Reality series chronicling the daily operations and staff drama at an African American-owned and operated tattoo shop in Harlem, New York.
On the corner of 113th and Lennox, in the heart of Harlem, you'll find the Black Ink Crew and all of their crazy antics. While PR man Puma mysteriously loses his front tooth, Dutchess the Southern Belle settles into life in the big city and tries to get used to the scrutiny of her playful boss, Ceaser. Meanwhile, manager and front desk girl Alex gets into it with a Mixxxy (Black Ink groupie) over her choice of tattoo and Ceaser has just about had it with his employees who clearly don't respect his authority. After a hard night of partying, Ceaser arrives at his shop to find his staff AWOL. Alex and O'S**t are late so Cease is forced to call in other employees to help out. Puma arrives direct from the doctor's office; delivering some big news...a new, pint-size member of the Black Ink crew will be arriving shortly! When one of O'S**t's clients comes in with a messed up tattoo and Shit is still nowhere to be found, Cease struggles between being a tough boss and a loyal friend.
Ceaser is fed up with O'S**t's unprofessionalism and makes a decision that will send the Black Ink Crew spinning out of control. Puma receives shocking news while at a strip club and is forced to consider the tough changes he'll have to make as a new father. The girls do brunch and talk about walking in an upcoming fashion show. Alex is less than excited to be a part of the amateur event but promises Dutchess and Sassy she'll be by their sides. Dutchess has a high profile tattoo client test her skills and her patience. Alex and O'S**t get hot and heavy during a photo shoot and her attempt to get him back on Ceaser's good side goes terribly wrong at a Black Ink back yard party.
The aftermath of O'S**t's firing is starting to hit Ceaser where it hurts the most.in his pockets. Sassy is contemplates leaving the chaos of the shop for more stability in the corporate world. Outside of the shop Alex, Dutchess, and Sassy anticipate modeling in an upcoming fashion show. Puma discovers O'S**t's life has spiraled out of control with the biggest blow yet: losing his daughter and eviction from his apartment. Alex moves forward with her feelings for Ted, but at a cost to her friendship with Dutchess and Sassy.
Dutchess drives Ceaser to court where he may end up serving time in jail for owing back child support. Sassy takes a terrified Puma to get a new tooth. Cease confronts his baby mama for taking him to court. Dutchess reaps the benefits of walking in the fashion show and has her first go-see with Inked Magazine. Puma meets up with a still unemployed O'S**t who is about to lose daughter Lulu to his baby mama and be evicted from his apartment.
Black Ink throws a birthday party for Sassy that turns into an out of control Mixxxy bash and all hell breaks loose. Alex, Sassy and Dutchess have some girl time where Sassy and Dutchess confront Alex about getting mixed up with Ted. Alex gets jealous when Ted mixes with a Mixxxy and tries to get back at him by hitting on Ceaser. A jealous Dutchess finds out and goes ballistic, leaving Sassy to keep the peace. Black Ink's awning gets vandalized, creating more money problems for Ceaser who struggles with how to settle his child support debt and get the crew to Vegas for a big tattoo convention. Should he swallow his pride and hire O'S**t back?
The Black Ink Crew is heading to Vegas to be part of the biggest tattoo convention in the world. Alex has gone M.I.A. and the crew wonders if she is going to show up at all. Dutchess and Ceaser explore their evolving relationship but the trip is less than successful for the crew who half-ass their way through the convention, leaving Cease upset about the future of the shop and distrustful of his employees. O'S**t outshines everyone now that he has his job back and Dutchess and Sassy make the most of a huge photo shoot opportunity with Urban Ink Magazine.even though Alex (who set it up) is a no-show.
Post -Vegas, Ceaser is coming to terms with his feelings for Dutchess...despite all of the guys in the shop busting his chops about his upcoming trip to North Carolina to "meet the parents." Because of O'S**t's impressive performance in Vegas, Cease rewards him by putting him in charge of the shop while Cease is down South. Puma and Quanni are also taking a big step when they begin their search for an apartment and they have a discussion about their future as a family. Alex, who was a no-show in Vegas, is living her separate life away from the shop. She gets a surprise visit from Walt, who motivates her to make a visit to the shop to speak with Cease. But when she arrives at Black Ink, Dutchess also has a few things to say.
While Dutchess and Ceaser hit the road for the Dirty South, O'S**t is left in charge of the shop, and he has that s**t handled! Clients come in one after the other, and Black Ink is making more money that it has seen in ages. Down in North Carolina, Cease faces a guy's worst nightmare while meeting Dutchess's family. What began as a "small family dinner" turns into a huge family reunion and Cease has to face the fire with questions about marriage, kids, etc. His nightmare reaches a peak when Dutchess's dad takes a very hung over Cease to the gun range to ask what his intentions are with his daughter. When Cease's phone rings with an update from Harlem, he is surprised to hear that O'S**t's reign has come to an abrupt end.
Ceaser and Dutchess cut their trip short to pick up O'S**t from "The Barge," the New York City prison he has been locked up in for days. Though O'S**t's future as a free man is in question, the crew is hardly sympathetic, except for Cease who faces jail time himself. Alex and O'S**t face each other for the first time since the night he went to jail, but a heated argument pushes the two "friends" further apart. Alex also has a face-to-face with Teddy, who makes plain his vision of their future together.
When the Black Ink Crew decides to host a charity art show for local kids, Puma and Dutchess bump heads while planning the event. Ceaser sides with Dutchess, leaving the guys in the shop to question his loyalty and business sense. In the wake of their dinner date, Alex confronts Ted about their romantic future and is devastated by his reaction. Sassy decides to sit down with Alex to try and get the real story behind her relationships with the men of the shop and leaves even more frustrated than she was before. Ceaser questions Dutchess's dual-roles as girlfriend and employee and wonders if both relationships can survive.
Dutchess reveals a secret to Ceaser that she has kept to herself for weeks. O'Sh**t's bail bondsman comes to the shop to see S**t for some serious business...a tattoo cover up. Puma shocks Sassy with some big news about him and Quanni. Ted drops a bomb on Cease about a pregnant mixxxy. Walt and Alex's friendship grows when they meet up for dinner and Alex learns about Walt's sad past. A "celebrity" client comes in for a tattoo from Dutchess on a very interesting body part. Dutchess drives Ceaser to court for his child support hearing and a terrified Cease contemplates life behind bars.
Dutchess makes a peace offering at the shop, apologizing for her bad behavior over the past few weeks and filling everyone in on her heart condition. Alex confides in her old tattoo artist about her frustrations with the crew at Black Ink. When Ted's alleged child is born and the pictures, in fact, look a lot like Ted, Sassy and Ceaser put the pressure on Ted to get a paternity test. Walt meets up with his new muse, Alex, for a photoshoot, and an angry Cease catches them hanging out at the shop. With his impending court date looming, O'S**t becomes more emotional about the possibility of being locked up and Cease is given an ultimatum by the Family Court judge...come up with the 2K you owe your baby mama by two o'clock or go directly to jail.
When "Mommy", the woman who brought Ceaser up in the tattoo world, comes to the shop for a memorial tattoo from Cease, she has some strong opinions about Cease and Dutchess's relationship. Dutchess and Cease visit a trainer to try and get Dutchess's heart health in check. Coley and Lulu arrive to support O'S**t in the days leading up to his indictment, and S**t gets emotional at the thought of a future behind bars and away from Lulu. Ted receives the test results from the DNA lab and is left asking some serious questions about his future. Alex and Dutchess finally meet face to face. Puma pops the question to Quani, causing a hesitant Cease to feel the pressure of commitment. Dutchess finally tattoos Cease, but both he and Dutchess continue to have second thoughts about their relationship. Kaylin, Coley and Puma join S**t at Bronx Criminal Court on the day of his hearing.
