The teardrop tattoo or tear tattoo is a symbolic tattoo that is placed underneath the eye. The tattoo has several connotations. Teardrop tattoos usually signify the loss of a friend or loved one. An empty tear signifies that the loved one has been killed or that the bearer has unsuccessfully attempted murder.[1] A filled tattoo signifies that a loved one has taken his or her own life, or was killed by a cause other than murder (car crash, death penalty, etc.) A tear with an empty top and a full bottom means that the wearer has avenged the murder of a loved one. The majority of the 'tear tattoos' seen in popular culture today, however, signifies that the wearer has killed, with the number of tears representing the number of kills.[1]
It is a tattoo that is almost always associated with prison tattoos and membership in a gang. Tear tattoos, when given in prison, primarily to indicate that the bearer has murdered someone, either in or out of jail.[1][2][3] The tattoo can also be given to commemorate a loved one who died while the wearer was incarcerated.[2]
In Australian prisons, teardrop tattoos are often forcibly given to convicted child molesters by other inmates.[2]
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Notable individuals with teardrop tattoos
Musicians
- Birdman
- Chink Santana
- Dolla
- The Game
- Gucci Mane
- Yung Berg
- Yung LA
- Lil Wayne - In popular "blood" culture, Lil Wayne's tattoos do not represent that he has murdered or spent time in prison, but rather refer to the support he gives to specific inmates. Each tattoo represents five years that he has cared for that inmate financially; it is a way of symbolizing that "we have not forgotten about you." Reference: Not only do I have direct contact with numerous Blood and Piru gang members, there is a small section on the referral to prison time spent in http://www.gangsorus.com/tattoos.html
Other
- Song writer/producer/singer Linda Perry (empty teardrop)
- NBA player Larry Hughes has a tear tattoo in memory of his younger brother, who died.[4]
- Punk musician Lars Frederiksen has the tattoo in memory of his brother Robert who died of an aneurysm.[citation needed]
- Brian "Head" Welch
- Mark "The Undertaker" Calloway
- Amy Winehouse
- Vocalist Jonny Craig (empty teardrop)
See also
References
- ^ a b c "The Teardrop Tattoo". A Tattooed Blog by Noel Boyd. http://www.noelboyd.com/2008/03/teardrop-tattoo.html. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
- ^ a b c "Break the Tattoo Code - The Tear drop Tattoo". INKEDBlog. http://www.inkedblog.com/archives/2005/09/break_the_tatto.html. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
- ^ "Meanings of tattoos that start with the letter T". Target Tattoo. http://www.targettattoo.com/symbols/T.htm. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
- ^ "One year later, Hughes still hurting". The Cleveland Plain Dealer. http://blog.cleveland.com/earlyedition/2007/05/one_year_later_hughes_still_hu.html. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
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