City of Ink's Melvin Todd takes reality TV leap on 'Best Ink'

• Oxygen Media/Andrew Eccles
• Atlanta tattoo artist Melvin Todd

When City of Ink tattoo artist Melvin Todd says he "fell into" tattooing, it's usually a figure of speech. But on the first episode of "Best Ink," the Oxygen network's new competitive tat reality show, in which Todd stars, his fall is quite literal. "It just let us know right off the bat how hectic and crazy this season is going to be," says the Atlanta-by-way-of-Mobile, Ala., transplant, who found himself dangling 600 feet in the air after losing his balance during the first challenge.

You'll have to watch the rest of tonight's Season 2 premiere to see how he sprouts wings later in the episode. From the looks of it, he's going to be a serious threat. In the meantime, I got him on the phone to talk about what made him bite the reality-show bullet, his take on the state of black tattoo culture, and the philosophy behind his Cupid-endorsed Loveless Society takeover.

What is it about "Best Ink" that appealed to you in spite of it being a reality show, especially considering the drama that usually goes along with that?
The thing I liked about it is it really had a heavy focus on just competition and trying to figure out in a competitive setting which tattoo artist excelled. I'm a tattoo artist that really takes pride in trying to be the best, and because of that it was like really a perfect fit. They do get into our personal relationships with each other, but the main focus of the show is really the competition, and that's what I loved about it.

What initially drew you to tattooing?
Ever since I can remember I've been drawing. But my first college roommate at Auburn University, he went to go get a tattoo right before the first day of classes and I went with him. I'd never even been inside a tattoo shop. But the owner of the shop - his name is Nathan Voodoo; he owns the Voodoo Needle in Auburn, Ala. - he looked at my stuff right there on the spot. They needed an apprentice, and he ended up hiring me that day. Once I started to learn more about the tattoo culture, I really fell in love with it and just wanted to try my best to become one of the more recognizable people in the industry.

In terms of the history of tattooing and the well-documented segregation experienced by black tattoo artists, is that a thing of the past now or do you feel like you still face those kinds of challenges?