Kid Ink has tattoos from his hands to his face, with ink across his arms, neck, chest and back. His real name is Brian Collins, and much of the work shows in ordinary photos. He has talked about the stories behind some of the pieces himself.
He got his first tattoo at 16, when his mum took him to a shop. Years later, he spoke to Capital XTRA about designs that matter to him. Those comments give us a firmer account than guesses built from photos.
The hand tattoos are impossible to miss
The skeleton bones across his fingers and the backs of his hands are among his easiest tattoos to spot. They show when he holds a microphone, poses for a photo or gestures. Their slightly eerie, graphic look fits the playful side of his style.
Hand tattoos are hard to cover, and Kid Ink has never hidden these. He picked them as favourites when asked about his collection. They’re often the first tattoos you notice, before the larger work on his chest. In a simple outfit, the designs stand out even more.
His chest tattoos include portraits of the people who raised him
His chest carries portraits of his mother and grandfather, the two people he has said raised him. They’re large pieces, with lettering and other artwork around them.
Kid Ink has explained that family connection himself. He says his grandfather dislikes tattoos but considers his portrait one of the best pieces Kid has.
The tiger on his neck is one of his standout pieces
A tiger sits at the front of Kid Ink’s neck. Tattoo coverage has linked it to his Chinese birth sign. Its placement makes it easy to see when he wears an open collar.
Other lines and shapes surround the tiger. From the side, the ink runs toward his jaw and shoulders, linking up visually with the tattoos across his chest and arms.
Public Enemy and the tattoo that tells him to watch his back
The back piece spells “Public Enemy” in large red letters, with a pair of eyes between the words. The name suggests the hip-hop group, but Kid Ink gave the eyes another explanation: he said they remind him to watch his back.
People may read the name as a reference to the group, but the eyes carry Kid Ink’s own explanation. The back piece adds a broad block of red alongside the smaller lettering on his arms and hands.
Stay Humble and the smaller script work
Kid Ink has said there are only a few written words on his body. “Stay humble,” on the inside of his right arm, is one. He described it as a reminder of how he wants to live and work.
Other photos show smaller script and designs around his arms, fingers and face. Some details are easy to pick out; others fade under a sleeve or in different light. It’s safer to describe what the photos show than assign a meaning to every mark.
An older tattoo just below his eye has been described as a bird or a bat. People disagree about the shape, though its placement is clear in close portraits. It doesn’t need a dramatic backstory to be worth looking at. Sometimes the shape and position are enough.
Why Kid Ink has so many tattoos
Part of the collection’s size on camera comes from where the tattoos sit. His hands, neck and face are often visible, and the chest pieces fill the frame when he’s shirtless. Even an interview can show several areas at once.
Kid Ink has described himself as hooked on tattoos; the collection began with that first visit to the shop with his mum. The pieces span family, music, personal reminders and designs he simply liked. Together, they read like a timeline of choices made over the years.
The areas connect visually too: his hands and face are instantly recognisable, the tiger anchors the neck, and the portraits give the chest a personal centre. The back piece adds a larger design, while the smaller script fills the gaps.
To compare more rap and musician tattoos, browse the musician tattoos category.