The model and activist made headlines earlier this month when she debuted the words “Bash Slash” — devoted to her sons “Bash” (for Sebastian Taylor) and “Slash” (for Electric Alexander Edwards) — in cursive letters just below her hairline.
Appearing on Fox Soul’s series “One on One with Keyshia Cole” on Wednesday, she shed some light on the controversial way she is honoring her children.
Bryant died, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, last month.
“I don’t want this to sound corny or anything but kinda after Kobe (Bryant) died, it made me reflect on my life,” she told Cole. “I don’t want people to be like, ‘Oh Kobe died and you went and got a tattoo,’ but it was kinda like that.”
Rose, 36, went on to say that Bryant’s death was not the sole reason for her getting the tattoo– her father’s battle with cancer at the age of 40 was also a catalyst.
“He went through remission and he’s good now but he almost died,” she continued. “I’ve been wanting this tattoo for a long time and I was like, ‘You know what, life is so short just do it. Just live your best life.’ ”
She added that she has no regrets. “This is how I felt and I’m happy I did it,” she insisted.
Rose’s new ink has received mixed reviews. On Tuesday’s episode of her US chat show, Wendy Williams questioned Rose’s decision to get the face tattoo, telling the audience: “Amber, you know I love you girl, but why would you ruin your forehead?”
Williams then joked that Rose can “get one of those Anna Wintour wigs and cover all that real quick.”
Rose was not a guest on the show, but responding to the criticism in a post on Instagram, Rose wrote: “For the people that are telling me I’m too pretty for a face tat are the same people that would tell me that I’m ‘too pretty’ even if they thought I was ugly and lie to me… or they would just tell me I’m ugly.”
She added: “Either way the moral of the story is do whatever the f**k you want in life.”
