RIP: Fly Tatted, tattoo artist from Black Ink Crew Chicago, has died

Fly Tatted was a recurring cast member of season 6 of Black Ink Crew: Chicago. According to reports, he took his own life on 8 February.

Fly Tatted, Chicago tattoo artist, has died

Cast members of Black Ink Chicago have expressed their commiserations and condolences following the death of Chicago-based tattoo artist Fly Tatted.

A fellow tattoo artist said he “still believed you was smarter than the streets and the lows of Suicide”. The post concluded with the lines, “No more Pain”, and “Fly high lil Moe”.

Social media tributes

While information regarding the circumstances surrounding the end of his life is not forthcoming, tributes have come in from followers and fans on Twitter and Instagram.

For example, Fly Tatted’s latest Instagram post has been flooded with words of commiseration, and condolences for family members and friends.

One user offered: “You never know what the next is going threw. Check on your ppl, tell them u love them cuz today isn’t promised”.

Another wrote:  “R.i.P 🙏🏽 King… I’m So Sorry You Felt Like You Had No Way Out & Your Only Solution Was To End This Way…”

Meanwhile, on Twitter others have described him as a “very talented individual”.

Fly Tatted was a virtuosic tattoo artist whose artworks depicted a range of subjects, including roses, the Statue of Liberty, lions, skeletal heads and eagles. 

A sample of his works are available to view at his online portfolio.

Alongside Fly Tatted, the reality television series Black Ink Crew: Chicago features NeekBey, Plug, King JaBri and Miss Kitty, among others.

The show chronicles the daily operations and staff dramas that unfold at an African American owned and operated tattoo shop called 9MAG, located in Chicago, Illinois.

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Bruno Cooke

Bruno Cooke has been a freelance journalist since 2019, primarily with GRV Media. He was an early contributor to The Focus, and has written for HITC, Groundviews and the Sheffield University newspaper – he earned his MA in Global Journalism there in 2021. He’s the Spoken Word Poetry Editor for The Friday Poem, and self-published his debut novel Reveries in 2019, which his mum called both a “fine read” and “excellent Christmas present”. Bruno has lived in China, Sri Lanka and the Philippines and likes, among other things: bicycle touring, black and white Japanese films, pub quizzes, fermentation and baklava. In 2023, Bruno will set off with his partner on a round-the-world cycle.