A disposable tattoo needle cartridge (14) for connecting to a tattoo machine drive unit comprises a cartridge housing (26) and a needle assembly (28) comprising a needle driver connector (36) and at least one needle (16), the needle driver connector (36) being connectable to a needle driver (38) of the tattoo machine drive unit (12) for receiving a reciprocating motion, the needle assembly (28) being slidingly arranged in the tattoo needle cartridge (26) to allow said reciprocating motion along a reciprocation axis (A), wherein the cartridge housing (26) has a front end portion provided with a needle nozzle for allowing the at least one needle (16) to reciprocatingly protrude from the tattoo needle cartridge (14); and a rear end portion (30) configured to be connected to the tattoo machine drive unit (12), wherein the needle driver connector (36) comprises a needle assembly magnet (44) for connecting to a mating drive magnet (46) of the needle driver (38) in a contact-less manner in a radial, with respect to the reciprocation axis (A), connection direction.