Overview
- Machine Gun Kelly told Billboard Canada that after accelerating a blackout or “dark mode” tattoo into roughly two months he became very sick when sessions reached skin over lymph nodes near his armpits and shoulders.
- He described symptoms that included yellowing skin, inability to sleep, and temporary loss of movement in parts of his upper body, and he said he pushed through the work rather than spacing sessions to allow healing.
- MGK and tattoo artist ROXX designed the large blackout covering much of his arms, chest and stomach and initially planned a multi‑year schedule that the artist recommended but that he compressed into weeks.
- News coverage pairs his account with medical context from sources such as Harvard Medical School noting that tattoo inks can trigger immune responses, send immune cells to lymph nodes, and carry risks like infection or allergic reaction, though reporters have not independently confirmed a formal diagnosis.
- MGK says he recovered and views the project as a personal and creative reset, and the disclosure highlights broader questions about the health risks of intensive, large‑scale tattooing and the need for paced healing and medical oversight.