♪♪♪♪
[Puma] Ceaser was very important
to the Black Ink legacy and brand.
But we have to keep the legacy alive
for the next generation.
[Spyder] Oh boy, something about these dinner tables.
- It's gonna be good, Spyder.
[Rok] I don't know if y'all heard,
me and Krystal broke up.
- Did she move on?
- I don't know if she's talking to somebody,
she be following a lotta new people...
[overlapping shouting]
- My [bleep] not a stalker, no!
- The other day, Puma hit everybody up
about some kind of opportunity.
- This [bleep] think he's Ceaser Luther King, man.
[Puma] I found a location in the Lower East Side,
but the spot that I saw,
the lady only gave me 48 hours.
- I'm with you. - I'm down.
- I'm with you.
- Spyder? Ted?
- If it's not gonna be
in the hood, get the [bleep] outta here.
I'm gonna fight for what the [bleep] I've built forever.
- That's what I'm saying. Goddamn, we ain't even
[bleep] buried the body yet.
Y'all ready to move on?
- Okay, so there's no reason for you to be here then.
- A'ight, bro, I get it,
but there's only one Ceaser, and you're not him.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Gonna make that gold, gonna make that gold, honey ♪♪
♪♪ Gonna make that gold gonna make that gold ♪♪
- I'm glad that we got at least this little quality time
and get our shop on.
- We haven't done this in a while.
♪♪♪♪
- How's school going with you?
You know, I know I've been so busy,
I don't get a chance to really talk to you about schooling.
- Getting it done. - Okay.
- I have a research paper
that needs to be done.
- Get it done, baby, get it done.
- To me, it's bragging.
- Yeah. - My mommy's in college.
- That's what's up.
I'm really proud of Quani
achieving her goals right now, man.
Things have been so chaotic in my planet,
but she's been holding it down.
Killing it at school,
making sure the house is in order.
The way this [bleep] been going in my life,
at least one of us is happy.
It's been a long week.
- You've been like, wild distracted.
- I have been, man, 'cause it's been
a lot going on, you know?
Trying to build this whole new thing up
is stressing me out, you know?
Like, that dinner that I told you
didn't go too well. - Right.
- Everybody's just so caught up on the logistics,
and it's like, they're missing the big picture.
Ceaser made this [bleep] look so easy.
Ceaser would come up with these crazy-ass ideas
and just say [bleep] it, it's happening now,
and everybody would just listen.
I'm definitely not Ceaser, not trying to be.
But [bleep], I need these [bleep] to be on board
with me right now, man.
You know, I thought Spyder was gonna be down, you know,
but then I understand, he's kind of
in the loyal, I'm in Black Ink thing.
I feel like Alex, he's gonna ride, you know?
Draya and Nychelle,
they sounded like they were down.
Bae, Rok, and Krystal didn't even show up.
- What is Ted saying?
- Ted is still stuck on staying in the hood.
[Puma] I get it.
48 hours was kind of intense.
Ted is frustrated, so I didn't pull
the trigger on the Lower East Side location.
- You tryna steer away from where it started at.
It's kinda throwing me off a little bit, bro.
- That's what I'm saying!
[Puma] But, bruh,
you gotta cool the [bleep] out.
I'm the one trying to get us out this mess,
not the [bleep] that put us in it.
But it's just weird to me because it's like,
nobody's speaking up.
Everybody's just complaining.
- Well, you knew that was gonna happen.
Now that the boss is gone,
everybody's looking for their position.
The problem is it's gonna be all y'all
trying to get together.
I don't know what Puma expected to happen
that he would just make a call
and everybody would just jump on the Puma train.
I love this man, but he's gonna have
to realize that if he's gonna be the boss,
he's gonna have to piss some people off sometimes.
- I'm unsure how I'm gonna move forward now.
Do I move forward with these three,
Alex, Draya, and Nychelle?
Do I go out and try to find new people?
I don't really understand what's going on with Bae.
She don't wanna connect with me, so I gotta keep it pushing.
I know Rok and Krystal got a whole shop to deal with,
so I'ma be a little patient with them and let them
do what they gotta do, man.
- You're stressing about the wrong things.
Right now, your stress should be coming up
with your next move.
If all these other people don't wanna come along,
then you can find new people.
- Quani's right, I need to come up with
something more than just a location.
I need something bold and big, man.
What else do you have to do after we finish shopping?
- I wanted you to take Tamia to Girl Scouts.
[Puma] Ooh, what time is that?
- ♪♪ They used to tell us gettin' in the door the hardest part ♪♪
♪♪ We pull up places, we don't belong... ♪♪
♪♪ Been tryna scrape up ♪♪
♪♪ Everything before it fall apart ♪♪
♪♪ Shot some light up in my life before it all get dark... ♪♪
- I need a minute after that meeting, man.
I know the person I need to speak to is Puma
and have a productive conversation with him,
but I could barely process all the information
he sprung on us.
I need to speak to everybody else
and find out where they at,
'cause I'm definitely at a loss.
Yo, yo.
- Yo!
Brother Ted, what's good, baby?
- Spyder man.
[overlapping greetings]
- Looking good, looking good. - Thank you.
- I'm still tryna understand what happened at the dinner.
So when Ted hit me up and said let's talk,
it was just what I needed.
- How things going at the shop, man?
- I mean, it's going. Just doing what we gotta do,
taking care of [bleep].
- I ain't been over there, man.
Lotta [bleep] going on.
- It's a lotta [bleep] going on.
- What it seems like is everybody just...
doing their own thing and just trying to move forward
and act like there wasn't a Black Ink.
I can't remember the last time I lost my cool with Puma,
but it sounds like he's turning his back
on who we are and what we came for,
and that's really starting to piss me off.
What's your take on everything?
- Uhh, I feel like I'm trying
to [bleep] grieve over the situation
to figure [bleep] out, and it's already like,
goddamn, like, a'ight, no time for that, it's over,
let's move on, come on.
Yo, talking about moving this fast kinda
make me feel like I'm disrespecting the man
that put me on, but that doesn't mean
that Puma's wrong.
We do need to move forward,
but a year ago, we was just talking
about opening up shops in every state.
And now Ceas is fired?
I'm just saying, it's a complicated situation.
- I'm cool with everything progressing forward
and moving forward, it's just how...
- Right, right. - Know what I'm saying?
Had it not been Puma, had it been somebody else,
I'd have been like, get the [bleep] outta here.
I'm not listening to nothing you're talking about.
But it's Puma, he did help build this brand,
but the way you moving,
it's just a little bit too fast for me.
Are you forgetting about what we built?
I totally understand that Black Ink Crew the platform
has to distance itself from Ceaser.
And I may have let my emotions get
the best of me the other night,
but Puma's making moves on a bougie-ass shop,
and that doesn't work for me.
You so, let's go downtown, let's go downtown,
downtown didn't support us, bruh.
Us opening up a shop in Harlem,
that's where the love came from.
You just, oh, we don't have to stay in the hood,
and we don't have to stay in-- [bleep], you from the Bronx.
You should wanna target your hood,
you should wanna uplift your people.
We started off in Harlem across the street from the projects,
we wouldn't even have this platform
if it wasn't for them.
So moving now is a non-starter for me.
It may be Puma,
but it's definitely not Black Ink.
- Everybody know what Puma do,
and like I said, [bleep],
I got love and respect for Puma and [bleep]
the same way, know what I mean,
but me knowing what I know,
and without Ceas being around right now,
I think it's time for you to shine, my [bleep].
Like, [bleep] should know that, know what I mean,
you right there too and you seconding
anything that's going on,
or confirming [bleep] or whatever.
'Cause that's what I'ma need, know what I mean,
for a [bleep] like me to move forward and [bleep],
that's what I'ma need, honestly.
I think it's time for you to take the lead on [bleep].
Puma talks about legacy and everything,
but then you wanna move the shop to the Lower East Side?
I mean, Ted knows all about this [bleep]
and the legacy that we're trying to put together.
He should be the one leading.
I'm running with who turned the lights on for me.
Y'all [bleep] turned the lights on for me, you and Ceas.
Like I said, no disrespect, I [bleep] with Puma,
but y'all [bleep] believed in me first.
- Since Black Ink started,
Ceas has always called the shots.
I was more of a silent partner.
But now that he's not a part of the platform no more,
I need to make a move, 'cause letting Puma run [bleep],
he's gonna run it right into the ground.
We both gonna have to make some type of decision
at some point, but as of right now,
me sitting at that table was not me agreeing
with everything that's going on.
- I'ma tell you this, man, in this world,
right now, my first obligation is always my family.
You know what I mean? After that, it's Black Ink.
And I'ma be at the Black Ink Brooklyn shop
until further notice. - And listen,
I appreciate talking to you,
and again, me and Puma, I don't know,
I really don't know, bro, I really don't know.
I'm hoping he told that landlord...
- Slow down. - That's not gonna happen.
And we gotta go back to the drawing board, bro.
- [bleep], in the meantime,
man, what's up with some food, bro?
'Scuse me, miss lady! Food finished?
- ♪♪ Turn it up, turn it up turn it up-up ♪♪
♪♪ Turn it up, turn it up turn it up-up ♪♪
[all cheering]
♪♪♪♪
- Yo! I just wanna thank all y'all for showing up.
This the one year of Gods of Ink.
[all cheering]
And we ain't stopping here!
[cheers continue]
- Our shop is called Gods of Ink,
and I'm trying to keep it with the theme,
so I'm thinking, Greeks, you know,
they be wearing the togas and all that [bleep].
Right?
Wrong?
Even though [bleep] ain't the same with me and Krystal,
we still decided to throw this one-year anniversary party
just to let people know that we still in it to win it
even though we not together, right?
Still bosses at the end of the day,
and guess what, we gonna have a good time.
To Gods of Ink!
[cheering]
- ♪♪ Break it down ♪♪
♪♪ I know you're watching me ♪♪
♪♪ Studyin', takin' notes ♪♪
- It didn't fit my booty.
And our shop's called Gods of Ink, which is Greek,
and togas were worn by the Romans.
Everybody knows that,
I'm not about to look like a fool.
[all cheering]
- Krystal! - Ahh, damn!
Krys, welcome, welcome to the Gods of Ink
one year anniversary, thank [bleep] for showing up.
Even though you didn't come in a toga,
I still appreciate you.
- Oh, God, please don't
embarrass me on my big night.
- You know, I gotta let the six pack out.
Tryna flex, where's the juice bar?
That way.
- Okay, I guess Rok is definitely helping himself
to all the liquor we have.
- I'm just glad we cool.
You know, that's what it's all about.
- I'm having a great time, liquor is flowing,
but seeing Krystal is breaking my heart a little bit.
I mean, it's so bittersweet because we could be
celebrating so much more right now.
[Krystal] Yo, everybody!
To Gods of Ink!
[all cheering]
Everybody put your hands up!
- Where the dollars at? Where the dollars at?
[music plays throughout]
♪♪♪♪
- Who ready to get sticky with Nicky?
- Wait, what? Krystal brought who?
I'm just hoping Rok is too distracted
and drunk to even notice.
- Yo, yo, king...
- Nice to meet you, dear.
- It's my mom.
- Where the singles at?
- That's right!
- So I've been talking to this man Danny,
and he wanted to celebrate this big milestone in my life.
Why shouldn't I be able to show off my achievements?
- Listen, listen, at the end of the day...
- This is my friend Flo.
- ...I appreciate every single one of y'all.
Yo, Krystal, good looks for pulling up,
I appreciate you pulling up and all that [bleep],
even though she ain't paying attention.
Hey, yo-- wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...
Who's that?
[tense music]
[Ted] There's still a lot of things from my past
that still haunts me, so a friend of mine
recommended this organization to me.
When I was younger... - Mm-hmm.
- I... caught a felony.
[Krystal] Rok and I's relationship
can't affect the shop.
So this gotta be fixed.
- I don't care if you moved the [bleep] on.
Don't disrespect me, don't disrespect me at the shop.
♪♪♪♪
- Hey!
♪♪♪♪
- Listen, listen, at the end of the day...
- This is my friend Flo.
- ...I appreciate every single one of y'all.
Yo, Krystal, good looks for pulling up,
I appreciate you pulling up and all that,
even though she ain't paying attention, [bleep].
Hey, yo-- wait, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
Who's that?
[tense music]
- Did Krystal really think
that Rok wouldn't notice her new man?
He's twice Rok's size.
[Krystal] Just ignore him, Danny, I'ma talk to him.
♪♪♪♪
- Hey, bro, do-- - Nice to meet you.
- I was about to say...
- No, he's giving you a handshake.
[Rok stammering]
[overlapping shouting]
[Krystal] Yeah.
- Introduce yourself, bro.
- Danny? What's up? Rok...
- Nice to meet you. - Now who you came here with?
- I came here to see Krystal and Vanity--
- That's what's up, bro.
Now who you really came here to see, though?
- Krystal. - You came here to see Krystal?
- And Vanity, yes, sir. - And Vanity?
- Yes, sir.
- Yo, this [bleep], yo.
This [bleep], he got something coming.
Yo, somebody better hold me back now.
Listen, bro, at the end of the day,
you could wipe your nose all you want, bro.
At the end of the day, you at my spot...
- Rok, you're-- no, of course--
- Back up, back up, bro. - Rok, you better back up.
Rok, all I'm telling you right now
is you better back the [bleep] up.
[overlapping arguing]
Stop acting like...
- You looked at me crazy.
- He introduced himself. - Stop grabbing me up!
[Krystal] What the [bleep], Rok?
Are you really doing this in front of everybody right now?
You and I aren't a thing anymore.
- You [bleep] her?
- First of all, we ain't doing this.
Y'all ain't crowding up...
[overlapping arguing/bleeps]
I'ma tell you right now, I will end you.
What's up? Back the [bleep] up.
[overlappingarguing continues]
- I need everybody to chill the [bleep] out.
We were having a good time.
I wasn't expecting the party to turn out like this.
- Back the [bleep] up...
[overlapping arguing]
You a little boy!
[shouting/bleeps continues]
Take him out. Take him out.
- I understand that we're broken up,
but we were just engaged,
don't bring your boy into the shop
while we're having a big-ass party.
Don't be disrespectful.
- Take a breath.
You and Krystal are not together for you
to be reacting like this.
- So don't have some [bleep] pull up to my shop!
- Yeah, me and Krystal have
a lot to talk about when we get home.
Rok... [bleep] this...
- [bleep] this [bleep].
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Dream big for big dreams ♪♪
♪♪ 'Cause life is like a movie playing on the big screen ♪♪
[Spyder] What you thinking about doing today?
- A rose. - Roses are kinda difficult,
you can draw a rose like that off the top of your head?
- Kind of. - Alright, lemme see.
So right now, I'm teaching my daughter how to tattoo,
and I don't want her to get to used
to the modern technology thing.
So we taking her down the old school route,
showing her how we used to do it back in the days, you heard?
When they put their gloves on, all tattoo artists do this.
[snaps gloves] At the end.
That mean that they're ready to rock.
See, you're a natural. Let's go, come on.
Tattooing has opened all kinds of doors for me
financially, mentally.
I wouldn't trade this tattoo [bleep] for nothing.
Where else could you draw
masterpieces on people for money?
- This good? - Yeah.
So to see my daughter London
doing the same thing, walking in my footsteps,
I'm definitely a proud dad.
Wherever you gonna start from,
make sure you know in your mind
where you gonna end that too with your line.
Just like when you drawing, same thing.
So we ready? Let's see what you got.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Ain't nothing cooler than being your dad ♪♪
♪♪ I could be mad at the world ♪♪
♪♪ Soon as I see you, I'm glad ♪♪
- Remember, follow the line.
- ♪♪ Your father love you no matter ♪♪
♪♪ The stories you get told ♪♪
- Now, when you talk about Black Ink and legacy,
this is what I think it's all about.
Us being able to bring up our people and teach them
the same thing that we did so they can keep this [bleep]
moving for years and years to come.
- ♪♪ Little girls is the future of our world ♪♪
♪♪ Can't impress them with just diamonds or some pearls... ♪♪
- I been at this Black Ink [bleep] for so long,
and I've worked so hard for this brand and legacy.
Ted been at this from the start,
so I'm hoping the idea of this all crumbling down
is enough to motivate him to step up.
♪♪♪♪
Turn that high up a little more.
So it's like this, more to you.
Right, just like at an angle,
not too high cause you don't wanna scar the skin or anything.
♪♪♪♪
- This good? - Let me see it?
Yeah, you're getting better
and better at this, you know what I mean?
My family's first, so I gotta look out for them,
but hopefully Ted and Puma figure this [bleep] out
so we can get the gang back together
and do what we do best, you heard?
Come on.
You definitely Daddy's daughter.
See that? Tattoo sweat.
That's how you know you gonna be great.
- I thought maybe a slick comment here or there,
but getting in the guy's face?
Like, I thought this guy was about to get jumped.
- Me too.
Krystal's playing with fire,
and she knows it.
Maybe you brought a date prematurely?
- Hello. - What's up?
- Oh, ladies! Thank you for coming.
Krystal moved on, so at this point,
Rok is fair game.
- Just got placed on the shelf, still not dusty.
- Oh, so she put you on the shelf?
[all exclaiming]
- You didn't have to say that.
- ♪♪ Yeah, I don't need your pity ♪♪
♪♪ And I don't feel ashamed ♪♪
♪♪ No matter how you try to play ♪♪
♪♪ I make the rules up in this game ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
[Krystal] Oh, [bleep].
[laughter]
Coco, you [bleep].
He's like, what about me?
- Your butt looks nice in those pants.
- Thank you.
- Having Krystal as a roommate is amazing.
She cooks, she cleans,
she's like, the wife I never had.
- After last night, I need a drink.
- Girl...
- What the [bleep] happened, bro?
- That [bleep] was crazy.
I thought I was gonna have to fight a couple dudes, bro.
I'm not gonna lie, I pictured it.
- Listen, I pulled up to the party,
and I thought I was gonna have a good time
celebrating with all my friends.
I invited a couple extra friends,
which was Danny.
And then, Rok assumed that that was my boo.
He just wanted to come and celebrate
my one-year anniversary at the shop.
Like, I don't really get the issue.
I thought maybe a slick comment here or there,
but getting in the guy's face?
Like, I thought this guy was about to get jumped.
- Me too. You didn't see me?
- He went up to Rok, shook his hand
and said congrats, you know what I mean?
I feel so guilty.
He didn't think he was gonna walk into that, you know?
- Did you introduce your date to your mom?
- Yeah, my mom-- I feel like that's probably what
[bleep] triggered him, bro.
- Krystal's playing with fire and she knows it.
You my bitch, I got your back all day,
but maybe you brought a date prematurely.
- Yeah, but my whole thing is, like, I've prepped him
up until this point, Rok has heard this
in so many ways that I've even said it
in different languages, bro.
- Right. - And I thought that
when we opened the business, we both agreed
that we weren't gonna let the relationship ruin it.
- But you know emotionally speaking,
he not gonna play that [bleep].
- The problem is I've never been in contact
with an ex after the breakup, you feel me?
It's really blocked on everything,
and no communication.
So I feel like this is new territory
that we're trying to tread,
and we just both have to remain cool.
- I mean, aside from bringing a date to your
one-year anniversary, do you still speak to him
or lead him on in any way where he has,
in any way, shape, or form, like...
- Maybe I led him on a little bit,
but I said, you know, maybe,
in the future, we can revisit if--
- So you're still giving him hope with that statement--
- It's hard, girl, it's hard.
- I get it. - Breaking up with somebody
and having to be around them 24/7 when you care about them.
It's like, sometimes you'll fall back into that habit.
And it's like, I don't know what the [bleep] to do.
I know when I text him and I tell him that
I'm coming to the shop, I'm not leading him on.
That's business. But I know him well enough
to know that every time
I hit him up, he probably gets a little excited.
But what am I to do?
- You're over it, you've moved on, clearly,
you know what I'm saying, we're rooming,
it's not like y'all living together.
That to you is enough to be an official we're done.
But for him, there's still hope.
Krystal's a great businesswoman,
and I'm sure once she realizes what's going on
between her and Rok is affecting the business,
she'll stop messing with him.
But I'm not 100% sure she's over him.
- Like, bro, eventually,
I'm gonna have to date somebody,
and you're gonna have to see it.
- You guys really like, gotta figure something out,
because honestly, like, the shop morale,
like, it's awkward, it really is.
It's uncomfortable. Like, remember,
it's not just you guys, you have whole team behind you now.
- That's what I'm saying-- - I, myself, am that team.
I think it's time you guys really like,
set the boundary.
- I feel like I've set it in so many different ways,
it's like what else can I do?
[bleep] desperate at this point.
I guess Vanity's right about clearing the air
for the sake of the shop, 'cause who wants tension?
We not together no more.
We tried, and unfortunately...
- We tried, and I still kept trying,
and she was like, nah, I'm done.
- And I gotta do something to get through
that rock head of his before we lose this shop.
- You think Rok gonna ever get over you? I don't think so.
- I mean, I'm hard to get over, I ain't gonna lie.
- Oh, [bleep]. - You know?
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Hey, pull up, thug ♪♪
♪♪ I'm charged up ♪♪
♪♪ Full speed to the top with a rush, hey ♪♪
♪♪ Give 'em what they want ♪♪
♪♪ I'm in the clutch, yeah ♪♪
♪♪ I'm throwing elbows all in the front ♪♪
[pins clattering]
- I appreciate you taking me out here, man,
I needed some time out.
- I had to bring you here.
So much has happened lately,
that my head is still spinning.
I'm with whatever Puma's with, okay?
But in the meantime, the money comes from
OnlyFans and guest spotting at other shops.
Then Rok hit me up, telling me about
the whole Gods of Ink situation.
And I just feel like we need to do some equanimity.
- [bleep], bro, I ain't gonna lie.
I haven't went bowling in years.
- Well, get used to it.
'Cause the ladies love to go bowling.
Even if they don't know how to bowl.
- Is that a fact? - That's a fact.
So since starting my OnlyFans,
a lot of my female subscribers
have taught me some things about women.
One, women are horny.
[laughs]
They are dogs just like us.
Two, women love men in grey sweats.
Three, women love bowling.
Don't ask me why, they just do.
- Yeah, bro, you know,
so it's a lotta [bleep] going on.
It's like, it's [bleep] my head, bro.
She actually texted me and said, let's talk.
This is the [bleep] that gives me like,
mixed signals 'cause I feel like
she don't wanna be with me,
but then if I give her a little bit of space,
she'll hit me up and be like,
oh, let's talk about what happened.
So I'm just hoping that when I meet up with her,
she'll just be like, you know, she did the wrong thing
bringing that guy there.
Krystal likes to [bleep] with me a little.
And honestly, I don't know if she's doing this
to see if she can still have me whenever she wants.
Before the party, I was really thinking there was a chance.
But now, I would look stupid
trying to get back with her at this point.
It's a lot, man. I try--
I try to be cool about [bleep], be calm,
I show everybody a smile,
but deep down, sometimes I be hurt.
Like, bro, I feel like I kinda wasted two years.
- I've been there, I understand where you coming from.
But to say that you wasted two years,
you didn't waste anything 'cause you learned a lot.
And you're doing way better than you was two years ago.
I'm starting to think that Rok is forgetting that
I was also engaged with someone
that worked with me at the same tattoo shop.
We had a terrible breakup,
but, you know, I got past that,
and now look at me.
I'm living my best life.
Alright, enough of this sad [bleep].
Can we do what we came here to for?
- Yeah, I need to get my mind off of this [bleep].
- Damn.
[woman] Hello!
- What's up? - Hi!
- Oh, ladies! Thank you for coming.
- Long time no see. - Good to see you guys.
Listen, we're not here to answer any questions.
We're just here to have a good time.
Krystal moved on, so at this point,
Rok is fair game.
[overlapping chatter]
- What's your name? - Liza.
[overlapping greetings]
- I should've known Alex
was gonna pull some [bleep] like this.
And it's been a while since I had to turn on that
ol' Rokmatic charm, but it's like riding a bike.
And that's something you don't forget.
[laughter] - They're both artists.
- Oh, word, y'all tattoo artists?
- That's how I met them. - So y'all from New York?
- No, I live in Arizona.
- I'm from Indianapolis.
- How long you been tatting for?
- Uh, without my apprenticeship, four years.
- I'm only two years in. - Two years?
- But you know, my work speaks for itself,
you know what I'm saying. - Oh, [bleep].
We all start somewhere. - Exactly!
- So Liza and AMH are very good friends of mine.
They are dope artists.
And when I heard that they was in New York for a show,
I had to hit them up.
- Now, I don't usually do this
because it's really disrespectful sometimes,
how old are y'all ladies?
[music winds down]
[laughing] - Yo...
Put the ball down. - Oh...
I was gonna say, I'm freshly single,
I'm new to the market and all that.
Just got placed on the shelf, still not dusty.
- Oh, so she put you on the shelf?
[all exclaiming]
- Yeah, you didn't have to say that...
- He said it!
- Ugh, bro!
I hope your bowling game
is better than your ladies game, like...
- Back in high school days, I used to be on a team.
I used to have the glove and all
so I could be up in there in the holes, tight, you know--
- I don't want my finger to get stuck, though.
- Not like that, you still-- you gotta grip it, you know?
- Some of them, you gotta use two hands.
[Alex] Come on, bro!
You have to do better, bruh.
- I ain't trying to talk about this all night.
Let's hit these pins.
- I'm with that.
♪♪♪♪
[Alex] Let's go, let's go, let's go!
Damnit!
[laughter]
♪♪♪♪
-♪♪ Reach everybody, reach everyone ♪♪
♪♪ Stand a little closer before the thing is done ♪♪
♪♪ Nowhere to hide, nowhere to go ♪♪
[overlapping chatter]
- Yeah! [laughing]
I'm sorry, but we eating you up now.
- ♪♪ Nowhere to hide, nowhere to go ♪♪
- Stop thinking, it's getting in the way.
♪♪♪♪
[women cheering]
- Yo! - Anyways...
- Wait, so how long are y'all in town for?
- Here for a while. - Little while, little while.
- A little while? Y'all need to be here
just long enough for us to link up again.
- We can do that. - Down.
- These girls are a trip.
Liza has zero filter, and AMH is hilarious.
And it's a great idea on Alex's part
to try to get me back out there.
But honestly, I don't think I'm ready.
- Yeah, we can get another situation going...
- Not bowling because... - Choose another--
- 'Cause we don't wanna [bleep] whoop your ass again.
- Oh, wow. - You're losing.
- If you wanna be technical.
- He said it's a technicality.
[laughter]
- Don't disrespect me at the shop. Dead-ass...
- So what you gonna do, you gonna buy me out?
You can't even kick me out the shop,
so [bleep] you talking about? For real. For real.
- Krystal... - For real, [bleep] outta here.
♪♪♪♪
- Without Ceas bein' around right now,
I think it's time for you to take the lead.
[distant siren wails]
- After speaking to Spyder, the only thing I keep hearing
is Spyder's voice in my head saying, why don't I step up?
And he's 1,000% correct.
But what Spyder doesn't understand,
is things aren't that simple.
Hello. How you doing?
I was looking for a guy named Kevin.
Back when I was much younger,
I was heading in the wrong direction.
I got into some trouble with the law,
and it's still hunting me today.
A friend of mine recommended this organization,
100 Suits, to me.
I've scrolled past their page a few times on Instagram,
and it intrigued me to learn more about their organization.
- Ah, salute, king.
- Mr. Kevin. - Salute light.
- What's going on, my brother? - Many blessings, brother,
thank you for coming in.
- Kev started 100 Suits
to give underprivileged people business clothes
so they can go out and find jobs.
Then he moved onto other things like food and security,
and also helping former inmates transition into the real world.
- We have reentry mentors that are hired
who were incarcerated that meets them,
brings them in, talks to them, find out what their goals are.
Because you don't want somebody who just came home doing time
and then hit the streets, and you gotta turn over
everything to find themselves. - It's...
- It's crazy, right? - It's super difficult.
Like I said, I am very blessed
to have the situation I'm in,
which is the Black Ink tattoo shop saved my life.
[Ted] That sofa got me off the streets.
but I didn't choose to just sit on the couch.
I have a lot of things from my past
that forced me into this position.
I'm having a little issue.
When I was younger,
I... caught a felony.
I was 19 years old.
There was a shootout on my block.
[gunshot sound effect]
I saw one of my friends running down the block.
I went downstairs to make sure he was safe.
When I went downstairs,
there's a bunch of drugs on the floor.
I picked them up, I took 'em upstairs.
15 minutes later, police knock on my door.
They said, you gotta come with us.
As I'm sitting in the precinct,
I see my brother walk in.
He said, they brought Mommy in too.
They found the drugs in the house, locked everybody up.
At that point, I said, you know what, they're mine.
I don't wanna put my family through this.
That one day changed my whole life trajectory.
I took a felony, spent eight months in prison,
and it was the worst eight months of my life.
That decision is the first thing
anybody sees now when I apply for anything.
I'm a felon.
My felony, it prevents me
from doing a lot of things like opening businesses,
because it still pops up on my record.
I've never actually been able to fully own and operate
a tattoo shop because of this.
Even with the whole Milwaukee situation,
I had to have Ceas sign the paperwork
because he has a clean record.
I was always cool with getting mines on the back end
because Ceas was my family, so I never had to worry
about no snake [bleep].
Me being confused right now
with what Puma wants to do and what Spyder said
is giving me more motivation to move forward.
Now is the time to address the issues from my past
because of everything that's going on.
This is something that I should've been taken care of,
but all the signs lead me down this road.
Like, I still feel like I'm kinda locked up
because I'm limited with what I can do with myself.
- Well, first, let me just say, man,
um, you have rights.
You can actually file for an expungement
five years after either you have
two misdemeanors or one felony.
- The expungement part, can you explain that to me?
- It's like a sealed record.
- Okay. - Another thing you can do,
a certificate of relief, which is ten years
after post-conviction that you can file
to have that taken off your record.
- So it can be expunged.
- Absolutely.
Let's just get this ball rolling, brother.
And then you turn around and help somebody else
'cause that's how we get the trickle effect
in our community.
- I'm totally with it.
This is actually the best news
I received in a very long time.
It feels like ten ton bricks
has been lifted off my shoulders.
I finally got the answers I needed
and it's time to move forward.
- I'm here for you, brother.
- Thank you.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ You can feel it when it starts to rain ♪♪
♪♪ 'Cause she's coming like a hurricane ♪♪
- As much as I don't wanna do this, Vanity's right.
Rok and I's relationship can't affect the shop,
so this gotta be fixed.
I'm bringing Coco just in case he act up.
- ♪♪ You can't stop her ♪♪
♪♪ Here comes the troublemaker ♪♪
- Even though our relationship ended,
we're still business partners.
But I need to know if Krystal respects me at all,
because it doesn't seem like it.
♪♪♪♪
What's up? How you been?
- Honestly, I don't even wanna talk to you
after that [bleep] that happened at the party.
- I felt the same way, to be honest, I d--
I wasn't gonna even talk to you period.
And after that [bleep] of us not being at the shop together--
- But the whole-- - Hold on, let me talk though.
- Right [bleep] there is why we broke up.
Like, you always talking, you never let me get a word in.
So keep talking with your punk-ass.
- You saying we could just stay friends,
we gotta worry about the business, alright.
No disrespect, I remember we said that [bleep].
Don't disrespect the shop and all that.
But the first thing, the first thing you do
on the one-year anniversary, and I'm thinking it's only
gonna be friends and a little bit of family,
but then you go and bring some stranger that I don't know.
- You didn't see me kissing on the man,
you didn't see me [bleep] dancing with the man.
He was just there trying to have a drink, that's it.
- The guy wasn't there chilling for a drink.
[Rok] I don't care what type of excuses
Krystal's trying to give me right now.
What she did was [bleep] up.
You brought a guy into the shop
to meet your moms right in front of me.
Like, I thought you had more respect for me.
- Okay, but-- - Everybody there
was smiling, Krystal, I'm looking at
everybody from the left to the right,
and then there's this one person behind Krystal
that wants to be mean-muggin' me.
So yeah, I'ma feel a type of way.
- No, you was amped up 'cause you had your little boys there.
You're acting like this guy was pressing up on you.
He wasn't even looking at you crazy, you were the one--
- Krystal, the [bleep] pushed you out the way
when I said "who's that?"
You [bleep] her?
- First of all, we ain't doing this.
Y'all ain't crowding up...
[overlapping arguing/bleeps]
You acting like I don't be feeling disrespected, honestly.
That guy came, he shook your hand.
So who are you to approach him, bro?
He came to see me, he ain't come to see you, [bleep] outta here--
- I'm tryna be cool with you. I don't give a [bleep] if
you're [bleep] other [bleep].
I don't care if you moved the [bleep] on.
- Okay, 'cause I don't-- - Don't disrespect me.
Don't disrespect me at the shop, dead-ass...
- So what you gonna do, you gonna buy me out?
[doorbell rings]
- Puma? - Ted.
- I don't like where we left things at
that last meeting we had.
Get the [bleep] outta here.
- There's no reason for you to be here then.
- Maybe I need to go my separate way.
- Don't disrespect me at the shop, dead-ass...
- So what you gonna do, you gonna buy me out?
- If you gonna bring somebody to the shop that you [bleep],
don't-- don't-- don't think that I'ma be the same.
Think about it the other way, Krystal, you think--
how would you feel if I did that?
- We had this conversation before
this [bleep] even-- we even opened the business.
We said that we weren't gonna let the relationship
get in the way, but the whole thing
is you're so caught up in the relationship aspect.
We gotta learn how to coexist for the sake of the business.
That's it, that's the only thing you should be thinking about.
- Alright, but I love harder-- - Stop romanticizing me.
We're-- we're co-owners.
The relationship [bleep] is out the window, bro, like...
- So you're saying that I could bring females to the shop.
- If that's what you wanna do. - No, no, no,
because that's disrespect to you.
I wouldn't do that [bleep].
Because at the end of the day,
we were friends before all this.
And I don't wanna ruin that [bleep].
I never thought we were gonna get to this point,
but I don't wanna be one of those couples
that turn into enemies after they break up.
I still care about Krystal,
and I'm not gonna pretend that
seeing her with somebody won't hurt,
but at the end of the day, I'm a businessman,
and I got people depending on me,
and I won't let them down.
I'm not gonna do no [bleep] like that.
If you gonna move on, I gotta let you do you.
But if you gonna do that again,
just please let me know, that's it.
I just don't want no tension in the shop no more.
- Maybe I did screw up by bringing Danny to the party,
'cause I know how Rok is.
But I never had to work with an ex before,
so this is new to me.
If you feel like you don't want me to bring people around,
I won't, you know, I know how that feels.
- Look, I already know,
one year already, it wasn't that easy,
but me and you, when we're good, we're unstoppable.
Especially with the business [bleep].
So let's just try to worry about the shop,
and just try to be partners at the end of the day.
'Cause at the end of the day, I still respect you
and I want you to respect me too.
- ♪♪ Turn the crown, a what-what? ♪♪
♪♪ You can't stop me ♪♪
[humming indistinctly]
- ♪♪ We gettin' some cake ♪♪
♪♪ Mommy's coming down 'cause she got all A's ♪♪
Quani's taking a lot of big steps right now in her life.
Last year, she was kind of in
a dark spot trying to find herself.
But now, she's in a great place, man.
And I'm about make a big deal about it.
- Hi!
- Cake! - Oh, cake!
- Hey, what do you say, Tamia?
- Congratulations. - Thank you, Tamia.
- Yes, congratulations. - Thank you, Pauly.
Oh, my glasses. Gimme a kiss.
The final push for me to go back to school
was that I really needed change,
I really needed to say that I can finish something big
that I started, and the biggest thing
that I [bleep] up on was school.
You bought a lot of sweets.
- Yeah, but you know, for my sweets, man,
'cause I'm so proud of you, man.
You've really been doing it, being a full-time mom
and a full-time student. - Thank you.
I'm trying to apply for the BSW program...
- Okay. - So I can get
my Bachelor's in social work, been a lo--
Are you done with your cake? Yes? Okay...
- Sugar's kicking in? You flying now?
[laughter]
- Oh, my God, he's turnt up.
♪♪♪♪
[doorbell rings]
[Ted] If it's not gonna be in the hood,
get the [bleep] outta here.
- Okay, so there's no reason for you to be here then.
- Puma. - Ted.
[doorbell rings]
- Puma. - Ted.
- After speaking to Kevin
and knowing that this felony can go away,
I need to speak to Puma
because if we're gonna move forward,
it has to be in true Black Ink form
and what built us, and if Puma can't get with that,
then maybe I need to go my separate way.
[Puma] What brings you over here, man?
- I don't like where we left things
at that last meeting we had.
My whole thing is I am 100% committed
to Black Ink, bro.
I'm saying I'm trying to take these baby steps with you
and figure this [bleep] out.
But it's like, you so quick to just make all these decisions
without consulting with me first.
- I get it.
[Puma] Ted was right.
Sometimes I have a tendency of, you know,
acting first, thinking maybe a little bit later.
And this Lower East Side situation kinda was
my first mistake.
Lower East Side, that's dead in the water.
♪♪♪♪
But at the end of the day,
we can't just keep dwelling on the past
and what we used to do.
This is the Puma and Ted moment.
We have to create our own legacy.
- Well, I'm happy it didn't go through
because it gives us some more time to think
and more time to plan.
So what are we doing, bro?
We have Alex, Nychelle, and Draya,
but we don't have a shop right now,
and neither one of us tattoo.
If we gonna move on, what's the plan?
- I was thinking, right,
we throw a mixer, where we invite
a bunch of different artists
that wanna work for the Black Ink brand, you know?
- Like a talent scout... - Yeah!
- Basically trying to hire new artists.
- This is like, we're starting from scratch, Ted.
- [sighs]
I would've never thought ten years later
we'd be starting all over.
- It happens sometimes, though, bro.
At the end of the day, I'm letting my uncertainty
lead me in the right direction.
- Puma and I need to show a united front
because if we don't, nobody else is gonna be on board.
And I think this talent search might be what we needed.
- I'm not gonna lie to you,
there's probably gonna be some [bleep].
But we're gonna get through-- - There's gonna be some [bleep].
- Jus think positive.
Whatever help you need,
I'll be there to support you, bro.
- We'll probably have some diamonds in the rough, man.
You never know. Come-- come have some cake.
[Krystal] I can't keep Rok's brand on me anymore. It's time to move on.
To the end of Krystal and Rok, bitch!
[all cheering]
- [Tatti sobbing] - [Bae] What happened?
[crying]
[Tatti] I'm scared, and I have to tell my boyfriend Jemz.
- What's this, baby?
[Puma] Operation: Black Ink Legacy is in full effect.
- Feels like day one...
- Yep. - All over again.
[Puma] I found ten potential artists that might be
perfect for the new shop.
- To the new generation of Black Ink!
[Puma] If everything goes right,
this is a whole new start for the Black Ink movement.