Tiara McGee is a club promoter turned tattoo shop manager after convincing Ceaser Emanuel and the "Black Ink Crew" to open a shop in Milwaukee.

The "Black Ink Crew" is a long-running TV program on VH1. The show revolves around Emanuel and his staff at the Black Ink tattoo shop in Harlem. The show has inspired spin-offs in Chicago and Compton.

Emanuel owns eight shops throughout the U.S. and one of his latest openings is Black Ink Milwaukee at 1117 E. Brady Street. The shop has been open since October 2021, and business is booming, McGee said.

McGee, a Milwaukee native, started talking to Teddy Ruks, a member of "Black Ink Crew," in 2014 after booking him for some club appearances. She eventually convinced Ruks, who ultimately convinced Emanuel, to open a shop in Milwaukee.

VH1 recently fired Emanuel after a video emerged of him abusing his dog. McGee said Emanuel is still part owner of the Milwaukee shop, but added "we're not affiliated with the show, we're just the shop. Ceaser does have ownership into it. But you know, Teddy Ruks, who was also on the show, it's mainly his shop."

Ruks has been a cast member on "Black Ink Crew" since the show's first season. McGee said Black Ink Milwaukee wouldn't exist without Ruks. In a video interview during the shop's opening, Emanuel also gives all of the credit to Ruks for opening a shop in Milwaukee.

It's possible that "Black Ink Crew" could continue production with Ruks taking on a bigger role in the show. When asked if she would entertain a tv show surrounding Black Ink Milwaukee, McGee said "no comment."

Although Black Ink shops are typically in predominantly Black neighborhoods and most of the artists across the U.S. are Black, McGee said the Milwaukee shop has a diverse clientele, and she credits the location and the shop's availability.

"You know, we're out on Brady Street, so we see a lot of Caucasians and we're probably getting more Caucasians than African Americans. We're also open seven days a week. So we kind of beat some of the tattoo shops in the area, we take walk-ins as well. Where most of the shops down the street from us are appointment only and they're only operating like Wednesday through Sunday, where we're operating seven days," McGee said.

Black Ink Milwaukee is open from noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. There are four artists on the staff, as well as an apprentice.

McGee said the shop specializes in everything. "We can do it all. Portraits, realism, line work. We have an artist for all tattoo needs," she said.

Although the shop accepts walk-ins, McGee said the best way to book an appointment is by phone at 414-737-7032 or by email at blackinkmke@gmail.com.

Contact Drake Bentley at (414) 391-5647 or DBentley1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DrakeBentleyMJS. 

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ceaser Emanuel's Black Ink Milwaukee is thriving on Brady Street