Tattoos have been associated with fringe elements of society for a long time. They have been inked marks of Russian criminals, Asian outcasts and latino gangs of California.

gangsta style tattoos are mainly associated with hip hop style and rap music, which are associated with a rejection of mainstream culture.

Common elements of gangsta are large Gothic or Old English font spelling out gang affiliation, a creed or motto, or the person's name; crosses, bullets, guns, and secret symbols, letters and number.

Many gangsta tattoos are associated with danger, such as snakes, spiders; or death (skulls, weapons, tear drops for a dead friend or for a spell in prison, grim reaper); or religion (rosary, cross).

Many rappers have gangsta style tattoos such as

The Game
- NWA logo

50 Cent
- 50 Cent logo

Dr. Dre
- spider webs & flames

Eminem
- D12 logo& daughter Hayley

Ludacris
- Cross, Jesus, praying hands

Here is a picture of a Sureño tattoo. Sur is Spanish for "south" and "sureño" means southsider or southerner. This is a gang in southern California. The term first appeared in the 1970s when a gang war broke out between Nuestra Familia (Our Family) and La Eme (The M, i.e., the Mexican Mafia). The sureños associated with the latter, whereas their rival norteños (northeners) associated with Nuestra Familia.

Rapper Nelly has an upper arm tattoo with cards spelling out his name.

Gotta chuckle outta this one, lets call it a non-gangsta gangsta tat.

A close up of 50 cent's tattoo that reads gangsta.