Tattoo news out of the UK reveals a popular London shop offering to remove Kanye West tattoos for free. (NAAMA Studios in Central London cleverly markets the service: “Yeezy come, Yeezy Go.”)
It’s likely to be a big market, given the high level of regret many West fans have expressed after the star’s recent anti-Semitic messaging.
The free removal is not just an ethical stand, of course, though it certainly is that. Tattoo removal, while arduous, also represents a good marketing opportunity for those who provide the service. Tattoo removal opens up a space for new ink, after all — and it seems likely that many of West’s former faithful might choose now as the moment to get that sweet “Mom” tattoo, instead of Ye.
But how big a market is this, really? Here’s a fact that gives an idea about the number of Kanye West tattoos in existence: The Pinterest board called “Best 19 Kanye West Fan Tattoos — NSF — Music Magazine” has nearly 21,800 followers. The London shop had 13 appointment requests in 24 hours.
Below is a Saint Pablo Ye tat, referencing one of West’s previous identities and a big musical project.
Sacred Tattoo Studio in Michigan created the West tattoo below, and the post features in the comments numerous claims of similar ink, such has “I have Kanye tattooed on my stomach by @traphousetattoer.”
Even for people who aren’t big on regrets, there is a groundswell of rage against West right now, with the cool factor associated with a West tattoo having been greatly diminished, if not demolished entirely. West recently even shocked a well-known conspiracy theorist with his statement that “every human being has something of value that they brought to the table. Especially Hitler.”
Artists and visionaries get a lot of leeway to challenge perceived conventions in society, but West’s rhetoric represents a bridge far too far for almost everybody.
Media outlets still have articles up that feature West tattoo ideas, such as Bustle‘s 2015 piece: “10 Kanye West Tattoos You May Actually Want.” Some of the embedded photos of Instagram West tattoos are missing from the article, presumably another sign of regret from the tattooed. Inked mag has a similar West tattoo feature from 2020.
There is hardly a celebrity tattoo artist out there that hasn’t done a Kanye West tattoo, or dozens of them. With estimates of more than 31,000 tattoo artists operating in the US alone, the market for West removals could easily number in the thousands or tens of thousands.
Here is famous tattoo artist Bang Bang of NYC displaying a riveting West-themed tattoo.
Celebrity tattoos — especially featuring living celebrities — are always subject to changes in cool perception. Will Smith, feature below, is in a different level of popularity that he was before last year’s Oscars, as you may have heard.
For those looking for some ink stability, the recently deceased Angela Lansbury is unlikely to suffer great variations in popularity or cool going forward. For better or worse.
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