Kendrick Lamar’s New Tattoo Took an Astounding 16 Hours to Complete

Although he needs no introduction, Kendrick Lamar is one of the most successful and prominent hip-hop artists of the 21st-century. Since releasing his debut album in 2012, Lamar has impressed critics across the board with his raw yet poetic lyrics, winning thirteen Grammy Awards and the 2018 Pulitzer Prize For Music—becoming the first non-classical and non-jazz recipient of this award in history,

And while Lamar’s music is certainly spectacular, his tattoos haven’t always risen to the same level of artistry. In 2018, Lamar revealed that he’d gotten his first tattoo in 12 years, which was a small piece by Los Angeles artist Romeo Lacoste. Prior to visiting Lacoste, Lamar’s most recognizable tattoo was the phrase “Hustle Like You Broke” with a money bag on his right forearm. However, on April 19th of 2019, Lamar parted ways with this piece and made room for new art on his arm.

Lamar visited Brazilian artist Davi Escobar in Los Angeles for a blackwork tattoo that would cover his existing script. According to Escobar, the tattoo took roughly 16 hours to complete over the course of two days. Now Lamar has an abstract piece, which brings to mind tribal designs from both Polynesian and Native American cultures.

What do you think of Lamar’s new tattoo? Could you sit through 16 hours of tattooing? Let us know your thoughts on this story and the tattoo in the comments section.