Update: Earlier this week, Cardi B revealed a sneak peek at a massive new back tattoo on Instagram. Today, she gave fans a close-up look at the final product. "Okay, guys! Soooo here it is! It took me several months, but I'm finally finished," she wrote alongside the post revealing her new ink. "This is my back tattoo! It goes from the top of my back to the middle of my thigh."
Cardi finished the caption by thanking her artist Jamie Schene, who revealed that the art piece took over 60 hours to complete. "60+ hours, more than 10 cities," Schene wrote in his own Instagram post. "It was an awesome project and a crazy experience. Thanks for the dedication, strength, and hospitality." Get a full glimpse at her new tattoo, ahead.
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This story was originally published on May 20, 2020.
Cardi B's collection of tattoos is a physical representation of her personality. Collectively, her art is as big, vibrant, and colorful as she is — a testament to the dynamic and hilarious character we've come to love over the years. We thought her tattoos couldn't get much bolder than the large peacock covering her upper thigh and hip, or the roses drawn over her opposite leg, but her newest ink comes close.
The rapper posted an Instagram story on Tuesday showing off a new piece of body art. Cardi's upper-back, which was previously bare (minus the word Samuel in red script on the back of her neck), now has a large tattoo of a butterfly and colorful flowers. "Two more sessions," Cardi B wrote on her Instagram Stories showing off the art and tagging the artist Jamie Schene of Union 3 Tattoo in California.
It's unclear whether Cardi's tattoo was done during quarantine or before, but it's obvious that she plans to add to her current ink in the future. With adjustments to stay-at-home orders being made daily across the country, her piece could be completed sooner than later.
In Atlanta, where Cardi B has a home, tattoo parlors are currently allowed to operate and serve clients. In California, where Schene's tattoo parlor is located, restrictions are still in place for body art shops and other personal care services as the state follows Governor Gavin Newsom's four-part reopening. However, in California's northern Yuba and Sutter counties, where there are fewer confirmed COVID-19 cases, tattoo parlor doors are allowed to open.
Cardi's new ink is also proof of the butterfly tattoo trend revival. She joins a handful of celebrities, from Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes, who both recently added the symbol to their skin. We have to say, a living creature that stays cocooned for a period of time before emerging brighter and more beautiful seems like a pretty timely and encouraging motif for the current moment.