Compton has consistently taken center stage in the history of hip hop as it has gifted us with rappers including Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, The Game, DJ Quik, Kendrick Lamar, Coolio, YG, and MC Ren. The city has made global attention as it's been renowned for raising chart-topping artists and denounced for its reputation for gang violence. Compton is a city rich in culture that is often misunderstood, so VH1 has linked up with the IAMCompton tattoo crew to give viewers an inside look at Hub City.
Black Ink Crew: Compton is set to premiere in just two weeks on Wednesday, August 14, and before the series hits the airwaves, let's take a look at the Southern California crew who may be rookies to reality television, but are professionals in the tattoo artistry game.
KP, who hails himself as the self-proclaimed "Prince of Compton," is the founder of IAMCompton. His celebrity clients rave about his work and as an elite tattoo artist, his new shop already has a full schedule. There's no word on whether or not his longtime partner, actress Kyla Pratt, will make an appearance on BICC, but we'd keep an eye out if we were you.
Tim, KP's cousin and the shop's manager, is the go-to guy. He abandoned his football dreams in order to take care of his cousin, both on the Compton streets and in business. He keeps it real no matter who he's with or where he is, treating everyone with respect. His desire to make the tattoo shop the next big thing, so his dedication to leveling up is apparent.
Philly's Lemeir is no stranger to navigating life while being raised in tough surroundings. He uses his street knowledge to help him in business, as he previously owned a popular, and successful, food truck called "Happy Ice." Lemeir is looking forward to the birth of his first child with his high school sweetheart Danielle, so he has his eyes on the prize as he wants to create a life of comfort for his family.
Compton-raised Ink Drippin is the shop's ladies man. However, once you work through that playboy image, you'll find a free-spirit with a heart of gold. During the series, viewers will watch as the half-Mexican, half-black artist takes a journey through his background as he reconnects with father and discovers parts of his heritage that he hasn't connected to since he was a young child.
Every shop needs a receptionist that can hold things together, and for Black Ink Crew: Compton, that person is Barbie. As a survivor of both domestic and gun violence, Barbie is a woman of strength who knows how to rise to the top above any adversary.
Vudu Dahl was raised as a sheltered youth in the outskirts of Seattle. She came up in a religious commune and had little access to the outside world, but she gathered the strength to leave her parents and 13 siblings behind in order to break free. She spiraled down a path of drugs and alcohol, but tattooing helped her overcome her addictions.
Nessie doesn't just use her talents to make permanent art on the skin of her clients; the lyricist is also known for her mural work. She's making the move to Compton because she wants to carve out her own path in the male-dominated industry. She'll also be getting some help from her old hometown Philly friend, Lemeir.
