Last week we learned that pop starlet Rihanna paid a little visit to East Side Ink in NYC, NY to first learn how to tattoo and then tattoo a few people … which, it turns out, is against NY health code laws and is illegal. Today, Life & Style magazine gives us our first look at Rihanna posing proudly with one of the tattoos she inked on one of the gentleman at East Side Ink:
She may be a talented recording artist, but when Rihanna tried her hand as a tattoo artist at East Side Ink in NYC on July 1, she violated the city’s health code. “Only licensed tattoo artists can administer tattoos in the city, according to the health code”, a rep for the New York City Department of Health tells Life & Style. “We sent someone to follow up.” East Side Ink co-owner Joshua Lord happily tells Life & Style the parlor was given a clean bill of health upon inspection, and Rihanna isn’t likely to face arrest or any fines. And it was all worth it, he says: “She did three tattoos, all very small, but by the third one, she was pretty good. The first tattoo she did, an umbrella, was for BangBang (RiRi’s longtime tattoo artist], on his leg. The second was on me, also on my leg. And Patrick Conlon, another artist, got it on his arm.” The “Umbrella” singer personalized the umbrella tats even more by putting an R on them, as well as a number for the order in which she inked them. “I just think it’s so much cooler than an autograph,” BangBang tells Life & Style. “She did an amazing job for her first tattoo. And now I’m one of the three people on the planet who have Rihanna tattoos!”
I mean … I guess the tat doesn’t look bad but … it’s not really something I think I’d want on my body. It’s cute and tiny … I can’t believe these beefy guys would want something so dainty inked on their bodies either but, whatevs. I do agree that having Rihanna tattoo you is cooler than getting an autograph from her but, really, is it worth having something so permanent? Would you let Rihanna or any other unlicensed celeb tattoo you?
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oh, my GOD, yes! I mean it’d have to be someone who matters to me, like Gary Oldman, but I’d prefer a tattoo than an autograph on a piece of paper that I’d inevitably lose. Besides that, if they’re reduced to snivelling shame, you can always cover it with something else. Love it, love everything about it.
If i only had one or two tattoos than forget it. But if I was someone who was using most of my body as a canvas, I would totally get one from a celeb.
No way. Celeb or no celeb, I am not letting anyone inexperienced put something on my body. I have several tattoos and have always made sure the artist was licensed. Tattoos can go very wrong if the person is inexperienced and it is expensive to remove!
I would totally let Johnny Depp tattoo me!
I would DEFINITELY let a celeb tattoo me! Thats something ill have forever! lol
If Britney Spears ever needs a practice dummy to practice her tat skills im here!
@everyone — I dunno, y’all. I don’t think I’d let any celeb tattoo me. I make sure the tattoo artists that I employ to ink me are skilled professionals, tattoos are forever.
yeah once your covered in tattoos, something like that wouldn’t even be noticeable nor would it really matter…lol..i think its pretty cool/cute.
lily totally took my answer – i would soooooo let johnny depp tattoo me anytime, anyplace!
I think they let her do it like friends messing about more than the celeb thing tbh
I’m with you, Trent!
When you have as many tattoos as the guy in the picture above, you tend to just not think too hard about getting more work done, which answers the question, “why would these guys want dainty little tattoos”. I hang out in a lot of tattoo shops and am heavily tattooed myself and know that artists like to fuck around and have fun in their spare time and this means getting tattoos not based on what they are but sometimes by significance, i.e. having their friend Rihanna tattoo them. Also, they themselves are licensed tattoo artists so I’m sure they wouldknow if Rihanna was doing anything to them that was horribly wrong. I’m sure they watched her closely and would have stopped her if she was going about it in a wrong, unsafe way. It’s important to remember it’s the decision of heavily tattooed experienced TATTOO ARTISTS here, not a regular customer going in and unexpectedly getting tattooed by someone who doesn’t have a license.
I think if you have >75% of your body covered in ink, it doesn’t matter if you get a pink hippo tattooed on you. At that point it looks like a big blob of color everywhere. If I had that many tats, I’d probably let a celeb tattoo me. In fact, I’d let Johnny Depp poke me with his needle any time. *purr*
I rpobably wouldn’t but only because I don’t want a lot of tattoo’s and the ones I want are meaningfull, unless it was a friend celeb that I trusted 100 percent and knew was a great artist I probably wouldn’t.
Although it is a good tattoo and the guys arm looks awesome, good luck to him!
im with you trent. i dont care what celeb it is & how much i like them, if they arent pros – there not coming near me. things that are with you for life, should never be a “its ok there a celeb” matter.
No. I am against elective pain.
I sure would…my wife already has 9, I’m sure she could tat me (all she wants actually). *growl* ;)
I don’t think it’s the fact that she’s a celeb. She’s probably their friend too since he’s her tattoo artist.
@Cam — As much as I love my friends, I’d never let any of them tattoo me either ;)
if i cud qt a tat it wud hv 2 b o0f a skull inside a heart wid swords qoin thru it!!!!!!! n ma name!!!!!! :D
When I was in HS, one of my friends ordered a home tattoo kit from a magazine and offered to tattoo everyone he knew. I really wanted one, but declined, and despite the fact that he has since become a very well established professional tattoo artist, I don’t regret my decision.
Long story short, I’ll take a pass on a tattoo from an inexperienced unlicensed person, friend or celebrity.
I’ll totally let Lily Allen tattoo me anyday. But i’ll request for a small one hahahaha. I mean, it’s like a permanent autograph, like someone said previously. It’ll be totally worth it.
Well they are already pretty much completely covered in tattoos, so having one more small one probably doesn’t really make much of a difference…if one guy is a long time tattooist for Rihanna, I could see him getting it done by her…since she is probably his most famous customer…and she has had a lot of work done by him.