Ink has long been an integral element of hip-hop, and looking at the iconic tattoos of legendary rappers can give you a good idea of how to distinguish yourself from the crowd. Although some rappers may come to regret their more outrageous tattoo designs (after all, not everyone is perfect), we can learn a lot about our favorite stars from even the most bizarre ink.

Each of these rapper tattoos, like the music they create, tells a story—from biblical texts and seemingly random names to eerie clowns and icy candy. It is another thing entirely if you enjoy the story they convey.

21 Sаvаge

The tragic origins of the dagger tattoo that lies between 21 Sаvаge’s eyes are not surprising, considering the amount of time his music devotes to discussing the violent parts of his history. He and his younger brother had planned to get Tony Montana’s Scarface-inspired blade tattoo on their hands, but Quantivayus got ahead of them and got it done on his face instead. In remembrance of his brother, who was subsequently murdered, 21 Sаvаge chose to get a tattoo of the identical design.Jay-Z and BeyoncéFor the Carter family, four has always been a significant number. In addition to sharing an album title that prominently features the number four, being born on the same day, and getting married on the same day, this hip-hop royal couple has a lot in common with the number four. In honor of the occasion, Beyoncé and JAY-Z each got the tattoo “IV” on their left ring fingers. Lovely enough, but the Beyhive observed that Beyoncé’s tattoo had changed, leading many to speculate that the marital bliss may be eroding in the aftermath of Jay’s alleged adultery. Such concerns were totally valid, even though it turned out that Beyoncé had only made minor adjustments when the original tattoo faded.Drake Drake has innumerable tattoos—one of which features Rihanna eating ice cream—but the most interesting is the huge portrait on his back. Other notable tattoos include the Drakkar Noir deodorant bottle and numerous others. A massive memorial to his aunt Steve and grandma Evelyn Sher sits between tattoos of Aaliyah and an OVO owl. Although Drake’s intentions are genuine, the weird, bordering on creeρy, expressions on their faces make it clear that he was definitely in the mood when he requested this design. Maybe Drizzy should start at the bottom and take it all off.Rapper EminemThe ink that Eminem gets tattooed on his skin is a tangible manifestation of his heart. The tattoos on his arms are loving reminders of the people he admires, such as Proof of D12 and his uncle Ronnie Pilkington. But in the instance of Em’s ex-wife, the things he despises also show up. Eminem got a tattoo on his stomach depicting Kim’s grave and the words “Rot in Pieces” underneath after a particularly vicious argument. This notorious tattoo was inspired by his ex-wife, who also provided the musical inspiration for much of his early songs.The EveThose now-iconic paw prints over Eve’s breаst were actually dared by a pal long before she stunneԀ us all as the First Lady of the Ruff Ryders. Even though 18-year-old Eve was hesitant at first, she went ahead and got the iconic tattoo, which has become an essential part of her identity. Hopefully, Eve will be able to reclaim her former glory with the release of her new album later this year.