BLACK INK CREW NY SEASON 10 RECAP: FINALE
By Sidra Lackey
Black Ink Crew New York episode 10, the season finale of season 10, shows a replay of Ceaser at the start of the season saying, “I came in wanting to build a legacy. This is for us, all Black tattoo artists. The next months are gonna make or break Black Ink and determine who’s gonna be here at the end.” Then he shares forebodingly: “The thing I learned over the last couple of months: Never take nothing for granted.”
The episode officially begins at Black Ink Brooklyn, where Puma and Ted are in charge at the shop. Puma is hilariously recapping the Orlando trip to the new crew members from Black Ink 125th who didn’t join them. Puma starts the story of Black Ink bootcamp off with, “It went down in Orlando! Tatti came in with her rawr rawr!” Meanwhile, Tatti is at her cousin’s house, seriously recapping the Orlando trip to him. She starts the story of Black Ink bootcamp with, “No one was excited to see me but Bae.” She says she wasn’t sure what happened when Young Bae threw the glass. Puma is animated in saying, “The Bronx came out of” Krystal and “ambo picked up Bae.” Tatti tells her cousin, “Maybe this needed to happen. I’m tired of proving myself.” Tatti’s cousin simply says, “F**k Black Ink.” Tatti says to producers off camera, “We think of Tatti and all the fights. What about the growth?” Tatti tells her cousin, “I know what I bring to the table.” Her cousin agrees telling her to “start new.”
Puma is skeptical that Ceaser fired anyone permanently. He says that Ceaser fired “two of the best artists” (Young Bae and Krystal) and he’s not going to be the one to beg them to come back. Then Draya and Nychelle enter Black Ink Brooklyn. Everyone is glad to see them. Nychelle says, “I’m optimistic.” Draya says, “I’m here for it.” Although she adds Black Ink’s energy seems “off” compared to the “peaceful” energy at her old shop, 9 Mag (aka Black Ink Chicago). Puma tells the two he’s glad they’re there and they are a “great addition to Black Ink.” Ceaser suddenly enters the shop. He looks at the luggage near the entrance and asks, “WTF?” Spyder jokes, “Don’t you remember the Spring cleaning?” Ted asks Ceaser frankly, “How fired are they?” Ceaser assures him, “I’m not with that s**t anymore” — firing artists then rehiring them. Puma randomly points out, “We lost Rok.” He explains Rok went MIA since Orlando. Ceaser is confused, asking, “How do you lose a grown ass man?”
Elsewhere, Young Bae is in New Jersey at Krystal’s shop Gods Of Ink. She is impressed before she even is inside remarking, “It’s a nice shop.” She goes inside saying, “knock knock” to greet Krystal, who is tattooing a client. Krystal looks up surprised to see Young Bae and asks exasperatedly, “Bae, why are you here?” Young Bae asks her if she can talk to her for a second. Krystal says that Young Bae coming is bringing her “back to the drama” but is willing to hear her out. She excuses herself to her client and she and Young Bae go off to talk. Young Bae has a bag with her and starts to pull out plastic cups. Krystal comments, “She’s a trip. Only Bae would bring a drink for apologizing for throwing a drink.” Young Bae tells Krystal she wasn’t trying to hurt anyone and the glass “slipped.” She admits it was “100% my fault.” She is remorseful saying, “My stupid ass action led to so many people losing their jobs.” Krystal asks her if she’s talked to Ceaser since their firing. Young Bae says she hasn’t. But if he calls her to come back to work at Black Ink she says,“I’ll come back.” Krystal says that Young Bae’s apology “counts for something” and that maybe everything that happened is a sign for her to stay with Gods Of Ink on her own with Rok.
Ted and Puma go to a cannabis shop to try to relax but also to “assess the damages” of the Orlando trip in Puma’s words. Ted seems scared and says, “it keeps giving me flashes of everything coming to an end.” Puma says the bar fight is, “much more damaging than everyone thinks” — that he expected more from Young Bae and Tatti and “they should know better.” Ted points out that between all nine shops, “there’s a lot of people and families that depend on Black Ink.” Puma says everyone needs to get on the same page. “We’re more than just some people who be fighting” he continues saying, and that “the girls set them back” by fighting. Puma says the situation is “horrible” and he doesn’t want to talk about it anymore, off camera to producers.
At Krystal and Rok’s apartment, Krystal tells Rok that Young Bae came into Gods Of Ink to apologize. Rok asks her how it went and Krystal tells him, “I respect Bae.” She says she was glad they talked and didn’t want to drag things out because “we’re here to tattoo.” Rok off camera says it’s “disappointing” that his contract with Gods Of Ink is terminated because of “girls fighting.” Krystal comes to the conclusion, “I have no need for Ceaser” and points out to Rok he still has his job at Black Ink. Rok does the right thing and stands by Krystal saying when Ceaser fired her, he fired him too because they’re a “package.” Krystal is very happy Rok picked her over Black Ink. Rok goes even further to further win over Krystal telling her, “I would pick you over air itself!”
Meanwhile, Draya and Nychelle meet up to talk to Tatti who has been working at a bar since her firing from Black Ink. Draya remarks, “Ceaser did her dirty with the firing.” Tatti says she’s “digested” everything that’s happened since Orlando and asks the girls how was the first day back. Nychelle says, “weird” when she wasn’t there. Draya says there was “missing feminine energy” and she was looking forward to working with her and Young Bae. Tatti tells them part of her wants to care but she doesn’t. Draya tells her, “do what’s best for you.” Tatti replies, “always.” The girls compliment Tatti on her “amazing” bartending skills after she makes them a drink. Tatti reveals she’s been bartending off and on since age 18. Draya also compliments Tatti’s “solid lines” she’s still learning as an apprentice. Tatti says she plans to continue being an apprentice despite her firing.
And then all the girl’s phones start buzzing with notifications. The girls are in shock when they see what they are sent. “That’s Ceaser…” and “I can’t watch this!” are their incredulous reactions.
At Spyder and his wife’s home, they are casually about to have wine when his phone starts to buzz. His wife asks, “what happened?” Spyder checks the message and says upset, “Something with Ceaser… abusing a dog. This ain’t good.”
Krystal and Rok are at home when they get the same message. Krystal asks, “What’s this?” Rok tells her it’s a video. Krystal is horrified as she watches saying, “OMG he kicked a dog!”
The voiceover of Hot 97’s popular host Angela Yee delivers the breaking news about what happened: “All over social media it’s trending. Ceaser of Black Ink was caught on a security camera abusing a dog. People have been sick to their stomachs since watching the video.”
Alex’s reaction watching the video is: “WTF?”
Bux’s reaction is: “WTF? Is this real?”
Young Bae’s reaction is, “Why? Why? This is crazy!”
At Black Ink Brooklyn, Puma and Ted talk about what happened with Ceaser. Puma exclaims, “What was he thinking? You don’t hit animals!” Ted shares the same sentiment and says that “everyone has seen it.” He says Ceaser was wrong for what he did, there’s no excuse for what he did, and since becoming a “dog father” he couldn’t imagine himself doing the sa thing.
Then Treiva Williams, Black Ink’s executive producer enters the shop and asks, “Where’s Ceaser?” Ted and Puma are clueless to where Ceaser is. Treiva says bluntly that they have a “s**t show” on their hands. She continues saying, “We’re in a f**ked up position” and how everyone is in jeopardy because the show could be done. Puma says the irony is how Ceaser kept going on about how, “we have to make sure the brand is good.” He says it is “mindblowing” what Ceaser did. And that everyone knew that violence could end the show but he didn’t think it would be “the face of the show.” Puma sadly admits, “After 10 years, I think it’s finally over.” Treiva tells the two that things were being “looked at and accessed.” But that filming is “paused” until further notice.
The next day, is a meeting with the entire Black Ink crew (sans Ceaser. Nychelle also is not present as she had other business to tend to) at the headquarters of VH1. Krystal says she feels “conflicted” because Ceaser supported her at the beginning of her career so she feels she has to support him. Draya tries to lighten the mood saying, the meeting room looks like a “classroom.” Alex says he just got a second home and Spyder reveals he just moved his family out of the projects. Vanity admits she doesn’t know what the outcome of the meeting will be but Black Ink has been a big part of her life. Tatti says Black Ink has played a huge role in her life and she is there to show support. Puma tells the crew there has been “no word” from Ceaser or the network and he has “no clue” what’s going on. He says, “Whatever happens, I’m gonna be here with my crew to see how this ends.” He asks the crew how they all feel about the video. Tatti says, “I don’t think exposing the video was right.” Draya on the other hand says, “I do not condone” the video and “I don’t want to be associated.” Ted agrees and says Ceaser was “1000% in the wrong.” Tatti surprisingly says, “it’s not fair to kick someone while they’re down.” Puma agrees and says Ceaser is “still human. He’s always gonna be my brother.” Young Bae jokes Ceaser is an “asshole with a good heart” but that she was surprised to see him on the video.
Treiva Williams walks into the room finally greeting them grimly with a, “Hello family.” She continues saying, “The last time I saw you we were in a bunch of bulls**t.” She tells them her first reaction when she saw the video was, “this ain’t good.” She then asks everyone how they are feeling genuinely. The crew throws out answers of: “Nervous” “anxious” and “all over the place.” Treiva shares that she has been in communication with Ceaser and he “continues to be very accountable.” But then she breaks the bad news: “The network decided to cut ties with him. Effective immediately.”
The crew is in a state of shock all over again. Krystal shouts, “Are you really going to cut him loose like that?” Treiva tells the crew, “This is the final episode of season 10 of Black Ink.” Young Bae asks in disbelief, “Is the show canceled?” Tatti says plainly, “I don’t see how there's Black Ink without Ceaser. Black Ink is Ceaser.” Alex becomes emotional and starts to cry as recounts how Black Ink changed his life for the better. Spyder thanks Treiva for the opportunity Black Ink gave him. Treiva tries to give the crew a pep talk to lift their spirits. She tells them “good can come out of this.” And that, “you guys are artists, creatives” and can “collectively rise up.”
Ted says, “This is crazy.”
Puma says, “This hurts. I’m not happy.”
Alex says, “It’s not fair.”
Spyder says, “Let’s have another meeting about this meeting!”
Young Bae is hopeful however and says, “I don’t think this is the end of Black Ink.”
Treiva ends the meeting with, “It’s a wrap on Black Ink” and leaves the room crying. But not before she tells them she’ll share more when she knows more. The crew starts to say their goodbyes to each other and start to take off their microphones. Puma tells the crew, “It was a pleasure guys.” Then asks no one in particular, “What the f**k is next?”
The final scene in the season finale episode of Black Ink Crew New York season 10 shows the crew reflecting on life after Black Ink Crew New York:
Alex says, “It’s devastating.”
Rok says, “It’s a lot” but “God got plans for all of us. Onto the future.”
Krystal says, “Everything happens for a reason” that the firing was a “blessing” and now she can put all her energy into Gods Of Ink.
Spyder says he “can’t fathom” not working at Black Ink anymore.
Draya says she’s learned, “s**t can happen in a New York minute” and she’s “kinda sad” losing the Black Ink NY family just as she was starting to get to know them.
Tatti says Black Ink was a “life changing” experience but nothing is going to stop her hustle, as she is shown tattooing as an apprentice.
Bux says, “I just became a tattoo artist. It hurts. Black Ink taught me a lot.”
Young Bae says that Black Ink was a big part of her life and what happened “hurts me.”
Ted says, “Ceaser will always be my family. But this can’t be the end.”
Ted and Puma talk via video and Ted tells him, “We need to step up to the plate.”
Puma agrees and says, “If not us, then who?” before taking off his microphone.