NEWSMachine Gun Kelly Says Getting His Massive Blackout Tattoo Left Him 'Really Sick'
MGK revealed his painful health complications while completing his blackout tattoo transformation.
July 11 2026, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
Machine Gun Kelly, known as MGK, recently shared details of his intense journey to achieve a radical transformation through a massive blackout tattoo.
In a cover story for Billboard Canada, the 36-year-old artist, whose real name is Colson Baker, revealed that the process left him severely ill.
MGK revealed that he completed his massive blackout tattoo in just two months.
"The same way I was reinventing my sound, I wanted to reinvent my body," he stated.
He collaborated with celebrity tattoo artist ROXX, who designed an extensive "dark mode" tattoo covering his arms, chest and stomach.
MGK worked with celebrity tattoo artist ROXX.
Initially, the project was expected to take two years to complete. However, MGK insisted on finishing it in just two months.
"She warned me that it was going to be near impossible, even from a pain tolerance standpoint," he recalled, but he was determined to meet his ambitious timeline. “I said, ‘Yeah, we got two months.'”
MGK became seriously ill after repeated tattoo sessions caused swelling around his lymph nodes.
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The extensive tattoo sessions took a toll on MGK's health. He underwent daily sessions at ROXX's Los Angeles studio, neglecting necessary breaks for healing. After one week, he experienced serious health issues.
“After the first week, we hit my lymph nodes around my armpits and shoulders, and I got really sick,” he explained.
His symptoms included yellowing skin and limited mobility in parts of his upper body.
Despite the alarming side effects, MGK remained focused on his goal.
"I came out the other side extremely inspired," he shared.
Despite the painful recovery, MGK said completing the blackout tattoo left him feeling creatively inspired.
In March, MGK added to his tattoo collection with a tribute to his daughter, tattooing her name, "Saga," in all capital letters on the back of his right hand.
He shares Saga with ex Megan Fox and has a teenage daughter named Casie from a previous relationship.
Berlin-based tattoo artist Zopfi shared photos of MGK's new tattoo on Instagram, expressing his excitement.
"Got some awesome pictures from the SAGA Tattoo I did on @machinegunkelly on stage," he wrote.
