Rihanna’s Gun Tattoo

One of Rihanna’s more recent tattoos is a small handgun inked across her ribcage just below her right armpit. Rihanna’s side tattoo was done in March 2009 by the one and only Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy, which seems awfully ironic. According to Bang Bang, Rihanna flew the tattoo artist from New York City to L.A. and put him up in a swanky hotel just so she could get her new tattoo. Well, the actual reason was so that Bang Bang could tattoo one of Rihanna’s friends for her birthday, but Rihanna ended up getting inked as well.

The Little Gun Tattoo

It seems like Rihanna has been considering a gun tattoo of some sort for quite a while, as sources say Rihanna and Bang Bang’s collaboration of ideas for a gun tat took place over an entire year. One picture of Rihanna’s potential gun tattoo depicts a small handgun inked above each of Rihanna’s armpits, but the tattoo was ultimately placed on her ribcage, presumably because the final location was more discrete. A Bang Bang quote suggests that CoverGirl was the reason the matching handguns were a no-go. I guess the image CoverGirl is going for isn’t exactly a handgun-toting bad-ass beauty.

The Controversy Surrounding Rihannas Gun Tattoo

Rihanna’s gun tattoo was particularly controversial because it was inked in the midst of the abuse rumors involving Rihanna and ex-boyfriend Chris Brown. Some people think Rihanna’s gun tattoo is trashy and sends a bad message, but we think it’s pretty gangsta! In response to criticism about Rihanna’s “violence-themed” tattoo, Bang Bang asserted that Rihanna’s tattoo meaning simply represents strength and power. Rihanna has also been spotted wearing a small gun necklace, which some say was the inspiration for Rihanna’s side tattoo.

Shortly after Rihanna’s tattoo on her side was made public, pics of Rihanna’s tattoos showed a life-size pistol tattooed on her thigh. After serious speculation about Rihanna’s new tattoos involving guns, the public was reassured: Rihanna’s leg tattoo was only temporary, and was stenciled on her thigh in preparation for her upcoming role in the flick Battleship. Rihanna’s tattoo pictures are constantly revealing the star’s unique and sexy body art. It’s clear that Rihanna loves tattoos and all Rihanna’s tattoos are a representation of some aspect of the R&B star’s life and personality. So, if Rihanna wants to tattoo a huge gun on her thigh to show the world she has strength and power, we say go for it! To see more of Rihanna’s body tattoos, check out some more Rihanna tattoo pics.