[Ted] What happened with Ceas is definitely not the way this platform should end.
[Puma] There's a whole nother generation
of young, Black tattoo artists.
- So what's the plan?
Like a talent scout?
- Yeah!
- You've been seeing somebody?
With who? - With Alex.
- Mm-hmm.
- Feeling like a little connection?
- I'm getting to know her, but set them boundaries.
♪♪♪♪
[Puma] Ready to meet these artists?
[Ted] Feels like day one
all over again, bro.
[Puma] I found ten potential artists
that might be perfect for the new shop.
- Ta-da!
The Casanova has arrived.
- I'm probably the city's most valuable player.
- People think I'm sweet and kind,
but I'm really a [bleep] bitch.
[Puma] Me and Ted have got a lot to talk about,
but I proved we could make this mother[bleep] happen.
- To the new generation of Black Ink!
- ♪♪ Now's the time to make a move ♪♪ ♪♪♪♪
♪♪ Phenomenal, unbeatable ♪♪
♪♪ Unparalleled without equal ♪♪
♪♪ Supreme... ♪♪
- Yo. What's up?
- [bleep] is this, man?
- So after having the mixer and sleeping on it,
I think it's time for us to have a talk
about these potential new artists.
- Looks like a "CSI" episode.
[distant siren wails]
[mock theme music]
♪♪♪♪
- We're professional, man.
We're taking this serious.
So my awesome Puma production actually worked.
Me and Ted found some great artists
with a lotta potential.
But we need artists who are the full [bleep] package.
I know I have a few that are my favorites,
but I'm hoping that me and Ted's pick align with the plan.
First pick, who do you think?
- AMH.
♪♪♪♪
[Puma] I really liked the way she uses color in her work.
- And she's also been tatting for five years,
and she got room to get a lot better.
- We got Made Rich.
- Seen his face, he's definitely known
around the tattoo industry.
- I actually know about Made Rich,
he's a good, established artist.
- Next up, Jahnova.
Her energy was crazy, like,
she definitely was shaking that room.
- Yeah, she definitely was shaking that room.
My boy Alex was well intrigued,
but I don't think Nychelle was too much into it.
- Oh, okay! That's what's up.
- I heard her say that she was trained by Miya.
- You went through apprenticeship?
- Yes, I got my game
from Miya Bailey. - That's real.
- That's a real [bleep].
- Kevo.
- I don't really remember him.
- Yeah, this was his time to really show who he was
but he really didn't make a good impression on anybody.
- You could never beat me in a tattoo competition--
- I definitely can, I definitely can.
- 'Cause you gotta always make sure you respect
our OGs, you feel me?
I'm also worried about Trilla.
[all cheering]
- We need that energy in the shop again, man.
[Puma] I'm hoping he understands
how to turn the party off, and how to be business.
- He remind me early days of Black Ink.
We ain't have our [bleep] together either,
look at us now. - Yeah,
you're right, you're right.
But level-wise, he's definitely an AP.
Santana...
- Her script work was good.
Definitely need that in a tattoo shop.
- Santana definitely wanted to be there.
- I'm just trying to like, you know, grow my [bleep].
So I've just been taking what come my way,
but I got that [bleep], bro.
- Next up, our one non-tattoo artist,
the piercer Miracle.
- Miracle was cool, portfolio was dope,
but do we need a piercer right now?
- Of course we need a piercer, man,
you know, money is money.
- That's dope, I [bleep] with that.
What about the Ink Dreamy kid,
Liza, and Drea?
- Let's talk about Liza.
Liza is the least experienced artist of the group.
- You got solid work, how long you been tattooing?
- Only two years. - Girl!
- Liza was cool, but she was definitely the least talented.
- This is a fact, but at the same time,
you could see that there's something there
worth investing in.
Next up, Drea.
- Where's your portfolio?
- It's out here somewhere, lemme go get it.
- Drea was, like, a little spaced out and lost to me.
Like, I asked her where her portfolio was,
and she said she didn't know.
- And then, at the same time,
we don't need, really, two Dreas in the shop.
That can get a little [bleep] confusing.
And last but certainly not least, Ink Dreamy.
- I'm trying to be sensitive to the situation,
but a colorblind tattoo artist?
- [whispers] He's colorblind.
- I got a cataract in one eye, look, we equal opportunists
over here, that's all I'm saying.
- Also, Nychelle did say he showed her
a badass tattoo last night.
- Lotta people can't do hands the size of a dime, bro.
So that's what's up, bro. A lotta people can't do that.
- I kinda dig it.
Alright, Ted, so, um,
what're you thinking, man?
- Overall, bro, like,
I was impressed with the majority of them
but Drea and the Kevo kid is a for-sure pass for me.
- Yeah, they're both talented artists, man,
that's why we had them come out,
but they didn't really make an impact,
so I'ma have to agree with you on that one.
- Great, bro, we got eight new artists.
- The new generation! Feel good.
- Where the [bleep] are we gonna put them?
- Right now, we gotta push forward
and look for a location.
[Puma] Ted is not wrong.
We currently don't have a shop,
but we do have artists,
we got a lot of great potential here,
and every little step counts.
We will get there.
I think I might have an idea,
just gimme some time, let me figure something out.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ You already know who it is ♪♪
♪♪ It's the young kid, fly city, reppin' my city, mane ♪♪
♪♪ Time for the money never time for the kitty ♪♪
♪♪ Going up, way up in the game right now ♪♪
♪♪ Like an ass pulled out and the hair tied down ♪♪
[Alex] Damn, it's fire in here.
[Rok] Mm-hmm.
- They got some heat.
- I shoulda had something like this.
- Oh yeah, that would've definitely went better--
[overlapping chatter]
- So tell me, bro, how was the mixer?
- It was cool, it was a little vibe though.
I enjoyed the energy of some of the people, you feel me?
Some people was just over the top.
- What you mean? - Nychelle.
She got a little jealous.
[overlapping chatter]
- Oh, okay!
- I'm fresh out of a three and a half year bid,
you feel me, I ain't really trying to go back
into that [bleep], I'm kicking it right now.
I'm cool, I'm outside. - That's it.
- So I'm not too sure
exactly where we stand.
- So you thinking that she might be, uh,
stuck on you a little bit?
- So I think her feelings is in it.
- If I was you, I would tell shorty straight up, like,
listen, I run these streets, baby,
so you can either stay in line or-- or...
get off.
- Rok, who do you think I am, sir?
[laughter]
- I don't know, man, you're the-- you're the--
the Vagina Slayer, right?
- I mean, it's confusing, like, I really like Nychelle,
and I even visited her in Texas
before she officially made the move to New York.
But it's like, I'm not really ready for commitment right now.
And side note, I cannot believe
that I'm taking advice from Rok right now.
- I don't wanna go through no [bleep] like that.
Me, I'm ready to be single for a while.
- Are you-- are you really ready to be single?
- Listen, I'm a pimp.
I gotta r-- I gotta roam these streets.
- Listen, bro, we're gonna go outside,
you're gonna enjoy your life.
- Yeah, man, I need to enjoy my life.
It's about that time, man.
When Krystal broke up with me,
I ain't gon' lie, I was hurt.
But after that conversation at the park the other day,
I'm ready to move on, for good this time.
- We gotta learn how to co-exist 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.
- Right now, all I'm looking for is some fun,
no expectations, no pressure,
and no strings attached.
- I have a situation set up for you.
- What kinda [bleep] is it-- - Listen, it's fun.
- That's what you said last time with the bowling.
- It was just a soft opening.
That's what it was.
- Now, I don't know what a soft opening is,
but what I do know is whatever ladies Alex gets
for the next event, they better be single...
- Are you single? - Taken.
- That's what's up.
And they better not be ten feet taller than me.
- I'ma make sure you enjoy yourself.
You gon' be a ho when I'm done with you.
- ♪♪ You just gotta keep believin' and achievin' ♪♪
♪♪ Going after what you seein' ♪♪
♪♪ No more sleeping no more dreaming ♪♪
♪♪ If you think it, you can be it ♪♪
♪♪ Keep believing in you ♪♪
♪♪ You just gotta keep believing in you ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- Hell yeah.
Hell yeah.
[laughter]
- ♪♪ You just gotta keep believing in you ♪♪
- You good? - That was fun.
- Look, y'all, I'm a single mother with a young son
trying to make a living in two separate cities.
The stress is getting worse.
Yeah, you can take your shoes off.
I'm trying to create a life for both of us here,
and what he thinks matters.
So I took him to all the New York sites
and now we here with Auntie Dray ice skating.
- I am no good at this skating thing.
- Girl, you did okay. You tried.
- I tried, I tried, I tried.
So how you been liking New York? How's he like it?
- He loves it. We went to Rockefeller Center,
we went on a ferry. - [Draya] Nice.
[Nychelle] We saw the Statue of Liberty.
It was like, this big.
[laughter]
Why don't you go play some games so we can talk, baby?
- So are you staying here long term?
- Good question.
But I can't wait that much longer.
When Puma put the mixer together, I was optimistic.
But I haven't heard anything since,
and I don't know where we're going from here.
And they say people from Texas move slow, hmm.
- You got every right to have reservations, girl.
But I got faith in Puma, I'm not gonna lie to you like,
I think he had some good candidates at the mixer.
Like, I'm vouching for Rich.
He's been in the game for forever, like,
I've actually worked with him before
and he's a pretty dope artist.
♪♪♪♪
- A'ight, our party's done, you sat like a champ.
- So... - You "vouching" for Rich?
- Oh, I mean... - Hey...
- Rich fine and all, but the one thing
I've learned my lesson on,
you don't mix business with pleasure.
You know what I mean, like...
You over there mixing the pot, bitch, with Alex.
- Sometimes-- relax.
[laughter]
- Like, what the [bleep] y'all been doing,
y'all been going on dates, y'all been hanging out?
- Girl, I'm like, Alex,
you're a walking paradox at this point.
Like, do you wanna [bleep] with me or not?
After Alex's behavior at the mixer,
I don't know what to think.
When I'm back home, Alex is checking up on me,
flirting with me, just super sweet.
But when I'm in New York, it's a 180.
I'm not even about to talk about the disrespect.
[overlapping chatter]
Oh, okay!
Yeah, he's got me all types of [bleep] up.
And then he hasn't texted,
called me, checked on me...
- So how often do y'all speak?
- Like, every two weeks.
- Oh, nah, bitch, he don't like you that much.
- That's what I'm saying! [laughter]
- The way Nychelle is explaining this little "situationship"
they got going on, I do not think
it's wise for Nychelle for to be a brand-new city
and instantly jump into a relationship with Alex?
I mean, he's got an OnlyFans.
- It's like, I don't wanna put too much pressure on it.
- Yeah. - But like, if it's already
confusing and I don't know what's going on...
- But what do you want?
♪♪♪♪
- I want somebody that I can count on
to [bleep] be there.
You need to check in with me and let me know
that we still on the same page.
This is my first time seeing this side of Alex,
and as a single mother, I don't have time for games.
I need to figure out what is going on with this.
I sound all sweet and like I want somebody around,
I could be outside too, and I could really
hurt his feelings if he don't stop playing with me, bro.
- With where Puma and I are at right now,
getting this felony off my record
means everything to me.
- This could be a six to eight month process.
- Whew.
- I definitely do like you.
- What about Jahnova?
- Jahnova...
- The one that was grinding on you at the bar.
- Did the temperature just drop 100 degrees in here?
[Puma] I have a bunch of artists and nowhere to put them.
So today I'm meeting with a friend who's willing
to give me some much-needed business advice.
Hey.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Big bounce on it, never small ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah, bid down, I'ma bid down ♪♪
- A few weeks ago, I met with Kevin Livingston
at an organization called 100 Suits
to talk to him about my felony charge
that I got when I was younger.
- You can actually file for an expungement.
It's like a sealed record.
- Getting this felony off my record
means everything to me.
Not only do I get my name back,
but I don't have to depend on anybody for anything anymore.
I have a lot on the line, Puma and I have a solid team,
but right now, number one for me
is my legal issues.
When I first met Kevin, he really inspired me.
- Let's just get this ball rolling, brother,
and then you turn around and help somebody else
because that's how we get the trickle effect
in our community.
- I'm totally with it.
So I stopped by today to see what he had going on
and to see if there's any way that I could help.
- The reason why I'm here today
is because I wanna help my communities.
We're gonna do whatever we need to do make sure
we come through successfully.
[all clapping]
- I'm joined here by my brother.
This brother's a fellow entrepreneur,
fellow king, right.
Give it up for my man Ted right here y'all.
[all clapping]
- Hell of an introduction, bro. - Appreciate you, king.
- Like Kev was saying, I'm one of the owners
and operators of a tattoo franchise
called Black Ink, but that's not the reason I'm here.
When I was younger, I got into some trouble
and I had a felony over my head
for a very long time.
And I've been trying to figure out ways
I can move past my felony,
which led me to the brother Kevin.
I'm kinda nervous about being up here sharing my story,
but if I'm being honest and it can help
somebody make a change in their life,
that's what I call giving back.
[all cheering]
- We gonna be giving suits out today,
just for people to use for job purposes,
if you have a job interview coming up,
you wanna look your best self, right?
And so when you show up, you show out.
- Like the brother said,
when you look good, you feel good.
So I'ma have to get a suit too, brother.
- Alright, no doubt, no doubt.
$20.
[laughter]
- ♪♪ Yo, wake up every morning ♪♪
♪♪ Thank the Lord 'cause I know I'm blessed ♪♪
- It feels good to share my story with people
who are just like me and probably struggling
with things that I struggle with
but are looking up to me as an example.
With the right help, we all can do it.
- ♪♪ Always get better when you mess up ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah, but you gotta learn you lessons ♪♪
♪♪ My people, this one's for my people, yeah yeah ♪♪
- Man, this is dope, what you're doing.
- Yo, I appreciate you for coming out, man.
- I appreciate you for reaching out to me.
- Right on, right on. - But I also wanted
to let you know I went ahead and I submitted that paperwork.
Like, I mailed everything out.
- That's a beautiful thing. It does take some time.
Could be a six to eight month process.
- Six to eight? - Six to eight months.
- With where Puma and I are at right now,
to hear Kevin say it's gonna take six to eight months
for this expungement to go through,
that [bleep] sounds more like six to eight years to me.
I'm not ready to open up another shop
and I can't legally put my name on anything.
This might become a problem,
so I need to speak to Puma ASAP.
Whew!
- ♪♪ I am the queen, this is a scene ♪♪
♪♪ Here to pin me, I am your dream ♪♪
- I haven't heard from Alex since the mixer,
then boom, he asks me on a sushi date.
Even though I'm a little salty about being ignored,
Alex did make the effort to ask me out.
So I'm going in with an open mind,
and we're gonna see what happens.
- And that's the wasabi, your wasabi root.
[Alex] And this little paddle right here?
- Hey, Alex. - Oh, what's up, Nychelle?
- How are you? - Good to see you.
You look real good. - Thank you.
- You look nice. Like the purple.
- Come on, listen. - You know?
- I try to do a little somethin' when I can, a'ight?
I [bleep] with Nychelle,
but ever since the mixer
and the whole twerking situation,
I kinda feel a little bit of tension,
so I backed off.
Honestly, in my mind,
we're both single with no strings attached.
But I still like her, and if we could get
on the same page, we could still have fun.
So I invited her on a private little sushi date
to see if we could get the vibes back.
You know what that is? - I don't know.
- Wasabi. - That's wasabi?
- Yeah, yeah. - That's how it comes?
- And then this little paddle is what you mash it up with.
And you said that's made out of what?
- Shark skin. - Shark skin, feel it.
Crazy, whoa... - That's their skin?
- Whoa, whoa-- - So dramatic.
- Today we're gonna make sushi.
Alright, so first we're gonna do a traditional roll.
- I'm ready. - Slice.
[laughter]
- ♪♪ You set it off offline ♪♪
♪♪ You gotta get it out ♪♪
- Okay, this is not going so bad.
Maybe sushi rolls could fix everything.
- ♪♪ You wanna lose yourself in time, so girl... ♪♪
- Yours looks better than mine.
- You still over here judging me?
'Cause I got it, baby.
This might be the first time in Black Ink history
that a table did not lead to screaming.
[server] Alright, moment of truth.
Open.
[both cheering]
- Okay! - It looks so good.
- We out here sushi rolling. - Sushi rolling.
- We're gonna do the next one, but I'm gonna get
the ingredients, so I'll be right back.
- We'll be right here.
So let me, let me just say,
I'm glad you came.
- So what've you been up to?
- [sighs] This [bleep] Rok, yo.
He all [bleep] up in the head,
so I wanna like, plan something dope for Rok.
- Something fun. - Kinda help him, in a way too,
with his situation and get him outside, you know?
So I'm gonna take Rok speed dating.
- Speed dating?
So you ask me out on a date
and then tell me you going on a date
with multiple women in one night?
If he thinks he can turn me on and off like a switch,
he got another thing coming.
Hmm. - Hmm.
We got Draya coming,
she invited Rich from the mixer the other day.
- Mmm.
- Did the temperature just drop 100 degrees in here
or is it just me?
- What about Jahnova?
Did you invite her too?
- Jahnova...
- The one that grinded on you at the bar?
- In all honesty, I don't--
I don't really remember too much.
- Really? Okay.
Alex, I'ma have to see those jeans you were wearing,
'cause there's no way in hell that girl's ass
didn't leave an impression on 'em.
- Why we even talking about it?
Like, do we have a marriage that I didn't know about?
- No, we don't. - Oh!
- No, we don't.
I don't know what you want.
But if you do like me,
it would be nice to not have to look at that.
- [sighs] I don't know where
the fun, sexy, single Nychelle went,
'cause right now, this is giving
annoyed, jealous girlfriend.
And I don't remember checking off
the "Will you be my boyfriend" box.
I definitely do like you.
I just be having a lot going on
and I'm just enjoying my time as being a single man.
- I love that for you.
I'm not about to come out here and you playing with me.
- I'm not playing with you. - I don't play either.
I'm very good at being outside, don't worry about it.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Yeah, secret weapon, I'm the cheat code ♪♪
♪♪ I'm an animal, I'm hard, going beast mode ♪♪
- After me and Ted talked and realized to have
the OGs and the newbies in one space,
we're gonna need a big-ass space.
So luckily for us, we got some people to help us out.
Today I'm meeting with a friend of a friend
who's taking some time out and willing to give me
some much-needed business advice.
Damon, what up?
- Welcome to speed dating.
[Rok] The new Rokmatic 2.0
is shifting into overdrive tonight.
I never did no [bleep] like this before.
- What the [bleep] is you doing at my table, Rok?
- I got a bunch of kids from all over.
- Mm-hmm. - I just don't have a location.
- You have to really start broadening your mind
to think about the bigger thing.
♪♪♪♪
- Oh, it's cold out there.
- Hey, what's up, man? - Sup, man?
- Hey, can you give us a second, bruh?
- The man, the myth, the legend, Daymond John,
FUBU founder and "Shark Tank" star,
streetwear and entrepreneur legend, taking his time
out of his busy schedule to link with me?
I'm extremely appreciative of this man's time right now.
- What's going on? - Nothing much, man.
I didn't even know you were tatted up like that, boss.
- Oh yeah, man, I got a lot of stuff,
I just hide 'em on "Shark Tank",
but I got a lotta things that mean special things--
my mother, Statue of Liberty, my daughters...
- Okay, it's dope to see that
you're into the tattoo community, man,
and into the culture a bit.
- It has grown so much, man, when I was a kid,
it was just kinda like, these little stencils--
- Right. - Yeah, you and your crew
have made it really, really accessible, popular.
You're globally recognized.
- This is proving my point that I was telling
everybody earlier-- yeah, we started in the hood,
but for Daymond John to realize
the Black Ink movement is big,
that means we're so much bigger than the hood, man.
- What are you trying to accomplish
at the end of the day?
- Alright, I'ma be totally transparent with you,
you know what I'm saying, like,
I didn't see myself in this position right now.
I feel like everybody saw what happened to Ceaser
and just threw their hands up and gave up,
and everybody forgot what Black Ink was.
I really wanted to just keep
everything pushing forward, you know?
Like, some of the OGs are staying with us--
- Right. - And I found
a whole nother younger group of tattoo artists
who wanna start in the business.
- Sure. - I got a bunch of kids
from all over, and I wanna...
- All over New York, you mean?
- No, all over America.
- Okay, that's good.
- I got some coals that we gotta mold
into diamonds, you know what I'm saying?
I'm trying to rebuild the business,
but I just don't know what to do right now.
I kinda bit off more than I can chew?
- Right, and what is the criteria to be
part of the new Black Ink?
Is it you have to have a certain level of customers,
a certain level of skill? - I'll be honest,
besides testing their skills, we gotta make sure that
the vibe is right. - Right.
- Black Ink is bigger than just tattoo shops,
it's a movement.
I really wanted to keep
highlighting young minorities in art.
- You're not selling tattoos, you're selling a community.
- That's p... perfectly word.
- You are way bigger than tattoos.
- That's what I've been saying, like, I think that everybody
be just so caught up on the tattoo shop aspect,
and I'm looking at this like,
it's bigger than just tattoo shops.
- Yeah, a lifestyle, a culture.
You have to think of yourself as Obi-Wan Kenobi.
How are you gonna get all the Lukes
and the Jedis underneath you to carry the torch to take
this amazing brand where it should be?
- I really thought that Daymond was gonna come through
with his business guru [bleep],
then you know, put me on to some game.
But he's kinda made me think about how Black Ink
started in the beginning.
Black Ink is more than just a shop, it's a movement.
- You know, really start broadening your mind
to think about the bigger things.
Take your time, try to find
and define that culture, what it is.
That's my advice to you.
Don't try to force a square peg in a round hole.
You know, the journey you're on,
you can't bring everybody with you, man.
- We have a ton of new artists,
but artists and a shop alone
is not what makes "Black Ink Crew."
I gotta go about this all different.
I gotta make sure that all these artists
are gonna keep this "Black Ink Crew" legacy going.
And then all the success and business stuff,
that'll come next.
Yeah, these new artists, they ain't really in
the community yet. - You know what,
I'ma connect you with a couple of people
that I think may be able to help you through this.
- I really appreciate that,
I definitely was not expecting that.
Daymond John is a godsend.
I still have a lot of work to do,
but if Daymond is hooking me up with his people,
[bleep], I'm halfway there.
I'm about to make you proud, man.
- I don't have no doubt, man.
Knock it down.
- ♪♪ They tryna get you ♪♪
♪♪ She want the Benz and the beamer ♪♪
♪♪ She want the house and the roofs ♪♪
♪♪ The trips to Miami, the beaches are sandy... ♪♪
- Even with the Puma shop issue and the Alex situationship,
nothing's gonna keep me from my bag.
Hey, how you doing?
- What's happening, how you feeling?
- Luckily, I have a client that hit me up
about a tattoo that he wants.
Hunxho is an artist from Atlanta
who just signed at 300.
I relate to Hunxho as a Southern transplant
and a rapper.
Since there is no tattoo shop--
looking at you, Puma and Ted--
he arranged for me to come to the music studio,
which is like my second home next to a tattoo shop.
[laughs] You look nervous.
- I just don't like too much pain.
- Too much pain? - Yeah.
- We gonna make it through.
- Oh, hi, Alex, how are you? Thank you for coming.
- Thank you for having me. - Come in.
- Nychelle is still on my mind
because I don't want anybody
holding hard feelings against me.
Especially someone whose friendship
I value as much as Nychelle's.
It'll feel good to focus on my craft for a minute.
Let me show you the design.
- [gasps] That's hot.
I [bleep] with you. That's hot, I like that.
- Fire, right? - Yes.
- Okay, so, you want the number 22 tatted on you?
- Yeah. - Okay.
What does this tattoo mean to you, exactly?
- 22, it's the block, you feel me,
that's the hood, that's where I'm from, you feel me,
down the east side of Atlanta.
- And where you wanna get it? - Right here.
- On the thigh? - Yes, on my thigh.
- My stomach, like... - Oh, Lord.
- Big, though. - The whole stomach?
- So that's your first big one?
- I wanna challenge myself.
- You ready to get popping? - I'm ready.
- And we ain't got no numbing cream either so...
[music winds down]
[laughter] - Not even a little bit?
- Not even a little bit, friend, but I got you, though,
we gonna get through this together,
it's gonna be fire, I promise.
- You gonna be able to take it?
- Come on, bring it on.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ What do we call this ♪♪
♪♪ We're just having fun ♪♪
[Alex] It's been a while since I've been in
a situation to where it was too complicated for me
to just walk away because we actually share a connection.
What I like about Nychelle is that she's multitalented,
and she has a very good heart,
and she really goes hard at everything that she loves.
- ♪♪ Why do we call this ♪♪
♪♪ Friends with benefit ♪♪
- Look, I'm not the type of girl to fall
for every guy I date.
I've had my fair share of bad relationships,
I understand the need to maybe take things slow.
But I feel like Alex isn't keeping it 100.
- ♪♪ I've been moving at your pace ♪♪
♪♪ And now I want us to be on the same page ♪♪
[Alex] I do feel like my past relationships
have made me a little more cautious with committing.
I tend to make bad decisions and go towards the red flags
and that's why I need up in the situations that I do,
but I'm trying to be better.
- ♪♪ What are we, what are we, what are we ♪♪
- I get it, Alex isn't ready for a relationship.
But that doesn't mean he can't be consistent with me.
I'm not about to stick around and just be
in a "when he's available" situation.
[Alex] If I was in a different headspace,
a relationship with Nychelle would make perfect sense.
But right now, I'm not sure
I could make it work with where I'm at.
- ♪♪ If you wanna make this yours what are you waiting for ♪♪
[Nychelle] I'm a single mom,
and I packed up my life and left my son back home
to go on this journey with Puma and Ted.
I was hoping that things with me and Alex would
be in a place where I could have a reason to call
New York home one day.
Right now, how things are not going
with Black Ink and Alex, I don't know where I stand.
- ♪♪ What are we, what are we, what are we ♪♪
- Alright, we are finally...
- Done, whew. How you feeling?
- The pain was worth it.
- I'm still in pain.
- I'm sorry.
- It's mother[bleep] hard, though.
- Hard, yep, 22.
- [woman] I love it. - For your first big tattoo,
you did your thing, I will say that.
- You know what I'ma gonna do now, right?
- You gotta... - Instagram, Snapchat.
Everywhere, where's my... - Everywhere?
Make sure you tag me.
- Remember I was telling you I was dealing with a felony.
- Yeah. - They say that [bleep]
could take six to eight months.
- Six to eight months?
- I know Puma's excited to open up a shop
after finding these new artists...
But what are the next steps?
- Tonight is about Rok.
- Welcome to speed dating. - [Rok] Okay, okay.
Damn, Alex, talk about throwing me in the deep end.
- It's time to have some fun.
- ♪♪ To be on the same page so ♪♪
- ♪♪ Uh, we goin' up, ain't nothing on top of us ♪♪
♪♪ Yeah, we're rising above ain't nobody stopping us ♪♪
- After learning from Kevin that theprocess for
my expungement could take six to eight months,
today, I'm meeting with Puma to update him
and figure out what the hell we gonna do now.
We need a location like yesterday,
and this news is definitely not helping the situation.
- Yo. - Yo.
- What's good with you, man? - Same [bleep], man,
still thinking about the other day, man, you know,
how the [bleep] we gonna push forward.
- I'm glad you brought that up,
'cause I got some bad news.
Remember I was telling you I was dealing with
all this legal [bleep] with my felony and all that.
I did all the paperwork, sent it off,
they said that [bleep] could take six to eight months
just to get a response.
- Six to eight months? - For a response.
I know Puma's excited to open up a shop
after finding these new artists,
but this [bleep] is very stressful to know
that I'm so close but yet so far
to getting this felony taken off my record.
But the next shop that I open is gonna have my name on it
and if it takes a little while longer
to get it done, so be it.
You family, but when it comes to everything
that's going on now, I don't wanna be
in this predicament ever again, know what I'm saying?
So whatever we decide to do,
my name has to go on the paperwork.
- That's what I want.
[Puma] I definitely understand where Ted is coming from
wanting to put his name on the shop,
'cause I've definitely had some business situations
where I thought shaking your hand,
we were good, but no, paperwork is the key.
You can't trust a mother[bleep] without paperwork.
- Let's figure this [bleep] out, but what are the next steps?
- I met Daymond John from the FUBU era.
- "Shark Tank"? - Yes, sir.
I met up with him, yeah.
- How the [bleep] you know him?
- Man, listen, I be outside,
I be meeting people, and some people got me
in contact with him, and you know,
we had a good conversation, you know?
Like, I basically explained to him our predicament
in all of this, and he got me thinking
maybe we need to build a community first
before we build a shop.
He just kept putting in my brain,
don't think about the old school style
of brick and mortar and being in a store.
- It makes sense.
- After having my meeting with Daymond,
I realized Black Ink started with a group of artists
who had a similar vibe and the same issue.
These new artists have a lot of potential,
but I gotta make sure that they are all part of our community
before I go all-in on a mother[bleep] shop.
But he did hook us up with an initial investor
who could help us with whatever we wanna do.
- So we need to find a way to put them together,
let them interact with each other,
get to know each other better, while we're also studying them
to get to know them without opening a business
and locking ourself into something long term.
Phew! Goddamnit.
- This [bleep]'s a mission im-mother[bleep]-possible.
- Nothing's impossible, bro.
- Impossible just takes a week.
- Or [bleep] six to eight months.
- [bleep].
[laughter]
- ♪♪ All class, little sass ♪♪
♪♪ Serve it up and drink it back ♪♪
♪♪ Snapshot, make it hot ♪♪
♪♪ Ladies, show me what you got ♪♪
- Welcome, everyone, how's everyone feeling?
[overlapping chatter]
- Yerrrp!
What's shaking, what's shaking, everybody got nametags?
A'ight, so, boom,
get ready for a V. Slayer production.
Speed dating.
I got the space,
I got the ladies,
I got the gentlefolk, and now all I need is
my boy Rok to show up.
Hey, I know you guys. Hey, how are ya?
- Boy, stop playin'... - Hi, Alex.
- What is Nychelle doing here?
I know I told her about the speed dating event,
but I didn't actually expect her to show up.
- What's your nametag?
"The Slayer"? "Slayer" - "The Slayer".
- Can you put your real name on there?
- So, I didn't wanna be that forward.
This is like, we tryna get to know each other.
- Okay, Alex, you all outside enjoying the single life?
Then I guess you won't mind me
pulling up to this speed dating.
Who knows, maybe I'll find somebody
to twerk on me right in front of you.
Put your name real name, bro.
- Yo, don't [bleep]...
[Draya] Well, that's a conversation starter.
- Right, bye.
- You wanna fight me so bad.
- I don't wanna fight you. - You do.
- Yo, yo, yo. - Oh, [bleep], Rich.
[overlapping chatter]
- He gonna get this [bleep] started.
- Let's do it, what we doing? - He gonna get it started.
- I took a gamble inviting Rich out tonight
just so he can get to know the crew a little bit better.
I honestly think Rich was one of the most talented artists
at the mixer, and I hope Puma and Ted agree.
- What y'all drinking? - This is tequila straight.
- Good, that's how you gotta do it.
Y'all all take some shots.
- ♪♪ Yeah, I write the flows that rap the planet ♪♪
♪♪ We about to panic, the homie tried ♪♪
♪♪ To block the shine... ♪♪
[Rok] Whenever Alex tells me to meet up with him
for a night out, I never know what to expect.
But I'm more than ready to meet these ladies
and show them the new Rokmatic 2.0.
- Hey, the man of the hour!
My [bleep] Rok is here!
[all exclaiming]
- My boy bartending?
- Look, look, look, look.
A little hit Rok for my [bleep] Rok.
[overlapping chatter]
- You need a nametag.
- What you wanna write, Rokmatic?
- For what? What's that for?
- Bro, just write your name, don't worry about it.
You're gonna figure it out. - You got it.
- Tonight is about Rok.
I'm hoping that Rokmatic
gets his mojo back.
Fingers crossed.
- Hi, how's everyone feeling tonight?
[all cheering]
Perfect!
I'm your host, Kate Hayes,
and welcome to speed dating.
- Speed dating? Damn, Alex,
talk about throwing me into the deep end.
I guess the new Rokmatic 2.0
is shifting into overdrive tonight.
- Alright, let's get everyone seated.
♪♪♪♪
- Hi, how's everyone feeling tonight?
[all cheering] Perfect!
I'm your host, Kate Hayes,
and welcome to speed dating.
- Operation: Help Rok Get His Groove Back
is in full effect.
And Nychelle is here, looking fine as hell,
which is a distraction, if I may say so myself.
- We'll be sitting down for five minutes,
you'll mingle with the person you're with.
When I ring the bell, I want all of the guys
to switch to the next table.
If you like the person enough,
you can actually leave the room with them
and y'all can go and enjoy your night.
It's time to have some fun.
[bell ringing]
♪♪♪♪
- What's your name? - Alex, what's your name?
- What sign are you? - Sagittarius.
- Okay!
- I never did no [bleep] like this before.
- Me neither, this is new.
- Now, I know Alex set this whole thing up for me,
and I'm here for it, but what I don't get is
why him and Nychelle are speed dating
when I thought they was talking to each other?
What's up with you, though?
- It's a lot, you know,
all the [bleep] with the shop,
but hey, today, I'm not worried about it,
we gonna kick it with these lovely people,
we gonna figure it out, we gonna try and,
I don't know, find somebody to...
- Try to look for love out here?
- Looking for love. - Looking for love?
How you guys doing...
- I don't know.
I've never been in a situation like this.
The guy I've been hanging out with is
on a date at the next table, and so am I.
But that's cool, this is the perfect time
for me to test how much Alex is really into me.
[bell rings]
- ♪♪ Check out the ladies, check me now ♪♪
- How old... - 26.
- Okay.
- This is Rasta grown.
- Okay, okay, I see you, I see you.
- I'm short. - Stand up.
- No. - Stand up!
♪♪♪♪
- He's tryna check my body out
when he asking me to stand up.
- What do you do?
- I'm a guidance counselor.
- Oh, so you know how to communicate.
♪♪♪♪
- I put all this on for Rok,
but I must say, I am enjoying myself.
Got a good crowd, good energy flowing,
and pretty ladies.
The one thing that's throwing me
is me and Nychelle got one eye on our dates
and the other eye on each other,
which is really messing up my mojo.
- What the [bleep] is you doing at my table, Rok?
- Listen...
- What're you doing at my table, Rok?
- I go by Made Rich, my name's Richard.
- Okay. - Don't call me Richard, though.
- Have you met any ladies that...
- Eh, this is dope,
but not yet. - Yeah?
- I'm actually having a great time tonight.
This is one of Alex's best ideas,
but I'm still waiting to be wowed.
Krystal wowed me when I first met her,
but the night's not over yet.
- In the meantime, have fun.
- I'ma have fun. - Okay?
[bell ringing]
- Alright, everybody,
it's time for the final round, okay?
- Get off me, bro. [laughing]
- What type of [bleep] are you into?
Like, what's your hobbies?
- I read a lot.
- Say something clever. - Say something clever?
- I don't know, give me a haiku or something.
This whole speed dating thing has been a complete bust.
Rok has been the best date I've had,
and that says a lot.
- What kinda tattoo would you get?
- Maybe, like,
along my hip or something, I don't know.
- Oh, sassy ass.
A'ight, now this girl I can work with.
She's not Krystal wow,
but she's cute, and she likes me.
And for tonight, that might just be good enough.
You wanna get a drink?
Take your drink with you.
We tryna pop out, let's go, let's go.
This speed dating thing might just be
the ticket to getting my mojo back, baby.
Come on-- oh, [bleep].
[laughter]
The button...
- You look good, I'm glad you showed up.
- Alex, you being funny?
- Bro...
- Do you get it?
Well, well, well, guess who seems
to be changing his tune a little bit.
Maybe seeing me with other guys
ain't sitting well with old Alex.
This speed dating thing might've been just
what Alex needed to see what he's looking for
is right in front of him.
- I like you, like, a lot.
You wanna know how much?
- How much? - Too much to show you.
[indistinct chatter]
[laughter]
I mean, I know I said I wouldn't lead her on,
but I like her.
Do I want a girlfriend?
No, but hopefully,
we'll be on the same page going forward.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
- You gonna prove it? - Yeah.
[laughter]
- You're so annoying.
[Alex] Wait, anyone seen Rok?
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ They say pressure make diamonds ♪♪
♪♪ But I feel a lot of pressure on my back lately, yeah ♪♪
♪♪ And I wanna give up, but I gotta put ♪♪
♪♪ The world on my back, baby ♪♪
- I came in thinking finding a few artists,
and a shop, it was the only way to go.
But after meeting up with Daymond John's contact,
I realized this can go any way that me and Ted want it to go.
And this has inspired me to not only just
think outside the box,
[bleep] that, blow the box up.
- ♪♪ But I'm still applying pressure ♪♪
- And what came out of it?
- ♪♪ Your heart pump Kool-Aid ♪♪
♪♪ And mine pump D'usse ♪♪
♪♪ Please don't talk to me 'cause I been up two days ♪♪
- This big-ass mansion that we're about
to put these folks up in, and there's no limitations here.
[Ted] Now this is what I'm talking about.
- Me and Ted are gonna put these artists through it
to see who has the talent, fortitude,
and mother[bleep] swagger to join the "Black Ink Crew".
- ♪♪ Y'all had to adapt to the dark, I was shaped in it ♪♪
♪♪ I been through so much pain in my life, I should be atheist ♪♪
- What the [bleep] is this, bro?
- I got a house.
- This house is [bleep] crazy.
And moving the artists into it
is the first step to continuing the legacy
that we built for the past ten years.
♪♪♪♪
-♪♪ What you know about pressure? ♪♪
[Puma] Alright, let's move these guys in already.
- ♪♪ It's a whole lotta pressure ♪♪
- Yo! - Mother, I made it! [all cheering]
- Welcome! - It begins.
- You're gonna be working, you know what I'm saying,
but if you mess up, you will get booted out this house.
♪♪♪♪
- Sorry for the ones that are gonna get booted out,
but it ain't gonna be me.
- I got some great news,
the cookie store asked us to tattoo.
[all cheering]
But I'm only taking...
- What?
- We doin' a pop-up event over at Cookies.
- [sharp inhale] Cookies? - Yeah, that Cookies.
- Yeah? - I'm glad you excited,
because I need y'all to be there.
- I'm there, whatever you need.
- You're not needed. - Said who?
- Says me! - [bleep] my [bleep], Puma.
I don't give a [bleep] what's going on,
I'm talking about respect right now.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ MTV ♪♪