Post Malone has one of the most distinctive looks in the music industry.
The "rapper"-turned-country artist is one of many musicians to cloak his arms and legs in tattoos. Yet it’s his facial artwork that truly sets him apart. Much like Mike Tyson and Lil Wayne before him, Malone is a face tattoo connoisseur, having had more than a dozen pieces inked across his countenance.
On Thanksgiving Day, Malone will headline the halftime show during the Dallas Cowboys’ game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
So, what images make up the mosaic across Malone's face? And what are the stories behind them? Here’s what you need to know.
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How many tattoos does Post Malone have?
The exact number of tattoos that sprawl across Malone's body is unclear. He is known to have more than 70 distinct pieces of ink located across his frame.
Some of them pay homage to his musical influences — he has portraits of late artists Kurt Cobain and Lil Peep. Others reflect the musician's interests outside the recording studio — he likes swords and Blackjack, so he got the two etched on his skin.
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Malone's music has enchanted many. Yet, it can be argued his tattoo are the most recognizable part of his persona. Here's a look at his transformation over the years.
Post Malone before and after tattoos
Malone didn't get his first tattoo until 2016. Before his face, arms and legs were awash in murals, he was a fresh-faced — if slightly awkward — 20-something whose mixtapes drew both praise and and rebuke.
He got his first piece of ink to commemorate the 2016 release of his debut album, "Stoney." The design, a Playboy bunny, didn't heal all the way. Justin Bieber knocked into Malone's arm while the two were playing basketball.
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The tattoo still bears visible cracks as a result of Bieber's intervention. Nevertheless, it set the stage for the Syracuse-based artist to seek additional pieces of ink. He hasn't stopped searching since.
Post Malone
(Brett Carlsen/Getty)
Post Malone tattoos meanings
With more than 70 pieces scattered across his body, it's inevitable that some of Malone's pieces lack sentimentality. Nevertheless, there is a method to the madness in some of the ink. He explained the reason why he sought facial tattoos during a 2020 interview with GQ, linking it to low self-confidence.
"I'm a ugly-ass m—. It does maybe come from a place of insecurity, to where I don't like how I look, so I'm going to put something cool on there so I can look at myself and say, 'You look cool, kid,' and have a modicum of self-confidence, when it comes to my appearance," Malone said.
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Here's a look at some of the more notable pieces Malone has gotten over the years, segmented by body part.
Post Malone face tattoos
Malone has more than a dozen face tattoos. Some are script — Malone has "Stay Away" and "Always Tired", the former of which was inspired by Lil Peep's "Cry Baby" tattoo and refers to Malone's favorite Nirvana song.
Others are images. He has a skull with horns tattooed on the lower left side of his face, just beneath a picture of Medusa that washes across his temple.
The right side of his face is similarly caked in color, with the "Sunflower" singer getting a hammer, heart, Playboy bunny, smiley faee as well as the aforementioned sword. He also has a small No. 7 tattooed on the top of his nose as well as outlines of the states of Texas and New York behind his left and right ears, respectively.
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One of Malone's most distinctive features is the barbed wire that wraps across his forehead, just below his hairline. He's unsure if that particular image will look good with age, though.
"I just think barbed wire is cool. I'm going to regret it when I start balding," Malone told GQ.
Post Malone hand tattoos
Malone's hands are also decked in different patterns and designs. He has another barbed wire tattoo, this one cloaking his knuckles. His left hand features an image of Saint Jude, one of Jesus' 12 apostles.
"I just thought it looked b—'," Malone said.
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Malone also enshrined slain U.S. president John F. Kennedy with a tattoo located on his left hand. He flaunted the look during a 2016 appearance on "The Breakfast Club", calling Kennedy a "real one."
Kennedy was "the only President to speak out against the crazy corruption stuff that's going on in our government nowadays," Malone said.
Post Malone arm tattoos
Unsurprisingly, most of Malone's tattoos are located on his arms. Here's a quick rundown of some of his more iconic pieces,:
Motorhead logo
Samurai skull
Faceless man
Johnny Cash portrait
Posty Co. (Malone's brand)
Texas skull flag
Sauron from Lord of the Rings
Minuteman
Man on a horse
Post Malone riding a horse
Praying hands with gun
Patient (name of single on debut album, "Stoney")
"Don't Tread on Me" snake
Snake wrapped around gun
Kurt Cobain portrait
Lil Peep portrait
Jordan logo
Post Malone temporary tattoos
Malone's facial tattoos have become the stuff of legend across social media, with many desiring to invoke the 30-year-old artist come Halloween. The best way to do so, it seems, is to sport his facial tattoos — looks which are available to purchase on a temporary basis online.
Those hoping to masquerade as the Grammy-winning musician can find temporary versions of his facial tattoos on Etsy or EastTatt Ink.
Post Malone's Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce tattoos, explained
While Malone is a die-hard Cowboys fan, he did commemorate a pair of Chiefs stars with tattoos. He had Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce’s signatures inked after losing to the Kansas City standouts in a game of beer pong.
The story goes like this: Mahomes and Kelce were beating Malone in beer pong shortly after vanquishing the 49ers in Super Bowl 54 in 2020. Their dominance prompted Malone to up the ante.
Mahomes and Kelce kept their hot streak rolling, much to Malone’s chagrin. Ultimately, it cost Malone a prized piece of real estate on his body — although the duo assured him he didn’t have to follow through with the wager if he didn’t want to.
"Man of his word, which I f— respect," Kelce said during a 2024 episode of his "New Heights" podcast.