Who is Ceaser from Black Ink? Meet the tattoo mogul behind the show
In 2022, Ceaser Emanuel from Black Ink Crew made news after a video of him mistreating a dog went viral. Not only was he charged with animal cruelty, but VH1 also fired him. Ceaser tried to defend himself by saying:
I know the video looks crazy. While this is a moment in my life that I wish I could take back, I was only trying to de-escalate the situation the best way I knew how.
What else has he said regarding the incident? This is what we know about Ceaser, his life and what happened.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Ceaser Emanuel had starred on Black Ink Crew since 2013.
- He accused his ex-girlfriend of leaking the video that cost him his role on the show.
- Emanuel is the owner of the Black Ink tattoo studio in Harlem, New York.
- In 2021, his only child, daughter Cheyenne, accused him of physically abusing her.
Ceaser's profile summary
| Full name | Ceaser David Emanuel |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 5 June 1979 |
| Age | 45 years old (As of May 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Birthplace | The Bronx, New York, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Alma mater | High School of Graphic Communication and Arts |
| Height | 5'10" (178 cm) |
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lbs) |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Marital status | Single |
| Children | 1 |
| Profession | Tattoo artist, entrepreneur, reality TV star |
| Net worth | $2.5 million |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter) |
Ceaser Emanuel's age and early life
Emanuel (45 as of May 2025) was born on 5 June 1979 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He holds American nationality and is of African-American descent. His mother is originally from Jamaica.
Ceaser was raised primarily by his mom after his dad passed away due to AIDS. He has two siblings (Tiffany and the late Joaquin) from his mom's second marriage to Kenneth Simpson.
What happened to Ceaser from Black Ink Crew in New York?
On 22 June 2022, a video of the businessman using a folded chair to hit a dog made its rounds on social media. As expected, this sparked an uproar, with many condemning his actions. VHI reacted by announcing Emanuel's firing from the show via an X post that read:
We have officially cut ties with Ceaser Emanuel from Black Ink Crew. This decision will not impact the upcoming season as the production process is almost over.
Source: Original
Ceaser Emanuel's reaction to the viral video
Three days later, the tattoo mogul shared his side of the story in an interview with TMZ. He said of the unfortunate incident:
I came home, and my dogs were turning on each other. They were biting each other's necks. I was simply trying to stop them from killing each other.
Emanuel's lawyer, Walter Mosley, also came to his rescue while speaking to People.
My client has had dogs for many years and is an avid dog lover. What you did not see in the video was him preventing aggressive dogs from attacking the younger ones. Nonetheless, he is seeking help to better handle such an incident better in the future.
He also claimed that the video was from Ceaser's past, stating:
It is unfortunate that although this video is a year or more old, it has brought such a negative impact. This is an issue that Emanuel has been addressing for some time.
In July 2022, TMZ reported that Emanuel had turned himself in. He was reportedly charged with animal cruelty, briefly incarcerated and released the same day.
Source: Getty Images
The entrepreneur claimed his ex-partner was out to get him
During a June interview on Kiotti Brown's On Tha Radar podcast, Ceaser accused his ex, Suzette Samuel, of leaking the video as a retaliation for breaking up with her.
She has an entitlement that if she cannot have me, then nobody else can.
However, Samuel denied having a hand in Emanuel's misfortune while speaking to The Shade Room, per Distractify.
She went on to accuse him of physically abusing her during their relationship with images of a bruise on her shoulder from a 2021 incident. Suzette also claimed Ceaser cheated on her.
Ceaser Emanuel's daughter said that the incident was her dad's "karma"
In 2021, Ceaser's daughter, with baby mama Crystal Amor, took to Instagram stories to accuse her dad of physically abusing her while intoxicated.
According to Suzette, who was living with her father and daughter at the time, Cheyenne was lying because her dad had refused to buy her a $600 wig. Emanuel later said that he was only disciplining his child like any parent would if they crossed the line.
Source: Getty Images
The tattoo artist claimed he did not feel supported during his hour of need.
After Emanuel's video went viral, his Black Ink Crew co-star Donna Lombardi took to Instagram to condemn his behaviour, saying:
Only a sick person would treat a dog in such a cruel manner. I am really upset about this!
Later, the businessman called out his cousin Teddy Ruks for not standing by him when VH1 fired him. Ruks previously worked as the assistant manager at Black Ink.
FAQs
Black Ink Crew: New York was not renewed for another season after Ceaser's departure from the show in 2022. Below are some frequently asked questions about the tattoo artist:
What is Ceaser Emanuel's net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Emanuel is worth $2.5 million. His income mainly stems from his successful tattoo business.
Source: Getty Images
Is Ceaser still the owner of Black Ink?
The businessman owns eight tattoo studios across the USA, including Black Ink. He launched his first parlour at 32.
Where is Ceaser from Black Ink now?
Emanuel is still running his tattoo businesses the USA. However, in January 2025, he made headlines for all the wrong reasons again when an ex-employee accused him of owing her thousands in unpaid wages.
Ceaser from Black Ink is widely recognised for his appearance on the Black Ink Crew reality TV show. He was fired from the series in 2022 after a video of him mistreating a dog went viral.
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