Dutchess Lattimore is a well-known tattoo artist and the star of the Vh1 reality show “North Carolina’s Black Ink Crew.” For her passion of tattoos, Lattimore earned the nickname “Duchess of Ink” as the owner of the tattoo parlor “Pretty N Ink.” But this Dutchess is so much more than what you see on your screens every Monday in edited bits of footage. Lattimore is a well-known figure in the ink industry, as well as an entrepreneur and business owner. He is also a well-educated celebrity. She is a proud Aggie alumna who has had success on the runway and in the print media. Dutchess has been featured in print publications such as Inked and Urban Ink as a prominent fashion model. While we’re all familiar with the highs and lows of her public relationship on “Black Ink Crew,” many of us are unaware of the personal struggles Lattimore has had in her quest to become a respected member of the ink community. With over 1.1 million Instagram followers, over 110 thousand Twitter followers, and over 167 thousand Facebook fans, this African-American superstar intends to make the most of her celebrity status by giving back to her community and contributing to society in any way she can.
Dutchess Personal Experiences
Dutchess Lattimore was born Cristina Lattimore in Lincolnton, North Carolina, to African-American parents in February 1984. She was born and reared in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City. Cristina was recognized for her love of art, colors, and painting since she was a child, which finally turned into her professional tattoo skills.
Cristina was known for painting various forms and drawings on her hands and arms as she grew up, which her parents despised.
Her parents assumed it was merely a youthful pastime that would fade away with time, but that was not the case. Her parents pressed Lattimore to focus on her education because she came from a neighborhood that was struggling to develop itself, but Lattimore would prove them wrong.
Lattimore, who was always a good student, never underestimated the value of education.
While Lattimore planned to attend Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, to study art, her family was rocked by an unexpected death, and she elected to stay closer to her parents, who were frightened by the tragedy.
She did, however, manage to balance books, ink, and needles at the same time, and she quickly made a name for herself in the ink community.
Cristina went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from North Carolina A&T State University. She went on to acquire a management degree in Business Management with a Visual Art concentration after that.
Dutchess discovered her love and enthusiasm for tattooing in high school and chose to pursue a career in the profession.
Lattimore’s hard work and dedication paid her after a long struggle, and she is now one of the few African-American female tattoo artists in North Carolina.
Her Destiny Was Inked
Lattimore moved to New York City in 2010, shortly after establishing herself as a tattoo artist, to further polish and perfect her skill.
She not only got a job at Black Ink, a prominent tattoo business in New York’s Harlem district, but she also got cast in the Vh1 reality show “Black Ink Crew.”
The show follows the day-to-day activities of a professional tattoo parlor, as well as the lives of its employees and customers.
Because of her sexual relationship with Black Ink owner Caesar and her spitfire demeanor, Lattimore drew a lot of attention on the show.
She went on to pursue her true passion after making a reputation for herself in the television industry. Pretty-N-Ink, her own tattoo business in Charlotte, NC, debuted in 2015.
Dutchess dabbled in modeling and runway displays before joining Black Ink Crew. She even won first place in the Boston Tattoo Convention Beauty Pageant in 2010.
Linkups for Romance
After joining Caesar Emanuel’s Black Ink shop, Dutchess began dating him. Despite Caesar’s impulsiveness, the couple’s love for the art of tattooing kept them together.
Many viewers assumed that their on-again, the off-again relationship would lead to marriage at some time. But, regrettably, such was not the case.
In 2017, Dutchess Lattimore shared an Instagram photo with NFL player Zack Sanchez, fueling speculation that she had moved on from Caesar.
Viewers were taken aback when Lattimore announced his breakup with Caesar on Instagram. Unfortunately, her relationship with Zack was already on the rocks before they took off! Zack is said to have dumped the tattoo queen via Snapchat.
Beyond Stardom and Notoriety
This star distinguishes out from other celebrities who like to brag about their accomplishments and celebrity status. Dutchess Lattimore is well-known for her support of African-American representation in the mainstream media.
She hasn’t allowed her celebrity to get the best of her, and she continues quietly with her goal to give back to her community.
She is known for mentoring and attending monthly community activities, and she wants to use her popularity to help the black community in any way she can.
Estimated Net worth
Dutchess Lattimore is a tattoo artist and reality television celebrity from the United States with a net worth of $800,000.