- I'm facing some felony charges. - He allegedly arranged for three kilos of cocaine
to be shipped to the post office box
owned by his friend and co-defendant
Tatiana Ritter.
- This is a setback for me,
but I don't want it to be
a setback for what we've been building.
- Right now, you need to be running it up
and trying to get everything in order as fast as you can.
- Yeah. - So that if something does happen,
at least you got something to come back to.
(Ceaser) I called Van to keep an eye
on the shop while I'm away in Atlanta.
- Welcome to Brooklyn, my (bleep).
(all cheering)
- What is the secret to get Ceaser
to open up a shop with you? You know I'm trying
to open up a shop. (laughing)
- What I want y'all to get out of this deadass garden
is a peace of mind.
- I'm just gonna move my (bleep) out and just figure it out.
- You gonna leave? - Yeah.
So when you acknowledging my feelings?
- I always acknowledge-- - No, there was no acknowledging
my feelings, you just told me I didn't give a (bleep).
- So then leave me the (bleep) alone then.
- I am, I am. - You never see nothing wrong
with the (bleep) you be doing.
♪♪♪♪
(dramatic sting)
(Suzette) You're a provider, that's all you (bleep) do.
You have to acknowledge how the (bleep) I feel.
I-- you don't ha--
(Ceaser) So when you acknowledging my feelings?
- I always...
(Ceaser) Sometimes no matter how much
you love a person, it isn't enough
to keep the relationship going.
I thought I found the one, but the more I gave,
the more I realized it wasn't meant to be.
- ♪♪ Sometimes I gotta slow down (slow down) ♪♪
♪♪ Take a minute, dog ♪♪
- The one person that could've said, yo,
baby, it'll be a'ight, didn't, was mad at me...
- Don't sit here and say I didn't care about
what you was going through when I tried to be there...
(Ceaser) So I packed my bags and moved back to New York
'cause my devotion needs to be to Black Ink.
Honestly, it's the closest thing I have to a wife.
- ♪♪ And what happened, you forgot who you were ♪♪
♪♪ Lost track of the time and got lost in the blur ♪♪
- I always dreamed about opening a shop
in every state across the United States,
but I lost focus because of life distractions.
So the first order of business
is get all the shops up and running.
And the first one up is Milwaukee.
- ♪♪ And now you back where you started from ♪♪
♪♪ Can't breathe now you ain't got a lung ♪♪
♪♪ Nothing can pay for the respect that I see ♪♪
♪♪ Take it day by day and just breathe ♪♪
♪♪ Everything is alright ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- It's a new day.
Matter of fact, it's a better day.
I said it before, I'ma say it again.
If this is the price of success, (bleep) it,
I'll pay it in cash.
♪♪♪♪
It's time to get everything back on track.
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ Can't stop or hold us down ♪♪
♪♪ Want it all gonna take that crown ♪♪
(Spyder) My client is running late today,
so feel like a perfect time for
one of my world famous commercials to help
promote the shop. - Okay, my boy.
What you got in mind? - Are you guys familiar
with... "Jeaser"?
(music sting)
(overlapping chatter, bleeps)
- Don't tell me that supposed to be Ceas.
- This is Jeas.
Designed by yours truly.
When Ceas ain't around to make
the big shots and the big decisions,
we got this (bleep) down pat, trust me.
This mascot head is one of the keys
to the future for Black Ink.
- Who's filming this commercial?
- You. Yes. - Me?
- Who's wearing the mask?
- One of our illustrious apprentices, Khylah,
- I'm not getting in that. Nope, mm-mmm.
- Look!
Hold on, okay, come on, help me out here.
(laughing)
(Alex) This Ceaser mask head
is very scary and disturbing.
- Yo, yo, yo, yo, what's up?
It's your boy, international Spyder.
I got your boy Jeaser right here.
Jeas is in the building.
So-- no, you don't gotta see, don't worry about it.
So you're sitting at home, you're wondering what
can I do today, you want a tattoo, don't you?
Where do you go for this tattoo? - Where do I go?
- Black Ink, that's where.
Come and see the guys here.
Me-- pan to the left--
Van Johnson, Khylah, she's here.
And we got... - Front door.
- Oh, um...
Ceas!
♪♪♪♪
- Um, what the hell is this?
- We-- we doin' a commercial right now.
(music sting)
- Where the (bleep) is Ted and Puma
allowing this dumb (bleep) going on?
Take that (bleep) head off.
(Spyder) This is some bull(bleep).
I would've thought that Ceas would've been into
this commercial and laughed this (bleep), whatever.
But I don't see no smile, so I guess (bleep) ain't funny.
- I hate the lip, I don't even do that lip.
- You do do that.
(Ceaser) Where the (bleep) is Teddy and Puma at?
This is the type of (bleep) I lose sleep over.
How the (bleep) am I expanding an empire if all my soldiers
are drunk?
(sighs) Alright, so...
As y'all know, we trying to build.
This is a growing company, we need receptionist,
we need cleanup people, and we need some tattoo artists.
You know what I mean? We can't open up
other tattoo shops when we ain't got all that.
So now that I'm back in New York for good,
I wanna recruit a couple of new bloods.
- Really?
- All I have been trying to do for this whole year
was expanding Black Ink,
taking Black Ink everywhere.
Every time I turn around,
my life drama keep getting in the (bleep) way.
Van, Alex, and Spyder,
I'ma give y'all the opportunity
to interview the couple of new bloods.
- I've never let you down.
(laughter) Tell me one time!
(blows) Yo, Ceas.
Now my gun is broke.
- That (bleep) look wild unprofessional.
Please explain to me why you couldn't pay
for a (bleep) bunch of parking tickets?
I just had to pay 1,350 to get your ass out.
So this is what we do in front of our customers?
(laughter)
- I retract that statement, never mind.
- Yeah, never mind is right, Alex.
I'm surprised you even here 'cause you ain't never here.
Matter of fact, you're this close
to joining Big Mama on the unemployment line.
As I was saying, y'all gonna figure out
who's the best candidate for the new Black Ink positions.
There's gonna be no flirting... - Hmm!
- There's-- - (bleep) you looking at me for?
(laughter) - I looked in that direction.
I ain't mean to, my neck hurt, you know what I mean?
- Goddamn, man, gimme a break.
A woman looks good, you know what I'm sayin'...
She looks good!
- So what would be the first question
you asked them?
- How long have you been working at
the position that you've applied for?
I am elite with coming up with interview questions.
Trust and believe.
- Um... mm, no.
- What?!
What was wrong with that?
(exhales)
- What's the lowest you'll work for?
- What?
- What attracted you to the position?
Th-- that's not a good one?
- This not a date, (bleep). - Alex?
- Can I get like, a lifeline or something?
- Phone a friend.
I wasn't serious, (bleep)!
- I was gonna find out the answer, bro.
- What makes you wanna be a part of the Black Ink brand?
- Boom, see? That's a good one.
Second question? Alex?
- How long have you been working
in the position that you're applying for?
- Uh, do you like tattoos?
- These (bleep) are high, okay?
Damn, man, you can't sit up here and leave me
with Dumb and Dumber over here, a'ight?
I mean, I'll take Jeas over these two.
(Ceaser) Mazel tov!
So, Van's in charge of the new hire committee.
- Please don't leave me in charge here.
- This is your committee right there.
Alright, you can report back to me at Van's barbeque.
(Van) I'm finna go back to Houston.
- ♪♪ I ain't even gonna lie ♪♪
♪♪ Only easy to achieve ♪♪
♪♪ How upset I'm gonna let me some... ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
(Tatti) What we got going on today?
- Ceaser hasn't answered any
of my text messages for these chairs.
I know you hit up Breezy.
- I hit up all of his assistants.
Like, yo, what's the word?
I'm not really showcasing my talents.
I've been here for four months already,
and I just feel like I'm doing basic-ass front desk work.
♪♪♪♪
I thought this opportunity was gonna be to show
what I was really worth, and I feel like I'm always
jumping through hoops to even get the lights on.
But on a brighter note, I bought light bulbs.
Literally.
You guys know that my goal
is to open up my own Black Ink by me in Long Island.
- So have you spoken to Ceaser about your next step?
- Girl, that is on the list of things to do.
I see what he invests, you know what I'm saying, here,
and it's like, to be a franchise,
you have to have the same paperwork,
same means of accounting, same everything in every shop.
And not just a picture of Ceaser.
(Ceaser) Get the (bleep) out my shop.
- If you're not willing to entertain me and let me
show you what I'm talking about, I have no choice
but to go elsewhere and move on.
Black Ink was supposed to help me elevate
my career as a business owner.
My intention with you is opening up another shop.
- You wanna make business moves, I see it, Tatti.
- I don't wanna get stuck running the front desk.
And even though my legal troubles could
potentially be a stumbling block,
I plan to have a conversation with Ceaser so we can
make sure that we still on the same page.
- With or without you, Ceaser. - Brrrap!
(Ceaser) Yo!
- What's up, sexy?
(laughter)
What's up, baby? Gimme a kiss.
- Speaking of not knowing...
- What, bitch? - I'm looking at
your Instagram and I'm like, wait,
you gonna have another baby?
(Alex) Today, we're gonna be doing an interview
at Black Ink Brooklyn.
- How long can you work without a lunch break?
(woman) I'm not a tattoo artist,
but I do have a little lingerie business on the side.
- Really? - What the hell?
If Alex feels some type of way about me,
why he ain't just say it?
This mother(bleep) put "you buggin'"?
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ I'm ever thankful ♪♪
♪♪ Patient, faithful to God ♪♪
♪♪ Thank you for having my back ♪♪
♪♪ I know you see these broken hearts ♪♪
♪♪ And you healing that ♪♪
♪♪ I know you see these broken hearts ♪♪
♪♪ And you healing that ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
- Goddamn!
What's up, sexy?
(laughter)
What's up, baby? Gimme a kiss.
- I have a new boyfriend now, Jay.
I've been with him for two months,
but I kinda kept this a secret because
I just wanted to make sure this was it.
Baby, what's all this?
- What you mean, you ain't worth all of this?
- I was in a relationship with Rob a couple of years,
and I thought I found my family.
- I love you, Young Bae. - I love you too.
- Will you marry me? - Yes!
- But it ended badly.
I've been trying my hardest to make this marriage work,
but Rob don't seem like he cares anymore.
After that, I wasn't really trying to be in a relationship
or date at all, like,
I was just happy being alone
and just being Niko's mom.
But then I met Jay, eventually he wore me down.
- First meeting you, you know I fell in love, right?
- You know, you're pushy.
Like, "you're gonna be my wife,
you gonna be my this, you gonna be my that."
I was like... - And what happened?
- None of that yet.
(laughter)
None of that.
My mind changed when, um,
you came to my shop and we started talking.
- And then we made out in your shop.
I got a little... - Oh my God.
- We been together for a little minute now.
- Baby, two months ain't long at all.
- I can't wait to get you pregnant again.
- Oh, my God!
- I don't know, I just knew I was in love already.
- You know, after Rob, I didn't date anybody.
I just didn't want that. - Right.
- 'Cause I didn't want a broken family for my son.
Niko is my world, and Niko always comes first.
That's my son.
(speaking Korean)
So I have to consider Niko when picking a boyfriend.
Fortunately, Jay is great with Niko.
- Being with you I knew was so much risk,
and I knew it was gonna cause an issue.
I knew that me being in love with you
and you falling for me would make a lot of people upset.
- I didn't want you to get in trouble
'cause of your job, 'cause you're a producer
on the show. - I was.
- Jay was a producer on the show,
and we tried to hide our relationship.
But once everybody found out,
Jay lost his job.
- I made the post or whatever.
I really honestly didn't think it'd happen that fast.
- Right. - I mean--
- 'Cause it happened that night.
(Tatti) And Jay is (bleep) Bae.
♪♪♪♪
- Business, pleasure.
Never (bleep) works.
- Find love in the strangest places, right?
- I don't know, man.
I got my own problems, you feel me?
- It's weird, it's weird.
- I don't even regret it,
it's the best decision of my life.
I'm willing to catch any smoke when it come to you.
- I don't know why, you know, I come with the smoke.
I also know I'm a little crazy.
But you know what I say,
if you ain't crazy, you (bleep) back.
(laughter)
- That's what makes my (bleep).
- I know it sounds crazy,
but ever since we kissed for the first time,
we've never really been apart.
- Ain't your mom getting ready to come?
- Yeah, you know, I haven't seen her in two years.
- (bleep), how long is she staying?
- Two weeks.
- Does she know we live together?
- Um...
She could get to know that
when she gets here. (laughter)
- (whispering) Where we gonna have sex at?
- She's an older lady, she's gonna sleep.
- Your mom gonna hear me... (clapping)
(laughter)
- Alright, so we gonna have to figure it out.
- I ain't gonna lie to you. - Mm-hmm.
- I am nervous. - I'm just so glad
that she don't speak English
and you don't speak Korean.
- You think she gonna like me?
- My mom always has the strongest opinions
when it comes to who I date.
(speaking Korean)
But I have to hope she will like Jay.
She hopes that you're the man
that she been praying for
for me. - Mm-hmm.
- So you just have to prove it.
(laughter)
- ♪♪ Baby, I'm coming home ♪♪
♪♪ Home, home ♪♪
♪♪ So keep those fires warm ♪♪
♪♪ Warm, warm ♪♪
(Puma) Yerrp!
Bed-Stuy!
(Ted) Yo, he got big as (bleep).
- Yeah, I know.
What the (bleep) you feeding him?
- I'm keeping Kimchi away from you.
- Yeah.
- I called Ted and Puma over here to get them
all on the same page.
When I got to Brooklyn, neither of them was there
and the crew was just goofing off.
I gotta make sure they remember Black Ink
is their first priority.
- What's going on?
- I had that talk with Suzette.
That (bleep) went left.
♪♪♪♪
But that's neither here nor there.
A lotta things ain't going right with me and her,
and then a lot of things ain't going right with the business.
I can't afford to lose both of them.
I need to concentrate on Black Ink right now.
This is always my first woman, this is my wife.
- Is this what you really want?
- Best option for me is to be single.
- Oh, man, that means Gucci fishnet Ceaser.
♪♪♪♪
Single Ceaser is kind of a thing.
It gets really (bleep) weird, you know what I'm saying?
It's not some normal (bleep) to deal with.
- So what I miss? Tell me, keep me up to date,
I've been in Atlanta for a little while.
- Alex built an equilibrium in the backyard.
(buzzer)
- I want everybody to come back here
and practice they equanimity.
- It's basically a smoke spot.
- Yo, I haven't seen this mother(bleep) Alex
tattooing the whole month, but he got time to garden?
Like, what the (bleep)?
Alright, what else?
- I went glamping with my family.
I took 'em out to Chace Village and (bleep).
- While I'm away dealing with personal stuff,
I left Puma in charge,
and he goes to Atlanta?
That don't even sound right.
How's Tatti been doing as the manager at 125th?
- She has her court dates and all that other stuff,
you know what I'm saying, so...
- After I started reading the press and all that (bleep)
about what's going on with her...
- He allegedly arranged for three kilos of cocaine
to be shipped from Puerto Rico to the post office box
owned by his friend and co-defendant Tatiana Ritter.
- ...I really don't see how
Tatti's gonna get around this (bleep).
- Alright, so just in case she does get caught up
by the Federales, is there like
a backup plan that you got, though?
- I made a contingency plan for almost everybody,
including y'all. In case y'all (bleep) up,
I will go take care of them shops.
(Puma) Whoa, whoa, whoa, Ceaser.
I get it, man, you got stuff going on in your family,
your relationship, and you wanna focus on the business.
But, bruh, don't bite our heads off too, man, sheesh.
- There's no reason why Van got Houston
before you got Milwaukee open.
When Van asked me about opening up Black Ink Houston,
in three weeks, he had a whole functional shop.
And we not even gonna talk about Teddy
'cause this shop been sitting around for a year and a half
and nothing has happened but cobwebs.
And plus, not only did Van get his shop up and running,
this mother(bleep) had enough time to install
a shark tank!
He's making shark tank money down there.
You got (bleep) going on?
- I've been busy working on music (bleep).
- Yeah, you need to get Milwaukee open
before all that other (bleep), yo.
- Here we go with this (bleep) again.
Ceaser always get like this after a breakup.
So I'ma just get low and go to Milwaukee.
- If y'all don't pick up the slack,
I'ma pick it up for you and I'ma clip your ass, yo.
I only can rely on myself at this point.
If these two that I relied and trust on to run my shops
can't get it done, (bleep) it,
I'll replace them too.
Any (bleep) putting in right now,
we gonna have to get rid of them.
- I would be more fulfilled
if I could open up a Black Ink Long Island.
- My biggest withdrawal with everything is your case.
(bleep) don't regularly beat that type of (bleep).
There's four bosses here.
We (bleep) gotta get (bleep) together.
Y'all mother(bleep) ain't
dedicated to this (bleep) right here.
- The whole Black Ink thing, that's your dream, bro.
- ♪♪ Walk how I walk, they can't do that ♪♪
- ♪♪ Talk how I talk, they can't do that ♪♪
- ♪♪ Move how I move, they can't do that ♪♪
(Alex) The applicants are gonna be here in a minute.
- We gotta set up for this (bleep).
- Table, chairs...
- And we the judges. - And we the judges.
- Ceas put me in charge of interviewing
a few people that wanna work at the Black Ink franchise
because I did such a hell of a job with hiring people
at the Black Ink Houston franchise.
So Alex invited his boy over,
I invited a couple of ladies to bring in.
I mean, don't worry, Ceas, I got your back.
We need a test run too. Lemme hear this (bleep).
What's gonna come out y'all mouth?
- Okay, (bleep).
How long can you work without a lunch break?
(laughter)
- You know what, I'ma do-- I'ma do most of the questions.
I'ma ask most of the questions.
I'm looking for some good talent,
I'm looking for some good people to come in, great energy.
The only people that I'm really worried about right now
is (bleep) Alex and my homeboy Spyder, man.
So y'all remember what Ceas said, right?
No crazy questions. - Mm-hmm.
- And keep me focused,
'cause Ceas told me not to flirt.
(laughter)
- If you need me to bail you out,
this is the bail out pen.
I'm gonna be your backup. - My man.
- The boss told me I gotta keep my eyes on Van
with the whole little flirty flirt thing.
So we got the bail out pen next to him
just in case I can come to his rescue one time
on my Spyder-man (bleep), you dig?
- Hello. - What's up?
- Hello, hello. - Hey!
(Alex) This my man JD. - Nice to meet you, bro.
- What's your name? - Massi.
- Massi? - Yeah, nice to meet you.
- I'm Van. - Bianca.
- Van, nice to meet you. - B with the tats.
- Have a seat, what's going on, brother?
- Pleasure, Van.
- We should hire him right now.
- Oh, yeah, huh, Khylah? So you like what you see?
Van, gimme that bail out pen.
- So how long have you been tattooing?
- Only two years. - 12 years.
- 12? - Yeah.
- I'm not a tattoo artist,
but I could be the receptionist.
I could be an assistant, I could do anything.
- Can you swim?
- Yeah.
- Do you eat sea moss?
- No.
- I don't know what the (bleep) sea moss have to do
with a tattoo.
- You've been a receptionist. - Yes.
I do have a little lingerie business on the side.
- Really?
- Just a little business on the side that I have, you know?
I do pretty well. - Hmm.
I'm not (bleep) flirting, okay?
I'm very professional.
You know what, I'm gonna take your information.
Very.
So, um, what's your availability?
- Very available, yeah.
- Hmm, I think that you may be a perfect fit.
(laughter)
You made it to the next round.
I think you made it to the next round.
(overlapping chatter)
- I think so. - Today was a major success.
I look forward to doing more of these.
- Bye, JB. Bye! - She got the-- (bleep).
- You like that (bleep), don't you?
- Well, you got her number. - Massi?
Yeah, I got her number 'cause it's--
I gotta show Ceas what the (bleep)--
(laughter) - Yo, you're full of (bleep).
- ♪♪ I ain't got time for naysayers ♪♪
♪♪ But they coming for my spot ♪♪
♪♪ I'ma game changer ♪♪
♪♪ I gotta keep moving ♪♪
♪♪ Even if they think I'm crazy ♪♪
♪♪ It's blood sweat and tears I been giving lately ♪♪
- Sup, y'all? - Yerrp!
- Oh, sensei.
- This looks nice, this looks nice.
- You like? - Oh yeah, Tatti,
put that elbow grease in.
- Ceaser seems to be in a great mood,
and he realizes all the hard work
that I've put into 125th,
so now seems like a great time to talk to him
about expanding Black Ink to Long Island.
- On, off. On, off.
You gotta do it in a circle like Mr. Miyagi, yeah.
This (bleep) is looking amazing.
I knew bringing Tatti to 125th
was the best idea I ever had.
So now that, um, I'm back in New York...
- Like you're moving up here, or like you're just gonna
hang out for a while? - No, I'm moving back home.
- So does that mean you'll have some time
to sit and talk with me?
- Mmm, yeah, we can have a conversation
whenever you want, Tatti.
- I know I have a lot of baggage right now
with my legal situation, but I'm hoping Ceaser sees
that what I bring to Black Ink outweighs that.
- So, Tatti, what you wanna talk to me about, man,
you got my ear, what's up?
- I wanna talk to you about my growth
in this company.
Fact of the matter is
I feel like I'm running a front desk.
So I would be more fulfilled
and you would be more fulfilled
if I could open up a Black Ink Long Island.
- I don't have a problem expanding with you.
My biggest withdrawal with everything
is your case.
(bleep) don't regularly beat that type of (bleep).
And I'm not putting nothing against you
but I need to basically know that Tatti's not gonna go away.
- So then I have to plan the rest of my life
as if I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow?
- Until this case is settled, yeah.
Once that (bleep) is clear, a'ight,
and if it's not, you gotta do some time,
a'ight, when you come out we revisit this.
- It's hard for me to want to continue to invest my time
when, like you said, I don't know what's gonna happen.
I cannot express to you how (bleep) frustrating it is
to have something that I have no control
in the situation dictate my future.
I don't know if I can continue working here
if it's not gonna get me where I wanna be career-wise.
- I know this is hard for you, Tatti.
Know what I mean? But listen,
whenever you wanna talk to me again
or wanna revisit this (bleep)
and you have that situation under wraps,
'cause I know you going to, we can.
Tatti is a great asset to Black Ink.
I know she can run a shop.
But honestly, I'd be a reckless businessman
if I give her a shop knowing she might be going away for years.
Alright? - I appreciate you.
- Come on, gimme a hug?
I ain't trying to be no ass(bleep).
Oh, everybody's here, what's up with y'all?
I gotta clean house.
I gotta get rid of this dead weight.
(Puma) Is somebody about to get fired?
♪♪♪♪
- ♪♪ I do more than I should, that's right ♪♪
♪♪ I bet you wish that you could ♪♪
♪♪ I say it out loud I speak my mind out ♪♪
♪♪ Your girl will find out, don't need a reason ♪♪
(trainer) Let's go.
There you go, press.
All weight to the center, rep that (bleep).
- I work out at least five times a week,
'cause it distract me from the stuff
that I can't control, like family and friends.
Plus, I look good.
- Hey, yo, Ceas, man.
You getting wild alerts from some (bleep)
that sending hella messages, bro.
- Let me see.
What the hell is this?
What the hell?
You know Donna's boyfriend?
So somebody must have commented in his comments
talking about "Watching your growth,
glad you found someone like Ceaser for real for real."
This mother(bleep) put,
"I appreciate the first part,
but the second part you buggin'?"
Alex ain't never at the shop, and when he is here,
he wants to play in the backyard
or make commercials I ain't even ask for.
I was doing his ass a favor by not firing him,
and he wanna do this (bleep) behind my back?
Bro, homie in front of my face,
he be, "Ceaser, Ceaser, I love you",
and then this (bleep) behind my back?
- Nah, that's what these (bleep) do, cuz.
(bleep) that negative goofy-ass energy, man.
- I just went off on Ted and Puma,
now I gotta go off on this mother(bleep) Alex.
I can't just ignore this.
This some dumb (bleep).
- ♪♪ They can't stand the smile on my face ♪♪
♪♪ Homewrecker and I'm taking your place ♪♪
♪♪ And you know I ain't playin' ♪♪
♪♪ I'm taking what is mine ♪♪
♪♪ I'm taking what is mine ♪♪♪♪
- Oh. - I'm glad that actually
it's just me and you right now,
'cause I've been meaning to talk to you.
- What is it?
- You got a boyfriend or something?
- Yeah. - You didn't tell me!
- It just happened, and it happened so quick.
- I'm just hella surprised...
- Right, and you know how Jay is.
- I was so (bleep) surprised!
I had heard some rumors that Bae and Jay
may have had something going on,
and come to find out, it's true.
I'm genuinely happy for you.
- He got fired for it and everything.
- Oh, he did?
- I knew it's a matter of time
that my friends would start asking,
but I'm not trying to keep it a secret.
Jay already got fired.
- You gonna have another baby?
- Can you shut your mouth?
- 2023, you're gonna be knocked up again.
(laughter) You hear what I'm saying?
So, good (bleep).
- So what's been going on with you?
- The other day I had a conversation with Ceaser.
- Uh-huh. - As far as like,
you know I wanna open up my own shop, right?
But Ceaser pretty much told me
as long as I have these cases open,
he's not willing to like, open up a shop with me.
- I wouldn't be opening up a business with somebody
who got a case open,
'cause anything could happen to that person.
Why would I spend my money, spend my time to open up
a business, like, that makes no sense.
I mean, I guess as a business owner,
it makes sense. - Yeah, no.
I know I have a lot of (bleep)
going on in my life, but I also like,
can't allow myself to only stay focused
on the worst part of my life right now.
I have no desire to sit around
and wonder what if.
I have every intention of continuing to push forward
and sticking with the people that support me.
Let's go, girl, I'm getting eaten up back here.
- I know, let's go. Oh, God.
Let's go do this, Tatti.
- There's too many mosquitoes back there.
OD. - That's crazy.
- Yo, so I been reminiscing, right?
- What?
- On like, all these old pictures.
- Oh, my God.
- I would love to have a conversation with this girl.
- What do you wanna tell her?
- If I had the opportunity to go back to give
my younger self some advice,
I would definitely tell her
it's just important to be more open
because you never know who can relate
to what you're dealing with.
You know, I think we all try to figure it out on our own,
but everything is a lesson or a blessing.
And so that's what I was thinking about
when I came up with this design.
How dope is that?
- Oh, my God, that's so cute.
- The whole tattoo is a reminder
to just like, stay loving myself,
and like, you know, I'ma get through this.
I would be honored if you could do this piece for me.
- It means a lot to me too.
Let's do it.
- ♪♪ My future's brighter ♪♪
♪♪ Nuh bother with the lighter ♪♪
♪♪ Ancestor Naija ♪♪
♪♪ Look at what he's done, done, done ♪♪
♪♪ Look at what I’ve overcome ♪♪
(Tatti) This tattoo just reminds me
that we all have the opportunity to change and do better
and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.
I'm just gonna continue to do better.
- ♪♪ One of a kind I'm special ♪♪
♪♪ Lives in me residential ♪♪
♪♪ Sometimes I forget though ♪♪
♪♪ I still need you to pray for me yeah ♪♪
- I don't know what the outcome of my case
is gonna be, and it may take years to resolve,
but I know that I can't just sit here waiting
to figure out what direction my life is gonna head in.
So I gotta do what's best for myself,
and that might mean moving on from Black Ink.
- ♪♪ Tell him keep me from that evil eye ♪♪
♪♪♪♪
♪♪ From that evil eye ♪♪♪♪
- I'm done.
(sighing)
- Whoo!
Wow, girl, it's perfect.
This is a good reminder to just, you know,
stay positive and know that every time I look in the mirror
to love myself. Thanks, Bae.
- You're welcome. - I appreciate it.
- Let's get you wrapped up.
- I'm looking on social media and it's like,
if Alex feels some type of way about me,
why he ain't just say it?
We can't just keep smiling in each other's faces, you feel me?
♪♪ Tell him keep me from that evil eye ♪♪
- ♪♪ When we on the floor, man, the club come alive ♪♪
♪♪ Err'body need a little fun in they life ♪♪
♪♪ I don't even mind, come along for the ride... ♪♪
- Yo.
(all exclaiming)
- Oh, everybody's here. What's up with y'all?
Ohh!
(Puma) Is somebody about to get fired?
- No one's fired, why somebody gotta get fired?
- You're too happy.
- Why wouldn't I be happy?
I got Van in the backyard
cooking up some amazing barbeque,
and I ain't got no tattoo artists
talking (bleep) behind my back
or co-owners not doing they job.
Like I said, I'm completely (bleep) happy.
Alex, you good?
- Straight, bro.
- There we go.
I know you two are good,
y'all just guys are smiling over there.
Look at you. - Oh.
I don't know why Ceaser's coming in here
so goddamn chipper.
He looks like he's about to fire somebody.
I don't know if he's still mad at me and Ted.
Is he?
(knocking) - Yo, yo.
- My boy.
- Whew, somebody just got saved by the grill.
- Not the Grillfather. (laughter)
- I've been received with open arms
in Brooklyn, know what I'm saying?
I used to barbeque literally all the time
back in Chicago.
- Do it! ♪♪ Yeah, yeah ♪♪
- The least I could do is put some food
in these people's bellies, man.
I wanna bring y'all into the, um...
- "Equanimical" garden. (buzzer)
- The equilibrium. (buzzer)
- Equanimity. (ding)
- Thank you, my brother. Yeah!
- Look at all this!
- That (bleep) look crazy.
- Chef Boyar-homeboy.
I don't know what you did with this right here, sir.
It's about to keep you around
a little longer, I don't know.
Maybe we could open up a shop--
half shop, half rib shack,
because the way you cookin' up, boy,
like, you don't even need this tattoo (bleep) no more.
- I don't know what you did, this (bleep) good.
(chuckles)
- Salad and (bleep)?
- Yeah, look, there's French fries.
But listen, I'm, uh, glad you came over here.
- What's up? - So regarding
the conversation we had the other day,
I put a lot of thought into it,
and I don't know how to really stay still.
And if I can't move in the direction
that I really wanna move in,
I'll start like, only focusing on the case.
So I wanna keep moving. - What you mean?
- I don't know how to put this...
- This is sounding like an "I quit" conversation,
and nobody at Black Ink quit, they get fired.
- As upset as I am, I understand.
And you are right.
I don't wanna think about it,
but the reality is I do have to think about it,
and let reality really hit.
So for now, I just need to slow down
and spend some time focusing on
the work I do now for the shop.
I don't know what the future will hold,
but Black Ink feels like a good fit for me right now.
It gives me stability in such an uncertain time.
I have a ton of ideas on how to build and expand the franchise,
so even though Ceaser cannot guarantee me a spot
in Black Ink as a business owner in the future,
I'm still gonna keep pushing forward.
But believe me, as soon as this case is settled,
we will most definitely be revisiting
the Black Ink Long Island conversation.
I appreciate you, you know, supporting me regardless.
- Course, you wanna be a little Beyoncé,
go ahead, Beyoncé, bang, women empowerment.
Thank God Tatti ain't quit.
I have enough people around here
not pulling they own damn weight.
The last thing I need is the one person
who's doing a hell of a job
to get up and leave.
- What if I make this into a steak burger?
Oww. (whistles)
Nobody copy my idea.
- Team, what's shakin', what's shakin', what's shakin'?
I got some people I want you to meet.
- These are the three interviewees.
(Ceaser) How y'all doing?
(overlapping chatter)
- Can I see? - Yeah.
- Bianca has been tattooing for two years.
- Two years.
- Two years? What the (bleep)?
That's good enough to bring her for another interview?
Tell me about her, do I have to interview her myself?
- She can swim.
(laughter)
- You're off the committee.
- Van was there to, you know,
supervise everything. - Van?
- The boss man don't seem too impressed so far,
but hey, I'm just an artist.
I'm not in charge and I wasn't in charge, right, Van?
- Van, tell me about these interviewees.
- Your name JB, right?
I took a liking to JB, his work, his realism.
This young lady right here is very hungry.
From her first pictures all the way till the end,
you see a lot of growth.
The reason I chose Massi,
she's looking to do like,
you know, front desk, receptionist type of deal.
- I'm a boss already.
Like, I have a lingerie business.
- Now I know why Van picked her.
None of these guys are impressive.
How the hell am I gonna expand
if this is the talent that's coming in?
Clearly before I can take on anyone new,
I gotta clean house.
I gotta get rid of this dead weight.
(Young Bae) You looking for somebody like me?
- (bleep) no.
(laughter)
Thank you all for coming out, enjoy some food.
Y'all have given me a lot to think about.
- Oh yeah, this steak. Ha! The steak got it.
- I can't even enjoy this barbeque right now.
I let my personal life affect my business,
and it's all (bleep) up.
Somebody's gonna have to pay.
- I have absolutely no idea what Cease
wants to talk to me about.
- I'm not gonna act one way in front of you
and then talk about you behind, know what I mean?
But I'm looking on social media,
and it's like, if Alex feels some type of way about me,
why he ain't just say it?
I feel like that (bleep) right there was crazy.
My (bleep) is now, right, bro?
We can't just keep smiling in each other's faces, you feel me?
♪♪♪♪
- If Alex feels some type of way about me,
why he ain't just say it?
We can't just keep smiling in each other's faces, you feel me?
I know all too well how social media comments
can be blown up into something bigger
and affect real life.
(bleep), look what happened to Donna.
That stupid-ass post spelled the end of Donna's career,
and it look like her stupid-ass boyfriend is doing
the same stupid (bleep) too.
Now, the only reason why I picked it up
'cause (bleep) "ated" me.
- That wasn't me being disrespectful.
It's just I didn't like the way (bleep) worded it.
What I took from that was Ceas made me who I am,
and that's not the case.
I made myself who I am, Ceas helped along the way.
- You gotta look at it like this, right?
We supposed to all be one,
we can't talk about each other like that,
not on no big platform like that.
- I understand where you coming from,
so I'll make sure I'm on the same type of page.
You see the power of equanimity?
Me and Ceas was able to talk it out
without even raising our voices at each other,
and it's all thanks to the deadass garden, deadass.
I appreciate you. - Alright, bro.
Yeah, I hear you, Alex, but I don't trust
mother(bleep) who talk behind people's backs.
But right now, I got bigger issues to deal with.
A'ight, listen, only reason why I'm sitting here talking
to y'all about this (bleep) situation right now,
because it's not Spyder and Alex job to find new recruits.
There's four bosses here.
We (bleep) gotta get (bleep) together, bro.
When we was all dead broke and (bleep) up,
Black Ink was all our dreams.
Black Ink was to get us the (bleep) out the hood.
It feels like I'm carrying mother(bleep),
'cause y'all mother(bleep) ain't dedicated
to this (bleep) right here.
Like, one time, this was all our dreams, yo.
- Puma and I helped Ceas build
this brand from the ground up,
but that's his dream. What Ceaser really has
to understand is we can be loyal to Black Ink
and still pursue what we wanna do with out lives.
You know I'ma support you 1,000%,
this is something we wanted to do,
but at the end of the day, the whole Black Ink thing,
that's like, it's your dream, bro.
- But you planning for a future we don't know about.
Let's just plan for what we know.
(Puma) You been wilin' out lately, bro.
We can take care of Black Ink and other things.
- Maybe I lose sight of the bigger picture.
Ted and Puma are my day ones,
and they been holding me down since.
Maybe Puma's right.
I have been doing the most about Black Ink,
but right now that's all I got to focus on.
Please not-- let's not forget, we still got Black Ink.
- Absolutely. I know what Black Ink means to us.
The communication thing, we can definitely work on that
and figure out a schedule to where
we can all make our moves
but (bleep) in the shop is handled first.
- Alright. - A'ight.
- See, this is how a boss handles lieutenants.
He gives them enough freedom to spread they wing.
As long as he puts Black Ink first, though.
(sighs) Good talk, fellas.
I can finally eat.
- Wait, nobody got fired?
There must really be something to this equanimity (bleep).
or somebody getting fired.
- I feel like you boys have just been
doing way too mother(bleep) much.
So we gonna have a ladies night here.
No boys allowed. - Cheers to that.
- We should cleanse the shop real quick.
- Feel like I'm in a coven right now.
(Spyder) You know what, we should have
guys night out.
(stomach rumbling)
(Puma) Hey, yo, Rok, you a'ight?
- What he's doing in there, I don't know.
- Oh, Ma!
It feels so amazing to see my mom in person.
I just hope Jay and my mom will get along.
- I gotta go to Atlanta real quick
'cause I gotta pick up this movie that I did.
- A movie? I told him to get
Black Ink Milwaukee open.
- Next week I'm doing a premiere in the city.
I need y'all to be there.
(all exclaiming)
I've been waiting for this moment.
♪♪♪♪