BOM How did you get your start as a barber?
At 12 years old i picked up a pair of clippers & started fooling around cutting my brothers & cousins hair trying to emulate the styles that were trending at the time & inspired by the begining of the hip hop era. I come from a lineage of hairstylist, barbers, seamstresses, taylors, artists, fashion designers, decoraters & musicians so it was inevitable that i would partake in art in some form or fashion. A magazine article came out about me in '87 & the word spread like a brush fire. Before I knew it i was in demand & requested by many celebrities to be their personal stylist on various projects.
BOM Where are you from?
I was born in the Bronx NY
BOM How long have you been cutting?
I have been cutting for 32 years now. In the industry proffesionally for 25 years
BOM How did you come up with your cutting style?
My cutting technique isn't something i neccessarily "came up with" the way i cut is just an innate method that i guess has been cultivated from years of honing my craft & finding ways to achieve the outcomes i try to accomplish. I guess at the end of it all, it's just my own intrinsic flair
BOM What is your favorite clipper and trimmer?
I haven't tried too many clippers, i just use what works for me. I use Andis masters & the Andis Styliner II. I have been using those for years. Hence the saying, if it aint broke, don't fix it lol
BOM What is your favorite detachable clipper?
I don't use detachable clippers. For me, time is money & spending time attaching & detaching blades ends up using up valuable time. Less is more, you would be surprised to see how i minimalize my kit. Most of my clipper work is done freehand with an adjustable blade & at the most 1 or 2 guards. I really dont need anything else when cutting hair thats 1/16th of an inch or above. Below that level its maybe 2 guards & all in my wrist & my finger on the side of the clipper that i use as my make shift level for fading
BOM Have you won any barber competitions?
To date, I havent participated as a competitor in any barber competitions of any sort. I actually just attended my first few battle events this year but only as an invited guest, host or a judge.
BOM What was the worst experience you had when you first started cutting?
Thanks to the powers that be, i didnt have any bad experiences when I first started cutting hair. It's been a pretty smooth ride
BOM What is your favorite cut to do?
My favorite cut is the one that makes evident what is invisible to others & brings out the best look for my clients image & persona
BOM Can you name 1 person that you wish would let you cut their hair?
Justin Timberlake
BOM Who was the first celeb that u cut and how did you get that job?
Hard to say who was the very first but it had to be one of my clients during the time i was doing Kid N Play, Kwame, Doug E Fresh & people of the like back in the days. There was no social media back then so it was a matter of who knew of you, referred or mentioned you to be sought out
BOM What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting a career in barbering?
Never limit yourself. Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties
BOM Do you prefer cutting on set, at a shop or mobile?
I dont have a preferance. I actually go crazy being sedentary so the combination breaks up the monotony for me & keeps me going & intrigued enough not to be bored after all these years. I never put all my fruit in one basket in anything i do.
BOM Is there a barber you admire or look up to?
Yeah definately, Skitz da barber,
Jc tha barber, Marcusph333
J valentin the barber, Successaddict
Robtheoriginal, Majorleaguebarbers
Jaymajors, Curtis of Xotics, DL, Conrad hilton hip hop, Corey Chill Hill, Rachel Solow & Pierce Austin they all hold their own & make their own statements in the game
BOM What was the most $$ you made for 1 cut?
Really? Your really asking me this question? LOL the most i made for a cut believe it or not is $4K, some people will think i am BS's but it's true, not trying to boast but you asked. It's about the cut & the quality of the service i provide amoungst a host of many other customs & etiquettes i follow on the side of the business i exist but I really get paid for my time.
28 | WINTER | 2014