BLACK INK CREW NY SEASON 10 RECAP: THE LAST SUPPER
By Sidra Lackey
Black Ink Crew NY episode 4, season 10 starts off with Young Bae and Tatti in Manhattan, in Young Bae’s own shop, Diamond Tattoos. Young Bae asks to see the first tattoo Tatti did recently. Tatti shows it to Young Bae and says she’s proud of it. The tattoo is a blue rose, which Young Bae describes as “old school American style.” Young Bae tells Tatti she needs to practice more on paper and fake skin before she attempts anymore tattooing on human skin. She gives Tatti a drawing of hers to trace over. Tatti does it but it’s messy and Young Bae is disappointed. She tells Tatti to “perfect” her lines because when a future client asks for someone’s signature as a tattoo, her lines need to be literally perfect. Tatti practices on fake skin and it’s still not so great. She says one of her biggest fears is “messing up a tattoo.” She swears she’s going to practice more by watching tattooing videos and listening to Young Bae. “She’s not ready to tattoo nobody,” Young Bae says blankly on Tatti’s tattooing, off camera to producers.
Meanwhile, at Quani’s mother’s home, her mother asks Quani about her family’s life. Her mother tells her Quani’s happiness needs to come before anything so she can be good for her husband and kids. Quani agrees and suggests she may go to therapy. Her mother thinks that’s a good idea and admits she shouldn’t have sheltered Quani growing up. Quani agrees saying she was treated like a “princess.” She tells Quani she can’t save her anymore but she’ll always be there for her. Quani is grateful and thanks her mother for her advice.
At Black Ink Brooklyn, there is a ominous celebratory set up of food and drinks around the studio with Ceaser seated at a table. As the crew starts to come in, he tells a suspicious looking Spyder and Bux, “I let everybody eat” and that he’s a “generous boss.” As soon as Alex arrives and sees everything, he asks, “What in the last supper is going on?” Puma comes in and asks too, “What is this? The last supper?” Ted asks the exact same thing when he walks in. Ceaser tells everyone,
“it’s a symbol” of what he’s been going through and it’s not fair to him. Ceaser says outright about Krystal and Rok being MIA, “if they don’t want to bring s**t to the table” that he’ll replace them.
Krystal and Rok finally arrive and announce they are engaged. Everyone is happy for them and congratulating them except Ceaser. He asks them instead, “Where’s the ring?” Rok says he has to upgrade it to Krystal’s liking and it’s at a jewelry store. Puma jokes that the two walked into a wake, not a celebration. Krystal gets down to business with Ceaser and tells him she’s willing to partner with him and add Black Ink’s name onto Gods Of Ink’s name. Ceaser isn’t happy with that offer and says dismissively, “there’s a conflict of interest. If you ain’t Black Ink, what are you?” He does finally congratulate them but also tells them they need to get their act together.
After Ceaser leaves, Krystal immediately quits. She says she doesn’t have it in her to let Ceaser treat her that way and hopes her absence lets him know how important she is to Black Ink. She yells at Rok to do whatever he wants to do before she leaves.
Quani, meanwhile, goes to her first Reiki session. She honestly admits she’s not ready to go to a therapist yet but is open to other forms of healing. She tells her Reiki instructor about her anxiety and the instructor focuses on “clarity” for their first session. After the session, Quani says it was an interesting experience, it helped her and she’s motivated to see what happens next. Puma is at the park with their kids. He remarks, “they wasn’t lying when they said happy life, happy wife.” Rok calls him and says how shocked he was by Ceaser’s actions and he could have pulled him to the side. Puma tells Rok he’s trying to be a friend and help him but Rok has to see where Ceaser was coming from too. Rok asks him how can he come back from all that happened? Puma suggests having a meeting with Ceaser with a game plan and an actual plan to present to him. Puma admits off camera to producers, if it’s a smart idea for Ceaser to even go into business with Krystal and Rok.
Krystal heads to Black Ink 125th and has a talk with Vanity, the manager of the location. Vanity tells her that she shouldn’t feel undervalued but Ceaser doesn’t want to feel played either. Krystal swears she never steered a client away from Black Ink.
Back at Black Ink Brooklyn, Ceaser arrives and Tatti tells him that Krystal quit. Ceaser is actually surprised. He talks with the rest of the crew and thinks the solution is that Krystal should change the name of her and Rok’s shop or just keep it moving.
At Gods Of Ink in New Jersey, Rok tells producers he’s always been with Black Ink and Ceaser but “feels like a traitor” and doesn’t know what to choose: the job of his dreams or the girl of his dreams. He decides he has to have a conversation with Ceaser. He tattoos an alligator tattoo on a client who likens his personality to a gator, and the client is very satisfied with the outcome.
Meanwhile, Tatti and Young Bae visit a fertility clinic. Tatti says she’s considering motherhood but doesn’t know if it’s in her future, and wants to freeze her eggs just in case. Young Bae is a good friend and believes Tatti will be an “amazing mother.” Tatti meets with her doctor, with Young Bae in the room for support. The doctor admits Tatti’s eggs are “lower than average” but he’s still hopeful. The doctor explains the process of freezing one’s eggs but Young Bae wants to know the nitty gritty specifics. The doctor tells her that a needle is passed transvaginally into a woman’s body while she’s asleep to retrieve the eggs. But Young Bae still doesn’t seem to understand and gestures with a leg up. The doctor tells her she is correct and she and Tatti are both horrified. The doctor suggests Tatti think over the process. Tatti reflects on her life the past year saying it’s been the most challenging time of her life since overcoming legal issues and starting an apprenticeship. She says she’s glad to have options however and she’s determined to come out strong.
The final scene in this episode of Black Ink Crew NY is back at Black Ink Brooklyn. Tatti is giving the crew an “anatomy lesson” as Alex puts it, saying, “the penis is the vagina tucked out.” And no one wants to believe her. Ceaser comes into the studio and sees that Krystal and Rok are missing. He declares, “no one quits on me” and how a lot needs to be corrected. When he tells the crew, “we are upgrading,” they guess a relocation. Spyder guesses, “new employees?” Ceaser says, if Krystal doesn’t come back, “that’s on her ass.” And then a new employee arrives. Nychelle from Texas. Ceaser describes her as a “tremendous artist.” She says her hellos to the crew and tells them she’s had nine years of tattooing experience. Bux salivates, “he wasn’t lying when he said ‘upgrade.’” Ceaser warns the guys, “stay away from her” and to the girls he tells, “show her hospitality.” Ceaser leaves, leaving the crew amongst themselves. He sings happily outside Black Ink Brooklyn, “What a beautiful day…”
Black Ink Crew NY episode 5 sneak peek shows: the Black Ink Brooklyn crew showing new addition Nychelle around NYC, Quani talking to a therapist after all, Ted talking about his father’s recent death, Bux revealing he has sickle cell anemia and Rok and Ceaser having a meeting man to man…