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Lil Nas X is a relatively new name in the music industry, but he has already built a controversial and entertaining image.
I heard of the young rapper when he rose to fame with his smash single “Old Town Road” ft. Billy Ray Cyrus. The country song with a hint of old-school rap was a huge hit, and people from 7-70 were hooked on it.
Yet, after the song’s success, Lil Nas X completely changed or showed his other side. After releasing his song “Montero,” he lost previous admirers but got his little loyal fandom of people who believe in his vision.
Finding inspiration for a Lil Nas X tattoo is hard because the artist doesn’t have a lot of songs/albums/music videos. Usually, people draw inspiration from iconic moments in an artist’s career, so the longer the career, the more moments there are.
Even though I have followed his career since the beginning, I had to look hard for tattoos inspired by his fashion/character/iconic moments/ lyrics, and music videos.
Even though the rapper has just stepped into stardom, he has had plenty of moments that can serve as inspiration for a loving fan who wants a Lil Nas X-inspired tattoo.
Let’s see my favorite Lil Nas X tattoo ideas.
What to do before getting a tattoo?
You can skip this part if you have more than ten tattoos. Yet, if you are thinking of getting one know, there are things you need to know. For the tattoo to look and heal good, you should know 4 things about your tattoo:
- The style & color
- The size and location
- The studio and the artist
- Taking care of your body before and after a tattoo
The style & color of your tattoo
It is not enough to pick a design that you like. You should consider the color and the style of the tattoo as well.
As for the color, you should know if you want blackwork or color. Why?
Many artists do only blackwork or specific colors. For example, artists who do traditional-style tattoos will only have a limited color palette. You don’t want to pick an artist that can’t fulfill your desires. Therefore it is essential to know whether the artist works with color.
I have mentioned “Traditional style,” which is well-known for bold lines and a limited color palette. Apart from it, there are many styles that you can choose from; I prefer:
- Dotwork
- Realism
- Surrealism
- Geometric
- Japanese
- New School
Picking your artist’s style instead of the one you like for your tattoo is tricky. You may end up with a different tattoo. For example, the styles “Traditional” and “Neo-traditional” are very different.
If you are not sure about the style of the tattoo, you can always ask a professional to determine it for you, or you can conclude based on their portfolio of work.
The size and location of your tattoo
The size and the location of your tattoo will influence the amount of pain you will endure and the money you will need to invest.
The bigger the tattoo, the more you will need to pay. The location is connected to the pain level because some spots ( collarbone, ribs, nipples, etc.) are more sensitive than others.
Also, some tattoos ( portraits) look better when they are bigger. If you choose to tattoo letters, you can do both big and small, as long as the artist pays attention to spacing.
Even though my first tattoo was on my ribs, I recommend a zone with thicker skin, such as legs or arms, for the first time. Once the adrenaline kicks in, you don’t notice the pain that much. Still, your first tattoo shouldn’t be a traumatic experience.
The studio and the artist
For your first trip to the studio not the be a traumatic experience, you need to do some research.
Tattoos are expensive, so most people try to fit into the budget. But, the tattoo studio and the artist must be professional and clean. Professional artists should have years of experience and a portfolio to prove it.
You should also check out their portfolio before getting your tattoo to see if the artist does the style you want. Usually, professional tattoo artists are not cheap and require booking in advance. I also appreciate it when you can consult the artist before getting the tattoo.
You can ask them about the perfect location, size, and style of the tattoo.A clean tattoo studio means that the artists disinfect before, during, and after the procedure to keep everything tidy and clean.
Also, they should use single-use needles for every client. Some things you can’t know before the appointment, but that is why it is useful to ask for recommendations and read reviews.
Taking care of your body before and after a tattoo
The tattoo artist should give instructions on the dos and don’ts of tattoos. Still, it doesn’t hurt to know some things:
❌Don’t do drugs and alcohol 24h before your appointment
❌ Don’t wear tight clothes to the appointment
❌ Don’t peel your skin
❌ Avoid using medication 24h before and after getting a tattoo
❌ Don’t tan or swim 24h after your appointment
✅ Hydrate yourself before and after your tattoo session
✅ Wear baggy clothes
✅ Let your skin heal properly
✅Use cream or oil to hydrate your skin after a tattoo
Selection Criteria – Why these Lil Nas X designs made the cut?
I have selected these tattoo ideas specifically from the mindset of a Lil Nas X fan. All of these tattoos and designs are:
- One of a kind – Even if some have a similar theme, they are done in different styles, colors, or something else.
- Inspired by Lil Nas X – All tattoos draw inspiration from rappers’ and country artists’ music, style, or videos. All of the tattoos are meaningful to the rapper’s fans.
- Not basic – I have picked these tattoos because they are original and interesting, especially for hardcore fans. You won’t find lyric tattoos or the rapper’s name in different fonts here.
- High-quality – I only chose high-quality designs where you can see every detail and easily copy it.
If you decide to use one of these designs as inspiration, remember that you need to find an artist who knows how to do it. I mixed many styles, colors, and designs, each of which required a different technique.
Lil Nas X Tattoo Ideas
Portraits
Black and white portrait
One of the most detailed portraits of the “Call me when you want, call me when you need” rapper. It doesn’t single out anything from the musician’s career, so it is perfect for those who just want his face on their body. Get yourself an artist who is good with blackwork and shading for this one.
Lil Nas X with one horn
@artofjondump @lilnasx tattoo from today
♬ original sound – the real shoopnar
Lil Nas X as a devil is one of the biggest “What is he doing” moments in his career. The Devil is already a controversial topic among religious people, but the one-horn symbolism stands out even more. The meaning behind it is that Lil Nas thinks that the LGBTQ+ community ( which he is a part of) is an outcast to modern society.
Lil Nas X as the Devil
Next, we move on to the second devil tattoo of the rapper. Yet, this time he has two horns and an “X.” The “X” is a part of his artistic name but also a symbol for an outcast. Yet, Lil Nas embraces being an outcast in his music video but draws attention to the fact that it wasn’t always like that. He emphasized that modern Christianity is homophobic, but in the earlier stages, it wasn’t like that.
Lil Nas X as a cowboy
Before diving deep into his new era, Lil Nas X was known as the “Old Town Road” cowboy, so I needed to honor that era with a cowboy tattoo. Remember that different colors are used for this tattoo, so your artists need to work with them. Also, a tattoo in this location can be tricky because it can fade away quickly. Honestly, these colors don’t look good when they start fading.
Symbolic Lil Nas X tattoos
Devil shoes
After the notorious “Montero” music video, the young rapper did a collaboration with Nike on the “devil shoes.” The controversial shoes sold out in minutes, but many of his fans were not pleased with Lil Nas X’s new image.
Still, a large part of his fandom enjoyed the new vibe and found the shoes and the song very creative and different. What makes this tattoo special is the combination of black and red ink. I like the fire and the little Nas figure on the pool above, which is from the music video.
Montero sign
Next, we have the “Montero” sign, which got popular after the hit song. There were a lot of similar tattoos, but I love this one because it is tiny but mighty. I love the lighter ink that filled in the sign. The blank ink would be too basic. In my opinion, this is a perfect wrist tattoo or something that can fill in the space between your other tattoos.
Montero devil
If you are a fan of the devilish side of Lil Nas X, the “Montero devil” tattoo is the one for you. The rapper appeared as the Devil in his hit music video, and many fans loved it. The image is very controversial but unique. This tattoo can match the “devil shoes” tattoo perfectly if you want more than one tattoo.
The sacrificed goat
Many religions and cultures used to sacrifice goats as gifts to the Gods. Lil Nas X uses a lot of religious symbolism to express himself in the “Montero” music video. Even though he didn’t use the imagery explicitly in the music video, I put it here because of you who want to dive deep into his ideas in the music video. His main idea was the hypocrisy and cruel behavior of multiple religions, and the sacrificed goat fits in the picture.
The Devil
One more “Lil Nas X” as the devil design that can look amazing as a tattoo. The symbolism is from his “Montero” music video, where the rapper embodies the Devil. If you are really into this music video, this design has a lot of references to it. This design can look amazing as a big or small tattoo in almost any location.
Butterflies
For the music video “Industry Baby,” Lil Nas X had a bunch of fake tattoos on his body. He had multiple butterflies, which you can easily recreate. In terms of religion, the butterfly symbolizes “resurrection” and “transformation,” which is exactly what the new era of music means for the artist.
Old Town Road horses
One design that doesn’t include Lil Nas X’s face is these horses. They are part of the artwork for his breakthrough hit “Old Town Road,” and I think they would make a fantastic tattoo. This design can be done in blackwork or color and look amazing as a big tattoo.
Montero dancing on the pool
If you want to tattoo the Devil subtly on your body without everyone noticing it, this is the right tattoo. A small colorful Lil Nas X on a pool is one of the most memorable moments from the “Montero” music video. In my opinion, this is way more personal than a “devil” tattoo.
666
The last of the “devilish” tattoos is this classic “666” one. This is the symbol of the Devil, another nod to the notorious music video. This can be a good idea if you want a tattoo that has more to do with the Devil than Lil Nas.
Outfits and music videos
Pink cowboy
“Old Time Road” is Lil Nas X’s breakthrough song; so many people want that tattoed on their bodies. It is a bigger tattoo because there are a lot of details; just look at the hat and the tiny circles on it. It is very creative and one of the perfect representations of “Montero, the modern cowboy.”
Remember that the tattoo is a bit challenging to recreate because of all the details, but it is 100% worth it.
Lil Nas X outfit
During his career, Lil Nas X had a lot of fun and creative outfits. For the 2021 VMA’s, the rapper wore a lilac pantsuit with a train that made the whole look like a half dress, half suit.
He wore the outfit before the release of “Montero,” hinting that this new era will be much different from the “Old Town Road” one.
I like this tattoo because it honors one of the best VMA’s red carpet moments in 2021. Plus, it is significant for the rapper’s vision.
Colorful Lil Nas X tattoos
Pink Lil Nas X tattoo
The pink Lil Nas X tattoo is very interesting because of the pink paint. Any other color, such as blue and purple, would look fantastic. Yet, the pink always reminds me of the cowboy outfit he wore. The tattoo looks like someone splashed a bit of pink color on the portrait of the rapper, making the tattoo less serious.
I love when people find a way to spice up a plain portrait, and this is a very creative way to do it.
Lil Nas X on a poll
The “devil shoes” tattoo has Lil Nas X on the poll from the music video, but this image is way, way better. The “pool dancing” moment is one of the most interesting moments in the video. Imagine having a tattoo like this on your leg or arm; it is so eye-catching.
Remember that this tattoo design has to be a bit bigger if you want to have all of the details.
Cartoonish Lil Nas X tattoos
Lil Nas X ToyStory cowboy
I love this drawing of Lil Nas X as a Toy Story character because I know many people love Lil Nas X from his “Old Town Road” era. This is an ideal combination if you love Toy Story, Cowboys, and Lil Nas. I like how the tattoo can look cool in color or black and white.
I saw people only doing the small cowboy hat tattoo, but I think this is better. If you want a bigger tattoo, this design can serve as inspiration for your tattoo, just add some horses, and you are good to go.
Lil Nas X’s outline
Some people are not sure if they want a portrait because a good portrait usually has to be bigger. Yet, I think an outline of Lil Nas X can serve as great inspo for all small tattoo lovers who still want some kind of portrait.
A portrait tattoo must have many details and facial features for the tattoo to look realistic. But that is not the case with an outline. I love this outline of the most famous Lil Nas X cowboy outfit; it is so cool and interesting.
Lil Nas X cartoon image
I love cartoonish and silly images as tattoos, and I know many people who think the same. That is why I had to put one silly cartoonish Lil Nas X design for all of you who don’t consider tattooing seriously.
I love how this cartoon character resembles the rapper so much. I like the flashy yellow jacket and the black hat in particular because it honors his style.
Small Lil Nas X as a cowboy
The grumpy small Lil Nas X reminds me of his relationship with the hit song “Old Town Road.” Most artists get so bored with their breakthrough song that they start hating it after a while. Especially if they have moved on to a new career era. I think this would be Lil Nas if someone asked him to perform the song.
Lil Nas X as an elf
The Christmas season is coming soon, so why not include the rapper as part of it? Lil Nas X has shown interest in mythology, so this can be a good connection to that. This design can look amazing as blackwork, no doubt.
Lil Nas X as Santa Clause
A bit more inspiration for the “Jolly season.” If you want a very different Lil Nas X tattoo, this design can help you out. There are many Christmas-inspired Lil Nas X designs on the net, so maybe his fans are up to something.
Lil Nas X as Cosmo
This fanart went viral, and Lil Nas X posted it on his story. The characters that Lil Nas X and Billy Elish embody here are the Fairly Oddparents – a cartoon. Fans found some similarity, maybe because the rapper is so into mythology.
FAQs
Answer: No, in 2021, Lil Nas X said that he had no real tattoos on his body. The ones he had in music videos weren’t permanent.
Answer: For “Industry Baby” music video, Lil Nas X had a lot of fake tattoos on his body.
Answer: Yes, Lil Nas X’s real name is Montero Lamar Hill.
Final thoughts – Are you the Devil or the cowboy team?
The turbulent Lil Nas X’s musical career can be divided into two stages “the devilish” and “the cowboy.”
I went all in to find the best portraits and symbolic, colorful, and cartoonish tattoos of Lil Nas X.His fans are usually divided when it comes to their preferred era, so I tried to satisfy both ends.
I tried to go past the basic lettering tattoos because if you wanted that, you would have done that without research. To find a unique Lil Nas X tattoo that is personal, but reflects his career and vision, requires hard work. My personal favorite is the pink cowboy outfit tattoo because that is the first image that pops into my mind when I think of the rapper and his career.
If you want a Lil Nas X tattoo, I hope these ideas will help you dive deep into his best career moments and find the inspiration you need.
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