2018 has been a very challenging year for the music industry. In June, Jahseh Onfroy, known to everyone as XXXTentacion, was shot dead, and in September, the world lost another famous artist – Mac Miller. He was one of the most promising young musicians. By the age of 26, he released 5 studio albums, each of which was on the Billboard 200 chart.
On Spotify, the musician still has more than 20 million monthly listeners. Also, the most popular song “Self Care” has already been listened to 485 million times. These facts confirm that Mac Miller is still the idol of millions of people.
Moreover, in addition to listening to tracks, fans can pay tribute to the artist through tattoos. Many of them have already followed this trend, but there are still a lot who want to get a design. Therefore, we collected 40+ Mac Miller tattoos, described their meanings, listed 20+ additional ideas inspired by the musician, and indicated who his tattoo artist was.
40+ Mac Miller’s Tattoos
During his life, Mac Miller got 42 tattoos. Of course, some did not have hidden meanings that the musician would like to convey. However, we have read many interviews with Mac Miller and collected all the artist’s tattoo ideas with interpretations.
Einstein Portrait On The Biceps
Albert Einstein showed his tongue 👅 to photographers because he was tired of being asked to smile for a photo. Perhaps Mac Miller got such a tattoo to show that he was tired of the constant paparazzi’s harassment.
“Only So Much In This Crazy World” Quote
This phrase refers to the line “Only So Much Time Left In This Crazy World” from the song OutKast – Crumblin’ Erb. This track 🎵 became one of the inspiration sources for Mac Miller’s music.
Fierce Cat Face
This tattoo may refer to the line “Thinkin’ I’m a cat that doesn’t get tossed in the crowd” from 4 AM Off The Dome Freestyle. In this composition, Mac Miller says that he is not a malleable cat with whom you can do anything but a ferocious artist who is not afraid to express his thoughts.
Tribal Ghost
The ghost tribal tattoo has the following meanings:
👻 Yearning;
👻 Sorrow;
👻 Reflections on the transience of life.
Crown
The crown forearm tattoo means:
👑 Luck;
👑 True friendship;
👑 Love;
👑 Constancy.
“Most Dope” Inscription On The Rib Cage
The “O”s in this design are replaced with a laugh now cry later masks. Such a design may symbolize the difficulties that Mac Miller overcame.
“Beats, Rhythm And Life” Inscription
This inscription is a reference to Mac’s lifestyle and the title of the A Tribe Called Quest band’s studio album. It served as an inspiration for the artist.
Hawk On The Neck
The hawk neck tattoo on the musician’s neck has the following meanings:
🦅 Love;
🦅 Loyalty;
🦅 The desire to achieve the goal;
🦅 Nobility.
Rose On The Neck
The rose tattoo on Mac’s neck has the following meanings:
🌹 Love;
🌹 Passion;
🌹 Sensuality;
🌹 Hope.
Angel Wings
Angel wings tattoos mean:
😇️ Mental purity;
😇️ Integrity;
😇️ Moral qualities.
Boy With A Cap
The cap boy is a reflection of Mac Miller, a young dreamer who is at the start of his life.
Falling Boy
A falling boy tattoo could mean that Mac Miller went off the path of life at some point.
Boombox
The boombox forearm tattoo on his arm means dedication to what he loves – creating music and producing tracks for other artists.
Multicolored Flowers
The tattoo with colored flowers has the following meaning:
🌸 Freshness;
🌸 Youth;
🌸 Joy;
🌸 Unity.
John Lennon Portrait
John Lennon is the lead singer of the Beatles. Mac was very fond of his songs. In a tribute, he got a tattoo of John.
Here is what Mac Miller said about the Beatles:
“The Beatles are something… I’ve listened to them my whole life. And I identify with them because they came into the game with “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “She Loves You”, and then started doing artistic stuff.”
Dollar
A dollar sign 💲 tattoo can mean an artist’s life goal, which is a comfortable, independent life full of wealth and success.
“Imagine” Inscription
Earlier, we mentioned Mac’s affection for the Beatles and their lead singer. So, this inscription refers to John Lennon’s solo single “Imagine”.
Buddha
The Buddha tattoo symbolizes that Mac Miller believed that everyone gets what they deserve. It also has other meanings:
✋ Enlightenment;
✋ Wisdom;
✋ Fate.
Smiley and Thumbs Up
A tattoo of a smiling face with closed eyes means the following:
😀 Satisfaction;
😀 Calm;
😀 Peace;
😀 Relief.
Also, a thumbs up 👍 adds the meaning of approving an artist’s performance.
Hebrew Letter
One of the first Mac Miller’s inks is a 5th Hebrew letter arm tattoo which is called “he”. It conveys the meaning of prayer and faith in a higher power.
Pin-up Girl
Pin-up models were popular in the 1950s. After, the famous tattoo artist Sailor Jerry began to make them in the American traditional style. This design is still in demand among connoisseurs of culture.
Roses On The Left Arm
The tattoo of one rose 🌹 on the elbow means that Mac was monogamous.
“Street Struck” Inscription
Street Struck is a song by famous rapper Big L (Lamont Coleman). Unfortunately, he died in a street brawl. Mac got the Street Struck tattoo as a tribute to the rapper, whose song he loved very much.
Wolf in Suit
A wolf tattoo 🐺 in a suit means Mac Miller’s superiority over others in the rap industry.
Fairy Surrounded By Roses With Sacred Heart
Mac’s sacred ❤️ heart tattoo with an angel on his leg conveys his faith in love and luck.
Daniel Johnston Submarine
Daniel Johnston is an American singer who has schizophrenia. Because of this, he was portrayed as a cute monster. Mac Miller loved his songs as well as the Beatles (including Yellow Submarine). Here is what Mac Miller himself said about this design:
“I have Daniel Johnston riding the yellow submarine. That’s one of my favorites.”
During the , he got sick and decided to listen to Yellow Submarine by the Beatles. Mac began to laugh for some reason, but this distracted his attention and helped the body cope with very strong hallucinations that could harm the musician’s psyche.
The alien on the yellow submarine is a personage from the Daniel Johnston album “Hi, How Are You” cover.
Yellow Smiley
The yellow emoji 🙂 conveys Mac Miller’s cheerfulness.
Big Blue Brontosaurus
Mac Miller’s right calf has a tattoo of a blue cartoon Brontosaurus, the largest dinosaur in existence.
Kangaroo With Boxing Gloves
The tattoo of a kangaroo in boxing gloves is accompanied by the phrase BASED. This design has the following meanings:
🦘 Courage;
🦘 Protection;
🦘 Strength.
“We Are Confused” Inscription
The tattoo artist did not use stencils to create the font for the inscription WE ARE CONFUSED. He drew the font himself.
“Rain Or Shine” Inscription
Rain or Shine is the title of a 1986 hit by Five Star. Mac loved this song very much and decided to get a tattoo with this phrase.
Peace Symbol
The peace sign ☮️ became a symbol of anti-war movements in the 60s. Mac received this as a sign that he does not support military conflicts and the use of brute force.
Sunset
A sunset tattoo has the following meanings:
🌄 Completion of the case;
🌄 Rebirth;
🌄 Harmony.
P Logo
Another Mac’s hand tattoo is the symbol of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team ⚾. He was its fan and was often seen wearing the team’s jersey 👕 number 412.
MCMXCII
Mac had a tattoo of Roman numerals on his hand. They encode the artist’s year of birth (1992).
Star Of David
Mac Miller was born into a Christian and Jewish family and chose the latter as his faith. Therefore, he decided to get a Star of David ✡️ tattoo on his fingers.
Cross
The cross tattoo ✝️ takes its meaning from the phrase “carry your cross”. Thus, everyone should accept their fate and not resist it.
Tiny Heart
Mac Miller’s tiny heart tattoo has the following meanings:
❤️ Romanticism;
❤️ Love;
❤️ Devotion;
❤️ Freedom.
“Most Dope” On The Knuckles
From Mac Miller’s phrase, it might seem that he does not like the MOST DOPE tattoo on knuckles:
“Every time I go to Cali, I just get hella tatted,” Mac admits. “I got ‘MOST DOPE’, which sucks at the airport…”
However, the artist does not regret any of his tattoos:
“The only thing I regret is that I don’t have enough space on my body to do more… So I gotta get fatter…”
“No Woman No Cry” Inscription
The No Woman No Cry tattoo on the chest is the title of a famous Bob Marley song that also inspired Mac’s hits.
American Spirit Cigarette Logo
Mac Miller got the American Spirit Cigarette logo tattoo because of his addiction to the company’s cigarettes 🚬. This is one of the first designs on the artist’s body.
Bonus: 20+ Designs Inspired By Mac Miller
In addition to Mac Miller’s tattoos, you can choose designs made by his fans. The most popular are the artist’s portrait, quotes from his songs, small ideas, and the Memento mori. Next, we suggest you familiarize yourself with their meanings.
Lyrics
Choosing a Mac Miller song quote 💬 is entirely up to you. You can look at the lyrics of your favorite tracks or choose something mainstream.
For example, one of the most popular and meaningful phrases is “I Was Drowning Now I’m Swimming”. These are the words from the song Come Back to Earth, which was included in the Swimming album.
On Genius, these lines from the songs mean the following:
“This could also be a metaphor for Mac struggling to get through his problems. He was “drowning” in them but now, he’s learning how to cope with them by “Swimming.”
Mac Miller Portrait
A portrait is a very intimate design that shows the close connection between the person who got it and the one depicted in it.
A tattoo portrait of Mac Miller can convey the following feelings for him:
👨 Memory;
👨 Devotion;
👨 Love.
Small Designs
As a small tattoo design, you can choose anything. The most popular are album cover ideas, mini portraits, or Mac Miller tweets.
For example, you can make a minimalist tattoo of the album cover for Swimming, the artist’s last studio release that came out during Mac’s lifetime. It will show your dedication to the artist and his work.
Memento Mori
The phrase Memento mori from Latin is Remember death. It became closely associated with Mac Miller after the release of the video for the song Self Care. In it, the artist lies in a coffin and writes Memento Mori on its lid.
Unfortunately, this expression took on even more meaning for the musician after his death in the same year the video was released.
Who Was Mac Miller’s Tattoo Artist?
Mac Miller got tattoos from different artists. However, among them, one can be distinguished from Los Angeles – Norman “Norm” Stien. He is the author of most of the musician’s tattoos, including the phrase Most Dope on the knuckles, which is closely associated with the artist.
Summary
Mac Miller was not just a musician. He was a real artist whose songs continue to inspire us to accomplish. In addition to music, we remembered him for his bright image with many arms, hands, legs, and chest tattoos.
His designs are liked not only by fans of the artist’s work but also by other people. Therefore, we have collected all the Mac Miller tattoos, explained their meanings, indicated 20+ additional designs, and named the tattoo artist of the singer.
“Enjoy the best things in your life cuz you ain’t gonna get to live it twice” – Mac Miller
FAQ
🤔 How Many Tattoos Does Mac Miller Have?
Mac Miller had 42 tattoos, the most famous of which is the phrase Most Dope on his knuckles.
🙋 Did Mac Miller Have the Tattoo for Ariana?
No, but Ariana Grande got Myron’s tattoo in honor of the dog she and Mac Miller jointly adopted in 2017.
❓ Did Mac Miller Have a Memento Mori Tattoo?
No, but rapper Lil Xan got a Memento Mori tattoo above his eyebrow in tribute to Mac Miller.
