Today's Evil Beet Gossip

Rihanna’s New Tattoo Was Done with a Mallet and Chisel

rihanna tattoo

Rihanna loves her body art and has plenty of tattoos, but she decided to take shit to the next level recently while on tour in New Zealand, where she got a traditional Maori tribal tattoo done with a mallet, chisel and ink pigment. Oooh, edgy! Also, ouch! Of course there’s a video of it, and here it is:

Plenty of people are annoyed at Rihanna for being a cultural appropriator, calling her “disrespectful” for getting the ink, which is probably true (to be honest, I’m somewhat ignorant when it comes to Maori culture, I’ll fully admit, so I can’t speak on that). However, I will say that she has a SERIOUSLY high pain tolerance. That shit looks like it absolutely KILLS. I have a few tattoos and didn’t find the needles overly torturous, but having shit pounded into your skin with a mallet is serious business.

The tattoo runs from her fingernail to her forearm. What do you think of it?

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14 CommentsLeave a comment

  • They are probably calling her disrespectful because you need to be part Maori to get a Maori tattoo as it describes what tribe your ancestors came from and other family history, but to me that looks like the long-ass Crash Bandicoot cheats I would write out as a kid (up up up, down down down down x o o)

  • ummmm, i could be wrong, but i thought that tattoos were tribal/religious, by orgin…no disrespect to the Maori, but we’re in America–no matter where she’s from, she’s an American artist, and Americans don’t respect anyone’s culture, lol. i like the tattoo, personally.

    • Actually she’s an int’l artist, who happens to come from Barbados. She does ALL type of music…esp on mix tapes/underground music. Her albums are commercialized but she is far more than just an American artist. She’s also signed w/ Island Def Jam.

  • people are annoyed because of jealousy, there’s a difference to tribal tatts, there not all blessed so she is not disrespecting anyone for the fact of getting it done. Maori’s would not have inked her traditionally nor would they have imprinted her if it had meaning to our ancestors. i am from new zealand and come from a maori background therefore peoples hate against her decision is completely uncalled for! churr

  • A Moor-ish women getting a Maor-i (Moori) tatoo? And people are complaining? A knowledge of history eliminates the hate and ignorance, keep it fresh y’all.

  • the tattoo was done maori style but nut but ceremonial the tattoo has meaning to her not to the tribe, it’s like saying it’s a bootleg maori tattoo

  • im from nz. and this is actually not a traditional maori
    design.. it looks more from the islands, google traditional maori
    tatoos and they are very different!! its quite bizzare
    we here in nz dnt really think it looks very maori.
    anybody can get a design they just need to
    know about the culture and aknowledge it , and know the
    history
    you dont have to be “maori ” to get a tamoko done –
    but there are certain protocols :)

  • Thats not even bad honestly im maori myself..but for her to cover a traditional tattoo with another is just staright disrespectful..