‘Black Ink Crew’ Viewers ‘Get a Bad Vibe’ from Newcomer Tokie and Question Her Abuse Story: ‘Give Her the Boot’

“Black Ink Crew” star Tokie is the newest addition to the VH1 reality series and she’s already rubbing viewers the wrong way.

Tokie recently joined the group after Teddy Ruks fired the shop’s receptionist Jadah Blue. Tokie replaced Blue, but not everyone is too happy about her presence including co-star Donna Lombardi who she’s came to blows with. However, Lombardi feels the new hire is overly animated and a liability.

During last week’s episode of “Black Ink”, Tokie had a complete meltdown. The receptionist was on a group retreat with her co-stars in New Jersey when she claimed to have received a phone call from a person who sexually abused her. Moments later she completely spazzed out and went ballistic to the point that security had to escort her off of the premises. The group was completely confused as to what caused her erratic behavior.

Tokie tells abuse story

(VH1 screeshot)

Tokie later explained to her cast-mates that her abusers phone call triggered her explosive behavior during their bonding retreat.

“I’ve been sexually abused and it was just a really really bad situation but that day I freaked out was because he called out of the blue and I just I flipped out. I Blacked out,” she exclaimed. “My brain went into survival mode and I just couldn’t snap out of it.”

However, Lombardi wasn’t really buying Tokie’s story and believed the receptionist was putting on a show for the cameras. “Black Ink” fans and viewers seemed to agree with Lombardi and questioned somethings about Tokie’s abuse story they felt that didn’t make sense.

“Im sorry but if I’ve been through a traumatic experience like tokie saying she has whyyyyy TF her attacker got her number make me understand 🙄.”

“Give her da boot! She sounds like she made that up for recognition please ✋🏾.”

“Why Tokie ain’t at therapy and on a TV show 🙄?”

“Some thing bout Tokie aint right. If I was abused I’m changing my number or download a block app. Why this person still texting you.”

“Oh my god tokie is annoying like I’m not buying this whole sexual assault story.”

“I really really dislike her acting skills 💩.”

“That bitch tokie from #BlackInkCrew needs iyanla vanzant in her life lmaoo beloved.”

“Am I the only one who gets a bad vibe from tokie 🤔?”

“Sooooo…..you kept your abuser’s number & he clearly has hers!!!! What??? Why???? What’s the reason & purpose of that….oh, so y’all can keep in touch🤔?”

Watch Tokie break down in tears as she opens up to her cast-mates:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmnpkigzaL/?hl=en&taken-by=blackinkcrew

Democracy needs journalism it can trust.

This election season, the stakes are higher than usual — and so is the pressure on newsrooms to soften their coverage, stay quiet, or just disappear. Independent reporting, the kind that answers to readers instead of advertisers or political pressure, matters more in a moment like this, not less.

For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed independent and reader-funded. We have no corporate owner and no shareholders telling us what to cover or how to cover it. That independence is also our biggest vulnerability: nothing protects it except readers choosing to fund it directly.

Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under in a moment like this, it's rarely the independent, reader-funded ones that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Back to top