Plot Synopsis

BLACK INK CREW: LOS ANGELES (fka BLACK INK CREW: COMPTON), the 3rd series in the BLACK INK CREW franchise, follows Danny "KP" Kirkpatrick and his crew at 'IAMCompton,' the first-ever tattoo shop in Compton. KP is the Prince of Compton, a conduit between Hollywood and the streets, where he has been respected since his youth. His football skills would have been his escape from gritty Hub City, but, unable to shake his lifestyle, he blew his chances by getting arrested. Back in Compton, his love for music led to a rap career. He began trading tattoos for studio time and adopted the moniker IAM Compton, an acronym for Ink Art Music, everything he embodies. He's now an elite tattoo artist with some of Hollywood's biggest names as clients. Diddy and Taraji P. Henson, for example, have been blessed by KP's talent. Alongside his girlfriend and the mother of his children, actress Kyla Pratt, he plans to create the first tattoo shop and creative safe zone in Compton. He is joined by:

tattoo artist Lemeir: Hailing from Philadelphia, Lemeir knows what it takes to make it in a gang-ridden neighborhood. With the allure of fast money and no male role models after his father was imprisoned for murder, Lemeir used his natural entrepreneurial skills to hustle in the streets. After his brother's unexpected death in a car accident, seeing too many friends killed due to violence and serious brushes with the law, Lemeir realized he couldn't take life for granted. Lemeir's big dreams and ambitions led to the creation of Happy Ice, a successful food truck with celeb fans like Angelina Jolie, Travis Barker and Ellen DeGeneres. He met KP at a tattoo convention and decided to bring his East Coast ambition to the West Coast. He plans to take the new tattoo shop to a whole different level -- maybe even having his own stake to claim in it

tattoo artist Nessie: Nessie is a creative triple threat: tattooist, lyricist and muralist. A recent L.A. transplant from Philly, Nessie is good friends with Lemeir. Raised in the suburbs by a white mother, Nessie was pursuing an education to become a doctor, but that wasn't the life she wanted for herself, so she brought her talents to the West Coast. Despite being a bit of a party girl, Nessie is passionate and strategic about her career moves. Very vocal about women's empowerment and sexism within the tattoo world, Nessie works hard to prove she's just as good as, if not better than, the men. Nessie's driven to make a name for herself in the tattoo industry while shaking things up on the IAM Compton team.

tattoo artist Ink Drippin: Raised in Compton and blessed with good looks, Ink is a talented, free-spirited playboy who makes the ladies go wild. After a brush with death in a car accident, Ink walked away uninjured and decided to leave behind the traditional trappings of life and pursue his art full-time. Half-black, half-Mexican, Ink was directly impacted by the dangerous feud between the races. His mother was disowned by her entire Mexican family for being with Ink's father. After his parents split when he was eight, Ink sacrificed his childhood to help his single mother raise his younger siblings. Ink uses his art as an outlet and looks up to KP as a big brother, admiring him for bringing something powerful back to their city. Ink is ready and willing to share his talents to make the shop a success.

tattoo apprentice Vudu Dahl: Vudu is a talent anomaly in the tattoo industry. Raised in a religious cult commune near Seattle, Vudu was sheltered from the outside world. She eventually left the cult and brought her talents to Venice, CA. Struggling to make a name for herself as a tattoo artist and model, Vudu works hard to be taken seriously in the industry. Obsessed with art that highlights the female body, sexuality and Asian culture, Vudu is unlike any other artist on the IAM team. As an openly bisexual black female artist covered head to toe with tattoos, Vudu owns every aspect of herself. She's finally experiencing and enjoying life on her own terms. By hiring her as an apprentice, KP armed the team with a sexy secret weapon to draw in a wider range of clientele. Vudu is poised to keep the team on its toes.

shop manager Tim: Tim is KP's cousin, right-hand man and loyal to the end. Tim and KP grew up together on the tough streets of Compton with the same opportunities to escape via football. Unlike KP, Tim went on to earn a degree and build a promising career on the gridiron. After playing in a secondary football league, Tim became disenchanted with the politics and fickle nature of the game. He abandoned his football career and returned home to Compton focused on helping KP level up his success in music. Now, Tim is devoted to taking KP's dream to the next level with the launch of the first tattoo shop in Compton. Gang-affiliated but not an active member, Tim stays true to his roots, maintaining relationships with friends who're Bloods and Crips from Compton. Tim's street cred, business acumen and devotion to KP almost guarantees the success of IAM Tattoos. He lives and breathes the IAM Compton brand and will do anything to protect it.

shop receptionist Barbie: Barbie is a long-time friend of KP's who sprinkles a whole lot of style, class and sass onto the IAM team. Barbie works hard to bring order and a little turnup to the front desk. Without breaking a nail or moving a hair out of place, Barbie gives 100 percent to the IAM team. Raised by her grandparents and father after being abandoned by a young party-girl mother, Barbie's tough, no-nonsense exterior shields a kind heart. Quick to fire off a blunt opinion and often going toe-to-toe with Tim, Barbie's loyalty to KP is clear.



Season 2 of the series, still known as BLACK INK CREW: COMPTON, premiered on Monday, February 21, 2022 at 9pm ET/PT on VH1. The team is back with bossman KP, as he strives to uplift his community and reclaim his place as leader of the crew. Later in the season, Katrina "Kat Tat" Jackson returns to the franchise for the first time in four years, being the first BIPOC woman to own a tattoo shop in Beverly Hills. KP enters this new season with a clear vision for himself post pandemic shutdown and social unrest caused by systemic racism. He is determined to build on the opportunity that has been given to him and create a movement in the city through the art of tattooing by celebrating the talent, passion and rich culture of the community. Lemeir is set to open a second food truck business after the success of "Happy Ice" on Melrose, alongside welcoming a new member to his growing family with fiancee Danielle. As his personal life continues to grow, the love for tattooing has taken a back seat after a rocky start alongside KP and his IAM Compton shop. Nessie is back and her voice is stronger than ever. The past couple of years have given her time to focus on her craft and make a name for herself. Still possessing feelings from all of the drama that ensued with the crew right before lockdown, she has mixed feelings about returning to the shop. Ink Drippin' has refocused his energy on his family and after a near death experience, he has put the pieces of himself back together and resorted to holistic healing. Shop receptionist and a long-time friend of bossman KP, Barbie is back to bring a whole lot of style, class and sass to the crew. Unlike any other artist on the IAM team, Vudu Dahl is a talent anomaly in the tattoo industry. When the IAM shop was put on hold, she took her talents elsewhere in the meantime. Alana returns this season with a whole new outlook. After moving to Arizona with her new boyfriend, a health scare causes her to move back home to LA and start her life over again. KP's loyal and devoted cousin Tim is determined to take KP's dream for the shop to the next level as he lives and breathes the IAM Compton brand and will do anything to protect it. KP brings in Star to deal with the temperamental artists and to capitalize on the connections she has within LA and the tattoo industry.
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After a one-year break, the series returned on Monday, May 15, 2023 at 9pm ET/PT on VH1 with new episodes and a new title: BLACK INK CREW: LOS ANGELES. In the first new episode, "A Tale of Tattoo Cities," Team Enigma holds the shop down while Kat prepares for baby #2 and shop renos. KP gets more acquainted with his new team, while still facing challenges from OG artists. Things get heated at an Enigma event between Nessie and Lemeir, causing tensions.