Sky is Black Ink's quick-witted and fiery manager. Born and raised in Harlem, Sky brings the real to the shop. She isn't afraid to speak the truth, and though it sometimes causes her trouble, what Sky brings to the table is always genuine. Though she's spent time working on improving her family, Sky continues to challenge herself to become a better woman, a better mother and an entrepreneur. With half of her focus in Miami growing her brand and Her Little Secret Boutique, Sky continues to run Black Ink's HR. With all that's on her plate, Sky worries that all she's done to bring the family together will fall apart when her sons start spending more time together, and Des moves in with his older brother.

Donna's dream was to work at Black Ink, so this Cleveland-born girl packed her bags and said goodbye to the Midwest. After many ups and downs with Ceaser, the two finally came to a mutual respect and understanding. She's in a long-term relationship with fellow tattoo artist Alex, but her anger and conflict at the shop threaten everything she's worked for.

Teddy, born and raised in the Bronx, New York, first came to Black Ink after distancing himself from life on the streets. Since then, he's always kept an eye out for his cousin Ceaser. Teddy's role at Black Ink has changed over the years, from shop manager to VP of operations and now president, with financial investments in multiple Black Ink shops. With the street life far behind him, Teddy is on a new level! He spent much of the pandemic growing his flourishing relationship with his wife and investing in music, his second love. Teddy started his music label and management company RGLR LVNG, and invested in a studio space. Things get weird between Teddy and Ceaser after Teddy is a no-show at Ceaser's press conference. Teddy doesn't agree with how Ceasar is handling the situation with Cheyenne, but can he keep it a buck with his cousin without causing strain between them? Teddy becomes a dog dad to Instagram famous puppy Kimchi and delights in spoiling her rotten. When he asks the shop to babysit her while he runs some errands, Kimchi disappears, and they scramble to find her before Teddy returns. With a successful movie premiere under his belt, Teddy decides he likes the way he looks on the big screen. To everyone's surprise, he announces to Ceaser and the crew he is moving to Atlanta to pursue acting full-time. As his personal goals fall into place, will his loyalty to Black Ink and Ceaser ruin the life that Teddy is building?

Born and raised in Florida, Melody moved to New York to fulfill her dream of being a successful artist in the big city. Melody's eclectic personality draws in all sorts of clients, from drag queens to the girl next door. While her artistic style is realistic, her tattoos often express spiritual themes that serve as sources of strength for her clients. She brings a fresh perspective to the crew, and she isn't afraid to say what everyone else is thinking.

Walt was a mainstay at Black Ink from the very beginning. Though often caught in the middle of shop feuds, he attempted to keep the peace between his friends. Walt finally had his own place and a good relationship with his kids, and things seemed to be taking a turn for the better, but allegations at the 125th shop led to a major rift with Ceaser and the rest of the crew.

Young Bae moved to New York City in 2007, leaving behind an abusive father and a difficult home life in Seoul, South Korea. With only $73 to her name, she made ends meet by taking any job that came her way and using her street smarts and charm to land a job as a tattoo artist, despite never having tattooed in her life. After opening a shop in New York City, Bae balances being a single mother and running her business. Bae must also deal with racist comments, and she stands with the Asian American and Pacific Island community to #StopAsianHate. Bae decides to make a positive impact by organizing a Stop Asian Hate and Black Lives Matter march across the Brooklyn Bridge. During the second Black Ink Battle of the season, things take a wrong turn for Bae when she is accused of making a colorist remark to a client. Feeling ostracized by her crew, Bae takes some time alone but eventually returns to the shop once she accepts that it was a learning experience for everyone involved. Love hits Bae hard from someone she would never expect! After her divorce from Rob, Bae finds herself happy in another relationship with a new boo. Will her unexpected love interest cause a rift with the rest of the cast?

Miss Kitty served as Black Ink's brand ambassador. The D.C. native is as blunt as they come -- and when things don't go her way, she's not one to back down. As Miss Kitty focused on bringing celebrity clientele to the shop, rumors about a relationship with Ceaser's enemy Ryan from Black Ink Crew Chicago led to her being fired and fractured several of her friendships among the crew. She then went to work at 2nd City Ink in Chicago while Charmaine was on maternity leave.

After struggling with coworker relationships, Tatti has adopted a new Zen personality. Her relationships in the shop have grown, and she is no longer looked at as the bad guy. The pandemic has served as a time of focus, responsibility and hard work for her, and she became a first-time homeowner and grew several of her side businesses, including becoming a personal trainer. Tatti hopes to gain more responsibility at the shop, all while playing surrogate mother to her younger cousins living under her roof. Overwhelmed with trying to juggle it all, Tatti admits to Puma that she is facing serious federal charges in a drug case that threatens her freedom and everything she has worked hard to accomplish. Tatti questions her future at Black Ink after Ceaser tells her she can't own her franchise until her case is closed. Refusing to let her legal situation dictate her life, Tatti moves forward with her career at Black Ink and hopes Ceaser will ultimately see her potential. Will Tatti be found guilty or innocent? Will she continue with Black Ink or have to say goodbye to her franchise dreams?

Alex is one of the best tattoo artists in Brooklyn, but when Donna works her way back into the Black Ink family, Alex struggles with his future in the industry. Fresh from rehab for his bad back, Alex works to recover from his injury. Though he finally makes amends with Ceaser, Alex still has trust issues with his former coworkers. After a rocky trip to Atlanta, Alex returns to the Brooklyn shop without Donna and must navigate his relationship with the crew. When Ceaser makes it clear that Donna is not welcome inside the Black Ink shops, Alex is forced to choose between his relationship and the crew. Alex, determined to protect his peace this season and find calm in chaos, introduces the crew to equanimity. He turns the back of the shop into a green space dubbed the "Dead Ass Garden" with the help of Spyder and Bux, so everyone has somewhere to turn when they need a break from the drama. Will practicing equanimity keep Alex sane or will balancing his relationship with Donna and the Black Ink crew lead him down a dark path?

One thing's for sure: Wherever the artist formerly known as O' S**t goes, trouble is sure to follow. Whether breaking up fights with his baby mamas or being in the wrong place at the wrong time, O'S**t's life is always interesting. Born in the Bronx and raised in New York and South Carolina, O' S**t is a former college athlete, who tore his ACL early in his sports career. His injury ended his football career, and he turned to his love of art. For O' S**t, tattooing is all about the art. O' S**t's struggle with substance use has been a tough one for him, but after getting sober in California and meeting the love of his life there, O'S**t has a new outlook on life and a new name: Richard.

A Dominican-American raised in the Bronx, Kathie is a writer, painter and advocate for meditation and self-enlightenment. She is dedicated to her son Achilles and ensures that Achilles's father O'S**t is keeping up with his daddy duties. Kathie teaches self-awareness and healing through various Eastern spirituality practices.