Burna boy’s 30 Tattoos and What They Mean
Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu popularly known as Burna boy born on on July 2, 1991, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is widely considered as the “King of Afrofusion” and one of the most influential African performers of his period.
Fans look up to the legend for his outstanding fashion sense and, of course, his magnificent tattoos.True, Burna boy has tattoos covering every inch of his upper body; yet, his tattoos aren’t just for show. They genuinely contain profound meanings that are inspired by Burna Boy’s own life! We have deciphered all of his tattoo meanings in this post.
Below are the list of Burna boy’s 30 Tattoos and What They Mean
1. The Debut album on Arm
Burna Boy has the title of his debut album, ‘LIFE,’ tattooed on his bicep, which translates to ‘Leaving an impact for eternity.’
2. Psalm 38 on Right Arm
Burna Boy has the entire Psalm 38 written in black ink on his arm. He stated that he got this tattoo during a difficult period in his life and felt the words to be incredibly relatable.
The first one is a Psalm from the bible. I was just in a dark place and this was the Psalm that felt like I wrote it at that time.”
3. Flea Kuti Tattoo on Arm
Burna Boy regards Fela Kuti as the best musician he has ever known, which is why he has a tattoo of the singer on his arm. It’s a black ink close-up of his face.
Read Also: Wizkid’s 20 Tattoos and What They Mean
4. Rockstar Script on Arm
He has a tattoo on the back of his palm that says ‘Rock star’ and would look the same if you turned it around. He stated, “This is the tattoo I got after my third American tour.”
5. Brick Wall Graffiti on Arm
He has a tattoo of a brick wall with the word ‘family’ written in bold on it. Aside from that, he has the names of some of his family members written on the wall. The entire tattoo has the appearance of graffiti art in tattoo format.
6. Nickname on his Arm
He has a tattoo of ariwo ju, the nickname Fela Kuti and his grandfather used to call each other.
7. National Coats of Arms on Upper Arm
On his upper arm is a symbol for the national coat of arms depicting the River Niger and the confluence of three rivers. It also says Omo Niger, which translates to ‘the child of Nigeria.’
8. Aristokrat Records Logo on Upper Arm
He also bears the emblem of Aristokrat Records, the record label that discovered the Nigerian singer’s ability. It is also accompanied by the word ‘cottissimos,’ which means ‘pious.’
9. Wings on Chest
While he has never divulged the exact meaning of the wing tattoo, we assume it is inspirational and significant, as are the majority of his tattoos.
10. African Giant on His Stomach
Burna Boy sports a large tattoo that reads ‘African Giant.’ It’s also the title of his fourth studio album, which came out in 2019.
11. Weed Leaf on Chest
In the middle of his chest, the Nigerian singer has a cannabis leaf done in plain black ink.
12. Prosper on Neck
Burna Boy has ‘Prosper’ written in a beautiful font on his neck.
13. Legend on Bicep
Burna Boy has the word ‘Legend’ scribbled in large black letters.
14. Wisdom on Arm
He has the word ‘Wisdom’ inscribed on the outside of his arm.
15. Outsider on Ribs
The ‘Outsider’ tattoo on his rib area is done in a smooth typeface, as opposed to his other textual tattoos, which are fairly prominent.
16. Southside on Upper Back
Burna Boy’s top back is emblazoned with the words ‘South Side’ in large letters. To enhance the effect, the bold words are filled in with black and grey shading.
17. Gifted and Blessed on his Chest
’Gifted’ and ‘Blessed’ are written on either side of Burna Boy’s chest. While he has not formally stated the purpose of this ink, we assume it is to express his thanks to the Lord and destiny.
18. The Hydroplane on Upper Arm
He has a tattoo of the wrecked jet that Pablo Escobar used to illustrate the concept that “…anything can get from anywhere to anybody, it’s intriguing”.
19. Name of His Bestfriend on Rib
To commemorate their friendship, he had the name of his best friend Gambo, whose real name was Gabriel Serenkuma, inked on his ribs. It also contains the text ‘Lives Forever’ beneath his name, as well as a portrait directly above it.
20. Scarface Stewi on His Bicep
Burna Boy has a black shading tattoo of Scarface Stewie, Stewie Gryphon from Family Guy. This tattoo dates back to his childhood. In his own words.
I can’t even tell you why I got it. Only people that knew me in 2010 know why. Don’t jump into it.”
21. God’s Love on His Fingers
Burna Boy has ‘God’s Love’ written on the knuckles.
22. Burna boy on Chest
He has his stage name ‘Burna Boy’ printed in thick black ink on the upper half of his chest.
23. A Helicopter, Japanese Clouds, a Man with a Parachute on the Abdomen
This scene, which depicts survival instincts, could be the basis for a narrative. It most likely indicates hope. Burna Boy has not disclosed any information regarding this tattoo.
24. Portraits on Leg
On both of his legs, Burna Boy has three portrait tattoos. It’s difficult to say who these portrait tattoos are for because he hasn’t officially stated anything.
25. Thug on Leg
Burna Boy’s leg tattoos are rdifficult to read because to their opacity, but this text tattoo appears like ‘Thug’ scrawled immediately below his knee.
26. Lion on Chest
A little lion tattoo is hidden among the tattoo collage on his breast. It’s a simple tattoo that fits in with the rest of the concept.
27. Name of His Mother on Chest
Burna Boy has written his mother’s first name ‘Bose’ on his shoulder. Bose Ogulu, also known as ‘Mama Burna,’ is a businesswoman, academic, and talent manager who oversees her son’s career.
28. Dove Tattoo on Neck
Burna Boy has a shading effect dove tattoo on the side of his neck. The dove is a global emblem of happiness and serenity.
29. Shining Bleeding Heart
This is a tattoo near to his heart because it depicts the reality that even if something appears to be shining on the outside, it may still require compassion and care since it is broken.
30. Unidentified Symbol on Neck
Burna Boy wears a sign around his neck on the other side. The musician has not yet revealed the meaning of this symbol.