Although Black Ink Crew Chicago has not officially been cancelled just yet, there are several signs that indicate the show may not be coming back.
Longtime fans of the VH1 show Black Ink Crew Chicago will already know that a large part of the show’s appeal is the fact that you never quite know what will happen next.
And, whether it is crazy client requests, relationship drama or disagreements between artists, Black Ink Crew Chicago has never shied away from the on-screen drama.
However, since it has now been almost two years since the second part of the show’s seventh season aired – and almost just as long since we have had any new updates about its still-pending status –this show seems to have had even more behind-the-scenes drama.
The problem with Black Ink Crew Chicago’s renewal
The reality is that television renewals are always more complicated than they appear.
And even though Black Ink Crew Chicago is a very widely beloved part of the Black Ink Crew franchise – we are witnessing some very clear danger signs that the show may not ever return for an eighth season, even though it has not officially gotten the “cancelled” label just yet.
The warning signs – Black Ink Crew Chicago season 7
While no one has officially confirmed that Black Ink Crew Chicago will not be returning for another season, it only takes one quick glance at season seven’s messy airing schedule to notice that something fishy might be happening.
Black Ink Crew Chicago’s unconventional season seven airing schedule is as follows:
| Detail | Description |
| Season 7 premiere | “Ready To Reclaim Our Time” (aired on October 4, 2021) |
| Finale of season 7A | “Put on Your Casper Suit” (aired on December 6, 2021) |
| Season 7B premiere | “Welcome to the World of Being Seen” (aired on August 9, 2022) |
| Season 7 finale | “Is This the End?” (aired on October 11, 2022) |
| Total episodes in the season | 20 |
If it was not ominous enough to end this most recent season on an episode titled “Is This the End?”, season seven also marked the first season in Black Ink Crew Chicago history to be split into two parts, which aired over the course of two years.
If you know anything about television, you will know that these kinds of unexplained, drastic changes are usually a foreboding sign that a show may be close to coming to an end.
But this is not the only thing that has us questioning the possibility of a Black Ink Crew Chicago cancellation.
Examining Black Ink Crew Chicago’s declining viewership
Although a show’s ratings and viewership numbers often do not tell the full story, it is still highly unlikely that a show will be renewed for another season if it sees a significant drop in ratings.
And, unfortunately for Black Ink Crew Chicago, the show had seen its worst viewership numbers and ratings in years by the time that season seven’s finale episode aired (this episode brought in only about 254,000 viewers).
To put this gradual downward slope into perspective, it is noteworthy that season two of the show broke records for bringing in over 2 million viewers in 2016, and by the end of season six, Black Ink Crew Chicago was still bringing in over half a million viewers on average.
This means that Black Ink Crew Chicago’s viewership had basically dwindled down to half of what it was throughout the show’s seventh season.
The Black Ink Crew Chicago cast drama
If the weird airing schedule and dwindling fanbase was not enough, it seems as though there has also been some drama amongst the members of the Black Ink Crew Chicago cast in the last few years.
Tatiana Ritter spoke out about Black Ink Crew Chicago reportedly being cancelled back in 2022.
But even if she was just fanning the flames, the show’s most recent season ended with the 9 MAG team seemingly heading in all different directions.
This includes Miss Kitty, who was considering a move to Virginia, Phor, who was considering a move to Dallas, and Draya who was considering moving away from 9 MAG.
Ryan Henry’s ominous post
There is no doubt that warning signs like changes to the airing schedule, declining ratings and even cast departures, all point to Black Ink Crew Chicago not returning anytime soon.
But perhaps the most compelling evidence to suggest that Black Ink Crew Chicago is over comes from the show’s leading man.
Ryan Henry shared the below post on Instagram shortly after season seven ended:
And, while this post does not outright confirm Black Ink Crew Chicago’s cancellation, there is no denying that it reads like a farewell message.
