Black Ink Crew is an American reality television series that premiered on January 7, 2013, on VH1. It has aired ten seasons and chronicles the daily operations and staff drama at an African American–owned and operated tattoo shop in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.
The show's success has resulted in similar spin-off series based in Chicago and Los Angeles.
Production Black Ink Crew second season premiered on September 23, 2013, with the season returning on March 31, 2014, for five more episodes.
The third season premiered on January 26, 2015, with the season returning August 24, 2015 for eight more episodes and a reunion special on October 19, 2015.
The show was renewed for a fourth season, which premiered on April 4, 2016. In December 2016, the series was renewed for a fifth season, which premiered on January 18, 2017. The sixth season premiered on December 6, 2017. On August 20, 2018, the series was renewed for a seventh season, which premiered on September 19, 2018, with the season returning March 13, 2019, for eight more episodes. On July 24, 2019, the series was renewed for an eighth season, which premiered on August 14, 2019, with the season returning on February 26, 2020, for ten more episodes. On March 8, 2021, the series was renewed for a ninth season, which premiered on April 19, 2021. The second half of season nine premiered on February 21, 2022.
On September 27, 2022, the series was renewed for a tenth season, which premiered on October 18, 2022. The second half of season ten premiered on May 15, 2023. The show did not get renewed for another season after the face of the show, Caesar Emanuel got ousted for animal abuse.
Cast Main Ceaser (born David Emanuel; seasons 1–9, supporting in season 10), the owner of Black Ink in Harlem, New York, who also owns tattoo studios in Brooklyn, Atlanta, Orlando and Houston Dutchess (born Crystana Lattimore; seasons 1–5), a former tattoo artist for Black Ink and the owner of Pretty-N-Ink O'Shit (censored onscreen as "O'S**t", born Richard Duncan; seasons 1–5, supporting in seasons 6–7, guest in seasons 8–9), a former tattoo artist at Black Ink Alex Estevez (seasons 1–2), a former receptionist at Black Ink Puma (born Paul Robinson; seasons 1–4, 8–10, supporting in season 7, guest in season 6), the former public relations manager at Black Ink and owner of Art2Ink Sassy (born Ashley Nicole Bermudez; seasons 1–3, supporting in seasons 4 & 8, guest in season 9), the former manager of Black Ink and manager of Art2Ink Sky (born JaKeita Days; seasons 2–8, guest in season 1), the former receptionist at Black Ink and former manager of Black Ink Atlanta Teddy Ruks (born Shariff Homer; seasons 4–10, supporting in seasons 1–3), the former assistant manager at Black Ink and Ceaser's cousin Donna Marie Lombardi (born Taylor Pinckney; seasons 4–9, supporting in season 3), a former apprentice of Ceaser and Dutchess, tattoo artist and piercer for Art2Ink Melody Mitchell (seasons 6–7, supporting in seasons 4–5), a former tattoo artist and manager at Black Ink Walter Miller (seasons 6–9, supporting in seasons 1–5), the assistant manager of Black Ink 113th Young Bae (seasons 6–10, supporting in season 5), a tattoo artist at Black Ink Miss Kitty (born Karis Phillips; season 8, supporting in seasons 5–7), the former brand ambassador for Black Ink. Tatiana Ritter (seasons 9–10, supporting in seasons 6–8), the manager for Black Ink Alex (season 10, supporting in seasons 6–9), a tattoo artist at Black Ink Spyder (season 10, supporting in season 9), a tattoo artist at Black Ink
Cast timeline Main cast members Cast member Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Ceaser Emanuel colspan="9" colspan="1" Dutchess Lattimore colspan="5" colspan="5" Richard “O'Shit” Duncan colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="1" Alex Estevez colspan="2" colspan="8" Puma Robinson colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="3" Sassy Bermudez colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan=“1” colspan="1" Sky Days colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="2" Ted Ruks colspan="3" colspan="7" Donna Lombardi colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="5" Melody Mitchell colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="3" Walt Miller colspan="5" colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" Young Bae colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="5" Miss Kitty colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="2" Tatti Ritter colspan="5" colspan="3" colspan="2" Alex colspan="5" colspan="4" colspan="1" Spyder colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1" Supporting cast members Cast member Seasons 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Quani Robinson colspan="4" colspan="3" colspan="3" Kathie Arseno colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="4" Tiffany Winter colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="8" Naeem Sharif colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="2" colspan="2" Young Phoenix colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="3" Tiffany Perez colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="5" Kevin Laroy colspan="4" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" Nikki Duncan colspan="4" colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="2" Jadah Blue colspan="5" colspan="2" colspan="3" Tokie Renet colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="3" Des Raymond colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="2" Genesis Ezekiel colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" Mama Bae colspan="5" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="2" colspan="1" Krystal Kills colspan="6" colspan="4" Charmaine Walker colspan="6" colspan="1" colspan="3" SuperDope Q colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan="2" Mike Ac colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" London colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan="2" Rokmatic colspan="7" colspan="3" Jessica Miller colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="3" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Crystal Torres colspan="2" colspan="3" colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="1" colspan="1" Euni Ruks colspan="7" colspan="1" colspan="2" Vanity colspan="8" colspan="2" Desiree colspan="8" colspan="2" Van Johnson colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1" Draya Penzo colspan="8" colspan="2" Suzette Samuel colspan="8" colspan="1" colspan="1" Bux colspan="8" colspan="2" Nychelle colspan="9" colspan="1" AMH colspan="9" colspan="1" Liza colspan="9" colspan="1" Made Rich colspan="9" colspan="1" Jahnova colspan="9" colspan="1" Santana colspan="9" colspan="1" Trilla colspan="9" colspan="1" Ink Dreamy colspan="9" colspan="1" Miracle colspan="9" colspan="1" Note:
Episodes
See also List of tattoo TV shows
References
External links