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Drake's Tattoos and Their Meanings

Your Ultimate Guide to Drake's 55+ Tattoos

In the years since Drake entered the music scene, the Canadian-native rapper has built a chart-topping discography and an equally impressive ink collection featuring a unique variety of pieces. Starting with his very first tattoo of the OVO owl — the emblem of his official store, October's Very Own) — on his back in 2011, the "Rich Flex" rapper has accumulated well over 55 designs that range from small script additions to massive ink portraits of his loved ones.

It's safe to assume that perhaps Drake's love language is getting permanent body artwork. From his parents and 5-year-old son, Adonis, to his musical idols and favourite characters from pop culture (he is a diehard Potterhead, FYI), Drake has undoubtedly one of the most interesting and eclectic collections out there. In fact, when Celine Dion caught wind of Drake's imminent plan to immortalize her face on his torso, she hilariously implored her fellow Canadian musician against it, suggesting a list of alternative ways to express his admiration instead.

While his ink is scattered prominently across his arms and back, he sent the internet into a frenzy when he debuted his first-ever face tattoo in August 2022. He got the letters "sg" etched near his left eye — a sentimental piece of body art dedicated to his mother, Sandra Gale. The rapper also owns some beautiful designs that pay homage to his hometown of Toronto.

If you're looking for an ultimate guide to the artist's designs, we rounded up all of them ahead. Check out Drake's tattoo collection and learn what each piece means.

Image Source: Getty / Ross Gilmore

Drake’s Face Tattoo of “sg”

In August 2022, Drake unveiled his first face tattoo — a sweet tribute to his mother, Sandra Gale. Done by tattooist Noah Lee, the rapper got his mother's initials "sg" tattooed right below his left eye in a delicate Old English font. It is the musician's first and only face tattoo.

Drake’s “Unruly” Skull Arm Tattoo

In November 2016, Drake got a skull with flames emerging out of its head on his left shoulder with the word "Unruly" written beneath it. The single-needle design is done by the famous LA-based tattooist Dr. Woo. It's dedicated to Drake's friend and fellow musician Popcaan, who often references the term "Unruly" in many of his songs, having released a joint album with Anju Blaxx titled "Unruly" in 2012. The two close friends turned their mutual artistic appreciation into a professional partnership when Popcaan later signed with Drake's record label, OVO Sound, in 2018.

Drake’s Drakkar Noir Cologne Tattoo

In March 2017, Drake unveiled another interesting ink on his Instagram. He got an image of a Drakkar Noir bottle on the top of his left shoulder. The popular men's fragrance by Guy Laroche is likely a callback to the rapper's old Twitter handle, @drakkardnoir.

Drake’s Virgil Abloh Portrait Tattoo

In remembrance of the late fashion designer, Drake got a portrait of Virgil Abloh inked on the inside of his left forearm above his wrist in Dec 2021. The touching tribute, inked by Gangatattoo, captures the iconic image of the beloved entrepreneur throwing a Louis Vuitton kite down the runway in 2018. The black-and-white design includes intricate attention to detail, showcasing even the shadow of Abloh's pose.

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Drake’s “Everything Happens for a Reason…” Quote Tattoo

Placed horizontally on his left anterior forearm parallel to the crease of his elbow, Drake got a quote tattoo broken into four consecutive lines, reading, "Everything happens / for a reason / sweet / thing." Inked by Dr. Woo in 2014, the design features small font text in capital letters. The meaning behind the script, however, isn't known.

Drake’s Spider Tattoo

On the back of his left hand, Drake got a spider tattoo flexing its many limbs. The digit "6" is inscribed within the central body of the spider, which is a significant number to the Canadian rapper, who often refers to his hometown, Toronto, as "The Six" in his music.

During his May 2016 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," the rapper confirmed the meaning behind the cryptic usage of the number. "Yes, our area code is 416," he said. "We were debating on "The Four," but I went tail-end on them and went 6. And at one point, Toronto was broken up into six areas, so it's all clicking, man," further justifying his decision.

He also has a mysterious symbol design inked on the left side of his left hand. The first letter appears to be the Chinese symbol (力) for strength and power. The meaning of the two characters that follow isn't known.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s Texts Tattoo

Believe it or not, two text message bubbles have also made it into the rapper's tattoo collection. The texts, inked directly above his outer left wrist, read: "I'll kill u" and "I miss u." Though, who exactly these very specific messages are for — or from — remains a mystery.

Drake’s “Sicko” Tattoo

Drake's left forearm bears the word "Sicko," which is the logo of the namesake clothing brand from the rapper's friend and stylist Ian Connor.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s “Oktober Lejonhjärta” Tattoo

Situated right below his "Sicko" tattoo is a lion head portrait with the Swedish words "Oktober Lejonhjärta" surrounding it. It translates to "October Lionhearted" in English. While October is Drake's month of birth, Lejonhjärta is a nod to the last name of the twin models Victoria and Elizabeth Lejonhjärta who are good friends with the rapper and were there when he decided on the impromptu design in 2016.

Drake’s Beatles Tattoo

In 2019, Drake bested The Beatles' long-held Billboard Hot 100 record by logging 12 tracks in the top 10 spots in one calendar year. To celebrate the historic moment, the singer got a Beatles-style tattoo on his left forearm. Similar to the cover art of the group's 1969 record "Abbey Road," the piece shows the four members of the English band crossing the road with Drake walking in front of them, waving them back over his shoulder. As one can imagine, the fans of The Beatles did not take kindly to this controversial commemoration, deeming it disrespectful to the former Rock band members.

Drake’s “11” Wrist Tattoo

On the inside of his left wrist, Drake has the number "11" inked in black. Many speculated that the tattoo might be dedicated to Jorja Smith, the English singer with whom he was briefly romantically linked in 2017. Smith, born on June 11, 1997, also has the same number inked on her left middle finger. Though the singer denied all rumours about their supposed matching ink, Drake teasingly addressed the speculation in his 2018 song "March 14." "I got this 11 tatted for somebody, now it's yours," he sings in the track, as he talks about now relating the tattooed number with his son Adonis, who was born on Oct 11, 2017.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s OVO Sound Logo Tattoo

Drake has three, solid-black curved rectangular shapes inked on the inside of his left wrist, right next to his "11" tattoo. It's the symbol of his record label, OVO Sound, which he co-founded with long-time collaborator Noah "40" Shebib in 2012.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s “BBK” Tattoo

"BBK" is tattooed at the top of his left shoulder in Old English font in all small letters. This piece is an homage to the British grime group Boy Better Know, which Drake added to his ever-growing tattoo collection in 2015.

Image Source: Getty / Ross Gilmore

Drake’s Lil Wayne Portrait Tattoo

On Drake's left tricep is a portrait of Lil Wayne, which shows him looking sideways. The piece holds sentimental meaning for the rapper, who paid a sweet homage to his mentor through this ink in 2017. The "Love Me" rapper helped kickstart Drake on his musical journey in 2009 when he got signed under Lil Wayne's Young Money Label.

Image Source: Getty / Vaughn Ridley

Drake’s CN Tower Tattoo

In 2015, Drake stopped by Dr. Woo's studio to get an intricate imitation of the CN Tower on his left tricep. The geometric design features delicate circular shapes and straight lines and beautifully pays homage to Drake's hometown, Toronto.

Drake’s Anthony “Fif” Soares Portrait Tattoo

Drake memorialized his late friend Anthony "Fif" Soares, who passed in 2017, by getting his face portrait inked on his left bicep. "FOREVER FIF," it reads above the ink.

Drake’s Eastside Compass Tattoo

In another tribute to his hometown of Toronto, the Canadian rapper got a black and white compass design inked on his left bicep with the letter "E" representing the East side. This piece was also done by Dr. Woo in 2015.

Drake’s LeBron James Portrait Tattoo

LeBron James' portrait can be seen on Drake's left upper arm, next to the compass piece. The NBA player is wearing his iconic high school Irish 23 jersey in the black-and-white design, which sold for a whopping $187,500 in an auction in 2019.

Image Source: Getty / Ross Gilmore

Drake’s “30 Gifted” Tattoo

Below the compass, Drake got the number "30," with an angel halo inked above the digit and the word "Gifted" placed below it. The ink represents the jersey number of famous NBA player Stephen Curry — Drake's close pal.

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter

Drake’s “35 Snipe” Tattoo

Right adjacent to the Curry tribute, Drake also honours Kevin Durant with his jersey number "35" on his left upper arm. The word "Snipe" is written below it for his nickname, Easy Money Sniper.

Image Source: Getty / Ron Turenne

Drake's Back Tattoos

Drake's Mother's Portrait Tattoo

Drake dedicated another piece of ink to his mother, Sandra Graham, with a portrait of her on the right side of his back.

Drake's Uncle and Grandma's Portrait Tattoos

On the upper central part of his back, Drake got the portraits of his late uncle and maternal grandmother. They gleefully posed for the picture hugging. The heartfelt family portrait was done by Nikko Hurtado in 2012.

Drake's Harry Potter Portrait Tattoo

Drake is a huge self-proclaimed Potterhead and to solidify his love for the universally-beloved wizarding world, he got a portrait of Harry Potter and his pet owl, Hedwig, on the lower right side of his back.

Drake's Song Bird Tattoo

Drake's tattoo collection mostly features black and grey pieces, except for a couple of colourful exceptions. The eye-catching songbird design that sits on his left shoulder blade is one of the few coloured-ink designs. The red, brown, black, and white bird is in flight, flapping its wings open, with "XO20" written in black and red beneath it. The letters "XO" might be a reference to The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye), whose record label's name is, in fact, "XO."


They also mention this in the duo's 2012 collaboration, "Crew Love," with the lyrics reading, "That OVO and that XO is everything you believe in, I know." The same song also features the lyric: "Tell them I'ma need reservations for twenty," likely referencing Drake's number of close friends, which might explain the "20" in the tattoo.

Drake's Aaliyah Portrait Tattoo

A portrait of the late R&B singer Aaliyah is situated directly below the songbird tattoo on his back. Drake has never shied away from expressing his admiration for Aaliyah and her inspiring artistry, which translated into this ink tribute in 2011.

Drake's Noah "40" Shebib Portrait Tattoo

Drake has another portrait dedicated to his longtime music-producing collaborator and close friend Noah "40" Shebib, which sits on the lower left side of his back.

Drake's "I Love You" Tattoo

On the left of Aaliyah's portrait, he has the words "I Love You," followed by another unknown word, which is hard to read. The script tattoo is prefaced with a peace sign and ends with the female gender symbol. The script tattoo runs vertically down the length of his back. The inspiration behind it remains unspecified.

Drake’s “Rounders” Portrait Tattoo

A still of Edward Norton and Matt Damon from their 1998 movie "Rounders" is inked on the right side of Drake's back near his ribcage. In the portrait, both actors are all smiles as they sit at the poker table with a stack of chips in front of them. The hyper-realistic design was drawn by Inal Bersekov in 2018.

Drake's OVO Owl Tattoo

Drake has his clothing line's logo of an owl on his right shoulder blade. To the left of the design, he also got the lyric to Lil Wayne's "John (If I Die Today)" tattooed in a light script that read: "If I die today. . . it'll be a holiday." He also has a list of acronyms close to him in the lines below the lyrics that say, "atf / ovo / ymcmb / reps up."

"ATF" refers to All Things Fresh, Drake's official fansit, while "YMCMB" stands for Young Money Cash Money Billionaires, aka the artists repped by Lil Wayne's Young Money Entertainment.

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter

Drake’s Owl Chest Tattoo

In 2018, Drake unveiled his biggest tattoo yet: a massive owl at the centre of his chest that's chasing a mouse. The hyperrealistic design extends from his clavicles and almost entirely covers his upper torso. It is likely another nod to Drake's OVO store.

Drake’s Sade Adu Portrait Tattoos

Drake has been a long-time admirer of Sade Adu, so, as is par for the course, he honoured her by getting her portrait on his body. He got the first portrait of the British singer-songwriter on the left side of his torso in March 2017 with the words "With Love Sade X" scribbled below it. Then, a few months later in June, he added another portrait of the "Kiss of Life" signer right above the former, filling out the surrounding area with scenic clouds and a palm tree.

Drake’s “416” Tattoo

The Canadian native honoured his roots by getting his hometown area code "416" inked in large font, placed vertically along the right side of his torso.

Drake’s Denzel Washington Portrait Tattoo

A portrait of Denzel Washington from the 1990 musical dramedy "Mo' Better Blues," where he's looking ahead intently while holding a trumpet, is placed on the lower right side of Drake's torso.

Drake’s Lejonhjärta Twins’ Portrait Tattoo

Drake also has the portrait of his close friends and twin Lejonhjärta models on his right lower torso. Situated above the design of the twins is what appears to be a tennis racket. However, its significance to the rapper is not known.

Drake’s Flower and Bee Tattoo

Located on his top right shoulder, Drake has a gorgeous purple-pink-hued hibiscus flower design with a bee sitting at its centre. The ink is lifelike imagery of the rapper's 2017 mixtape "More Life," the promotional visuals for which included similar pink flower emoji.

Drake’s Godchildren’s Names Tattoo

Right next to the flower, Drake has the names of his godchildren tattooed on the top of his right shoulder.

Drake’s Houston Astros Tattoo

Drake has the official logo of Houston Astros on the top of his right shoulder, which features a bold outline for the letter "H" sitting atop the solid black-inked star.

Image Source: Getty / Scott Dudelson

Drake’s Eye of Horus Cover-Up Tattoo

In 2012, Drake got a medium-sized CN Tower inked on his right bicep, which he later covered up with a black-inked eye. The Egyptian symbol of the Eye of Horus represents well-being and protection.

Drake’s “All Kinds” Tattoo

Drake's right bicep bears the words "All Kinds" in block letters, which he got in 2012. This piece is a nod to the often-repeated phrase that Drake and his friends use among themselves.

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Mazur

Drake’s Jesús Malverde Portrait Tattoo

Below the floral design on his right bicep, Drake has a portrait of Jesús Malverde, the legendary Robin Hood-esque figure from Sinaloa, Mexico, who would rob the rich to help the poor. He was famously known as the "Narco-Saint" and the "Angel of the Poor" among the local people.

Image Source: Getty / Vaughn Ridley

Drake’s Father’s Portrait Tattoo

A portrait of Drake's father, Dennis Graham, can be seen on the back of his upper right arm, which he got in 2014. The rapper initially had a strained relationship with his father following his parents' divorce when he was just five years old, however since then, the father-son duo have reconnected and grown closer. In 2017, Graham returned the sweet gesture and got a massive face portrait of Drake on his shoulder, which the rapper poked fun at on his social media in 2022.Drake also added a tiny Virginia Black whiskey bottle (which he co-owns) directly above his dad's portrait with a tiny add symbol "+" connecting the two designs. Right below the two tattoos, he got an equal sign and added a smiling portrait of his own face from when he was a kid.

Drake’s Robin Givens Portrait Tattoo

Drake's right bicep has a portrait of Robin Givens on it. The phrase "Be Careful Out There," written in cursive letters, surrounds the face.

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter

Drake’s “Bébé's Kids” Tattoo

As an ode to the 1992 animated comedy film "Bébé's Kids," Drake immortalized a still from the movie by getting its black and grey portrait on his upper right arm. The body art shows the kids hanging at the back of a vintage car.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s Son’s Portrait Tattoos

Drake has two portrait tattoos of his son Adonis on his right lower arm – one near his elbow and another near his outer wrist.

Image Source: Getty / Ron Turenne

Drake’s Atlas and the World Tattoo

When life gives you birthmarks, turn them into body art. Drake put an artistic spin on his round birthmark by incorporating it into his mythological design. He has the Greek figure Atlas on his right forearm, where the Titan god is carrying the world upon his shoulders, but instead of the earth, it's Drake's birthmark.

Image Source: Getty / Steve Russell

Drake’s Shark Tattoo

In 2016, Rihanna and Drake sent the world into a frenzy by getting a matching tattoo of a camouflaged shark. While the "Toosie Slide" rapper got his design on his right forearm, the Fenty Beauty founder placed hers on her left ankle. Done by Bang Bang Tattoo, the twin designs hold a lot of significance to the former couple, who shared a romantic moment on a date at an aquarium in Toronto where the rapper reportedly gifted her with a plush shark toy. However, since their split, Rihanna covered up the shark ink with a crown that wraps around her ankle.

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter

Drake’s Anchor Cover-Up Tattoo

At some point after parting ways with Rihanna, Drake also covered up his matching shark tattoo. He instead converted the former design into an elaborate anchor. It also has a banner flying across it carrying some small text, though we don't exactly know what those words read.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s “6 God” Tattoo

Gearing up to his 2014 track "6 God"'s release, Drake got a commemorative tattoo on his right forearm that shows the number "6," with a praying hands emoji drawn next to it. Dr. Woo was behind the design, and a year later, in Oct 2015, the rapper paid him another visit to retouch the hands. This time, he gave the design more dimension by making them look much bigger and more realistic.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s Jack-O’-Lantern Tattoo

A true October enthusiast through and through, Drake has a Halloween-style, carved-out pumpkin lantern inked above his right wrist. The piece also features text beneath the lamp that says "Halloween Gang" in a closely-packed hollow font. He got it in 2016.

Image Source: Getty / Kevin Winter

Drake’s Parents’ Portrait Tattoo

He also dedicated another portrait tattoo to his parents where both of them are smiling in the same frame. The tattoo sits on his upper right forearm, left to Adonis' portrait.

Image Source: Getty / Prince Williams

Drake’s Horse Head Tattoo

On his right shoulder, next to his dad's portrait, there's a horse's head design enclosed in a circle. It's a similar design to one seen on his merchandise for "Morning Hills," the name of his former LA mansion.

Image Source: Getty / Steve Russell

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