a double-edge sword for Iggy.  She never expected the level of success that she had and was unprepared for the scrutiny that came with it.  Her tendency to lash out at perceived criticism kept her in the headlines for the wrong reasons and caused the public opinion to turn against her.  That might explain why she covered up the tattoo.  She told Zane Lowe:

I didn’t expect to get a number 1 hit. I never thought I would have that level of success, just as a female rapper because it’s really really hard when that’s what you’re doing. I just kind of thought if I could skate by and make a living off it and be able to do shows, that was kind of my expectations. It ended up being way, way bigger than that. And the things that come with that, like the debate or…being followed by paparazzi everywhere and that level of attention is very claustrophobic and it kind of makes your decision-making sort of a bit whacked out when you’re living in a bubble that you have to create to try to protect your privacy…. At that time…I really couldn’t get control of it and it was just tumbling and tumbling.

Now she doesn’t take everything so personally and as a result she feels much more in control.  As she attempts to make her comeback, she cares more about reconnecting with her original audience of rap fans than having crossover pop hits.

(more…)

Accomplishment Black Ink Career Forearm Gothic / Old English Number

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Grimes

Instagram / @actuallygrimes
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Grimes has the word “Beautiful” tattooed on the back of her left hand along with many other tattoos including lines on her pinkie, a Greek meander on her index finger, her lucky number 8, an alien head, a chevron line on her wrist, and chains on her wrist. All of her tattoos are homemade and were done by herself or her friends. In an instagram post, she wrote “feeling beautiful despite many imperfections haha, terrible and wonderful memories etched into my skin. Even the most screwed up ones were all done w or by my best friends and they all feel like home.”

Back of Hand Beauty Chains Chevron DIY Knuckle Lines Luck Number Script Stick-and-Poke Wrist Writing

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