Joshua Hawkins: From $5 Cuts to Best Barber in America

What's up? What's up everybody? This your man B. Marcus Harvey and this is the Barber Star podcast cuz every star needs a barber but every barber need no start until the ones we talk to. Come on church. Come on church. And the first person that we have up and I want and I'm definitely saying the first person because we've been waiting for a long time for this. We tried this already before. We had a great conversation. I think it was more so meant just for me and Hawk just to have a nice amazing conversation of friendship again. But this gentleman, I've known him for uh close to almost 15 years now. Close to 15 15 years now. An amazing barber, Babelist pro.

Uh one of the most soughtafter educators on the globe as we really really know. I mean has traveled the world from uh China to South America to North America to Canada to you Africa yet? I'm not sure yet. I've been trying to get out. He gonna get to the motherland. He gonna get to the motherland on y'all. Come on. They they might keep me out there once I get there, man. " He's our people. You are our people. Yeah. So, you know, you guys know he is known as uh the best barber in America. Um it happened one time and then it didn't need to happen again because they knew what it was going to be. We didn't want to hear the best barber every year with Jon. We didn't want to hear all that.

So, we just wanted to stop it. We wanted to stop it there. Ladies and gentlemen, the one, the only, the Hulk vision, the Hulk man himself, Joshua Hawkins. Appreciate it. What's going on, church? Give it up for What's up? What's up? What's up? Yeah, I hear the hand claps in the back. Don't worry about it. I hear it. Okay, that's enough. That's enough. That's enough. What's up, brother? Cooling in the gang, bro. Blessed by the best, baby. How you feeling, man? Man, I'm I I am I am cloud nine right now. I ain't gonna front. I'm very excited about this. Uh I'm really really excited about this cast right quick, man.

I'm excited about it because I know that one um a lot of people are going to be able to get a lot out of this conversation, a lot of hope, a lot of inspiration, you know, and I just know that not only just hope and inspiration, but actual good, strong um advice and and pathways, you know. Uh, we know that you do this every Monday, but we're gonna get into that a little bit more, but yeah, man. I just wanted to talk to you. I'm glad that you came came on to the show. Let's go ahead and get started, man. Yo, how were how were you bit by the Clippers? Because that's the thing that I like to lead off with with all my my guests getting bit by the Clippers. How did you get bit by the Clippers?

And what was the thing that like made you just like I got to I got to be a barber? Uh, for me, I think it was just the artistry behind it. But what got me bit by the Clippers was my dad, you know, was bringing up uh you know, me and my brother and um you know, he was giving us the the haircuts back in the day, you know, coming back to school, you know, and uh he was real military type of guy, man. So, you know, he had the real strong unfaded unfaded fades, you know. Oh, the the ball joint around the soup the soup bowls. We used to call them bowls. " And he would take us to the shop from time to time, but you got to think, you know, he got two boys. He getting to cut himself that cost money.

So, he was just like, "Well, listen, man. " And this is me telling him this at 12, 12, 13 years old. " I said, "Well, I I'll take the Clippers myself, man. I give myself a even Steven if that's the case, you know. And uh yeah, man, got started doing that. And it, like I said, it was more so artistry for me because I used to draw back in the day. And um when I would cut my own hair, like dude, I was putting designs in my hair before I actually really knew how to actually cut my hair. So when I would go to school, people would see the designs and that's when I started cutting friends, family, and stuff like that. " Yeah, [ __ ] try that on me, you know. So, yeah. Hey, man.

Shouts out to the pops, man. Yeah, man. You know, every every dope barber has that dad or that mama that was always saying, "You know what? " Y and and that's literally what they do, man. Cuz I've heard from you, multiple barbers that I talked to across the country, across the world about that. Like, every last one of our origin stories are this exact same. " And then, you know, let me ask you this, though. Did your dad still go to the barber shop while he made y'all cut each other's hair? Uh, of course. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Of course. Yeah. Come on. Come on. It's my money. I work for I work for this, man. You know, clean y'all, you know. Yeah. Go get a job. Go shovel shovel some driveways.

Go cut some grass or something, you know. Man, so you so you born in C born and raised in Cincinnati, right? Born and raised in Cincinnati, man. So tell me about that path like being in Cincinnati. You know, you said um you were bit by the Clippers. Your dad was like the one who kind of pushed you into, you know, cutting hair, so you started cutting your friends. Who was your first client? Who was your first client? Do you remember your first client? Oh, that's a good question, man. Honestly, it may have been just one of my cousins, man. I think it was one of my cousins. My cousin uh Kim. Uh I was definitely just hooking him up. He was a little bit younger than me.

So it was just like that, you know, big cuss like, "Hey man, sit down in the chair, man. " And yeah, it just went from there. Yep. How you were 12? You were 12 then when you started cutting? I was probably when I started cutting other people, I was probably at that point I was probably like 13, 14. 13 or 14. Hey man, you know, another thing that I like to say that most people have found out what they're going to do in life by the age of 12. You know, even all of our comedian friends, you know, all of our uh athletes that we've cut before, if you notice, every last one of them really started getting serious about whatever they're doing right now when they're about age 12. Same with me.

Like I started sweeping up here in the barber shop. I was working at uh Crosscuts. They used to call me Bookman, you know, be on my little fat butt. They like, "Hey, hey, Book. Hey, hey, Bookman. There it is. Hey, watch it. Hey, watch it. Now you going to get me fighting. Don't get me to cut. You're a man of God now. You're a man of God. And you always did. Don't give me a grown mother. Hey, hey, hey, hey, man. That's enough. This my show. But no, man.

They, you know, you know, being with a a group of grown men for 12, you know, at the age of 12 and there's 12 of them in a shop, like, you know, you get to see different dynamics of like what barbering is and how barbers go about their business and like what they're doing. So with you like when did you notice that it could be an actual business and a career for you?

Um, for me, honestly, man, I seen it at a a young age and I I think I was blessed with that because I've always kind of had an entrepreneur mindset and um I remember once again I was cutting hair back home and I was cutting out the garage and I remember having my garage set up like a shop, radio playing, fan going, you know, line outside the the driveway, you know, cats hooping out in the front yard. And it's funny because I always share this story. I remember like it was on a Saturday, man. I'm talking about morning cranking. And um this is me just cutting, you know, uh friends and, you know, kids at school that I went to school with. And my pops ended up uh coming downstairs.

" So he took me to the backyard. I'm thinking I'm in trouble or something. He take me to the side of the house. You know, you see my meter right here? My meter running like this, man. I got to start charging you some boo or something. And I was just like, "Yo, Pops, you got it, man. " He like, "No, you got a lot of stuff going on on. " Oh, man. Oh, man. I know. I know how much you charge him. about $5 a head, right? About 15, 20 kids out there, man. It's time for you to pay up, man. Dang. Black daddies. Black daddies. My pops. If you if anybody ever knew my pops or wanted to know a great example of what my pops was everybody hates Chris Dad. That was my pops.

That was my pops to the pops to the table. So get so even like diving into that more. You know, a lot of times people don't talk about their pops as much as they, you know, do their moms. So like like really fill me in on how even his the things that you learned from him at a young age that you use in your barbering now that you found has given you way more success than you ever thought you would ever have. Man, so much. Uh I would say for one is just truly uh for one being a man of your word. Um I probably can count on maybe one hand how many times I ever seen him miss work. And like I said, you know, he was a a working father.

Like I said, uh took care, you know, me and my brother, him and my stepmoms. And um like I said, man, he just he did the best job that he could do. You know what I'm saying? And then he just showed us having good principles, you know, being just true stand up men of God. So I I'm truly thankful for my pops. You know, I tell him that all the time because like I said, you know, he really stood up to the plate and um not just was there, but he was he was active with us. You know what I'm saying? Like you know, was taking us to the games and stuff like that, you know, when we was playing basketball and uh really just showing us like how to be a man.

It was getting out there and helping him with jobs, going to cut grass for other people. And really, like my pops got a heart of goat. Like he'll help anybody out, you know, he, you know, extend his hand out to anybody. And it's funny because I remember when I moved down here to Georgia, I remember some words he told me before I left and he was just saying like, "Yo, son, I want you to remember something. " And the moment that you try to, you end up killing yourself. And I still remember that to this day because, you know, us as people, we're people pleasers. You know, we want to make sure everybody good. Especially as barbers.

So, you know, it's one thing that, you know, for us, we have to make sure we taking care of ourselves, too, because if we're not good, we can't be good to nobody else. So, yeah, man. My boss, man, he did an amazing job, man. Military background, like I said, real strict, you know, got chores every single day. you know, you gotta make sure you handling your business, you know. But yeah, man. Dope. Super dope. When it came to y'all's tours, uh, was he very meticulous on like details with it? Most definitely. Most definitely. Like, give me give me an example of like how he kind of reiterate being a stickler for details. Pops was just I mean, like I said, everything was to the tea.

Like I said, pine saw smelled in the house. Like I said, wood floors. Wool floors still look the same as when we left the crib. I'm like, "Yo, how does the floor still look the same, man? Like, you can't keep up with your stuff, man. " So, but uh yeah, man. Like I said, put putting up dishes now. I would say like even just past the chores. Like my pops, like I say, remind me everybody hates Chris Pops, but it was just one of those things. He buy groceries. It's like, "Yo, man, one cereal box open at a time, man. I'm going to be open up two or three. Y'all not about to do Y'all not about to do me like that. Hey, that's one jug of juice right there. one cup a day. Don't Don't do me like that.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Don't do me like that is wild. Oh, that's dope. That's dope. So, like I I noticed two things about that story. Uh one, how he stood out to you as a father and as he stood out to you as just a man. Um I know that you hold being a father very very very very dear. A father and a husband, an amazing father and husband. like what are the things that you learned from him that you apply now? Uh, honestly, man, just uh for one, number one, being a man of God. Like I said, he he brought us up. He brought us up in church. And also just being present, man. I think that's the biggest thing.

Like even though he worked all the time, like I think he had a pretty dope schedule because at the time I didn't like it because it was like I do something bad in school, by the time I get out of school, he's already home. Like I ain't even got a chance to like, you know what I mean, think about and quiet like what I was going to what I was going to say, what I was going to do. He waiting at the door with the belt like, "Yeah, come on in, bro. " He Robin Harris. He Robin Harris on on House Party. That's a He right there. So, but like I said, his his schedule was just super amazing because like I said, he worked uh throughout the week. It was off on weekends, but um yeah, man.

He was just super present with us. You know what I'm saying? And I remember just holidays just like I said, creating so many just dope memories. you know, if it was bringing out the camcorder and recording, you know, if it was Christmas or, you know, different holidays and just like I said, just create memories, man. " How do you feel about your your barber career? How do I feel about my barber career? How does he feel about your barber career? Like how Oh, man. He just he he be blown away, man. He be blown away every time I talk to him. different stories that he hear, stuff that he see, you know, it's, you know, somebody shot me out on, you know, ESPN or something.

You know, that that's that's my son. That's what he talking. Hey, you know, I was the first Hulk, though. You know, I was the first Hulk. But no, man, he he's super proud, man. And I think it's more so one of them things he seen me really uh stick to what I said I want to do, you know, and um I think for a lot of my family members to see me, you know, bring up I want to be a barber, even though, you know, a lot of people had different opinions about it, you know, when I was coming up, but it was something that I knew God gave me the vision for and it wasn't for everybody to see, you know, in that in that moment.

But for, you know, later on down the road and you see like, man, he actually stuck to this, you know, and the type of money you make behind being a barber, the type of connections you make behind being a barber, places you've traveled to. Yeah, man. He he be blown away, man. Hey, man. I'm blown away. And I And I see it firsthand. You know what I'm saying? Like you're you're a part of the 1% of barbers that actually gets to travel around the world and do what you do. Um, but before we even get to how you became that 1%, like how did you even get into the percentile of being a barber?

Like what was your path like once you moved down to so you went from Cincinnati, you were coming here all you know all through high school and stuff. You moved to you moved to Georgia. Uh tell me, you know, leading from there. So when I moved to Georgia, I moved to Georgia and I came down uh with my with my mother and I actually How old were you then? Uh I was probably at that time 18. Yeah, I was 18 at that time. And uh when I moved down with her that summer before I was 17 and I was able to get inside my first barber shop, was cutting in there with no license and stuff like that over the summer. And um like I said, I I got a taste of it.

I got a taste of it hard of what it was like to be in the shop. m. leaving like 10, 11 o'clock at night. Like I just want to be in there all day long. So when I came back down, I got into barber school and uh did barber school in about nine months. And then after the barber school, I ended up running into uh one of my mentors, boy, James Cahill, and an instructor actually told me about him. And um I end up working at his shop and um yeah man from there it just it just it just kept going bro. Yeah. Where and what shop was that? Furious Styles bro. Furious Furious Styles. Named after Furious Styles from Furious Styles. You would have really thought it was Yeah.

It was really named after Furious Styles too. Like from from Boys in the Hood. Yeah. And that and that's even wilder too when you think about it. Um me and you have used that image a while for a couple of uh father and son you know uh give backs that we're doing. Um but I think that people need to really look at that as an iconic move because I think in my mind Trey went to Morehouse right he went to Morehouse started cutting in Morehouse and then realized you know what after I do all this consulting stuff I'm I'mma turn into a barber. So I think Trey got a couple barber shops in Atlanta right now broke. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? He said, "Let me out though. Let me out.

I got to open the shop. This this this ain't for me, man. This ain't for me. I got to open the shop, baby. I got to open the shop. You see how pops was giving me the fade, man. Come on, man. " So, man, so like when you getting into school and and or you're not even in school, so when you get into the shop now, you just went straight through and just uh went as an apprentice with uh with James and stuff. No. So, when I went to barber school, I graduated barber school in about nine months. And then where'd you go? I went to Rafler Rafler Mohler. It was out in Marietta. Tony and guy end up buying them out and now I think it's like a Planet Fitness there or something like that now.

But yeah, it was old school. Same with mine. Same with mine. Mine gone too. I like dang bro. Yep. Gone. And I remember, like I said, our instructor that we had there, real old school cat, man. But uh yeah, it was a great school, man. The school I went to, they taught strictly on straight hair, which was super dope because um I already knew how to cut our type of, you know, style hair. So, uh going to that school helped me be real diverse, you know, and uh even when I got out into my first shop, like it was out in Kennesaw. And literally, I mean, I had a diverse type of clientele. So, I could fade anybody, I cut, use the shears, cut anybody on the top, create any style that they wanted to.

And yet, it just it set it off, bro. before you started getting really nice and barbering. What was your best straight haircut? Like do you remember your like your best the comb over comb over the we do a smooth comb over real quick. We going to do that guideline. Yeah, we going to do a guideline down the middle and we going to hit them sides on the left and the right. That thing over. Put it with the hard part. Yeah, that you in there right there. You in there. I hear that. I hear that. So you at Furious Styles for a few years. Um, at that time, like after you get out of school, you go to Furious Styles. How long were you working at Furious Styles?

I was there at Furious Styles, I would say, all the way up until about 20 I want to say 2012, 2013. Okay. Okay. Cool. 2012, 2013. When you're when you're at Furious Styles, what kind of like reputation are you starting to build up at Kennesaw at that point? Uh, I was quickly being known for like Brook Kachop, like a young young blood kachop. And it was funny because at the time I was always the youngest one in the barber shop, you know, and um, obviously we at the shop we always was barbers coming in and out, but they were always older than me.

But, uh, I was definitely always the one, you know, doing designs in there, you know, doing the new, you know, trend trend type haircuts, adding in the new services if it was using the spray can, whatever, you know, and um, yeah, man. Kennesaw, they they they knew, especially just the way I was getting out, promoting myself, you know, passing out cards, pass break that down. How was you how was you pro promoting yourself back then, man? Doing the uh, cars. I had a client of mine who actually made business cards and flyers. So, it was just like that was my barter system with him. It was just like, "Hey, I cut your hair. " And literally every month we would do it.

And my my objective was every time he came, I had to get rid of those cards by his next cut. You know what I'm saying? Like, so yeah, it was for me, I was dumping them out so much. You know, I was doing the $5, you know, $10 your first time just to get them to sit in the chair. And I know once I had him in the chair, that was it. That that was that was the stamp right there. What would you call that marketing strategy that you just got done doing? Because that's a a strategy.

I I I realize we tend to do a lot of strategies when we're first coming up that um we don't put a name to or we don't like understand it's actually a strategy and don't understand the the thought process about it behind it until we get older. Yeah. So, like, give me your give me your give me why you thought that that was such a great thing to do and why you needed to do that like that. Well, here's the thing, and I still do it to this day. I probably do it even to this day. Yeah. To this day, even more now, but I do it in a different type of way now.

But um like I just feel like in that process of what I was doing of like giving out a very low price, you know, for a haircut for that first time or even just saying like, "Hey, it's free on me the first time. " I think it was just one of those things where I want to be a servant to the actual person first and they could see like, oh, he's willing to give to me. You know what I'm saying? Like if it was a discount or if it was me just cutting them for free, no matter if I did a great job or not, who don't like free stuff, right? Who don't like being served? You know what I'm saying?

So I was willing to serve them my gift, you know, at a low cost and at for free, you know, just because I was confident behind, you know, the gift that I had, you know, and as I did that, you know, people could see like, oh nah, like I mean, even when I was in barber school, they was charging $8 for a haircut. Granted, you know, we couldn't charge in barber school, but they was seeing like, nah, this dude got a gift. Like, he's better than some of the barbers that's got their license already that's in the shop. you know, I was getting paid $25, $30, you know, inside barber school, you know, on top of them paying the $8.

It was just more so just uh definitely I would say just positioning myself to serve first, you know, serve first and then, you know, get get what I'm looking for at the end. So, so how do you apply that now? You know, you used to give it away for free back then. So now if I'm out and about, man, and I just see somebody that just truly need a cut, I might see they ain't had a cut in a while. It look like they might have had a messed up cut, whatever the case may be. Obviously, I know I got a pretty consistent clientele, you know, a high demand, but you know, I'll just tell them, "Hey, man, just, you know, come through. " Like, you know, like first time on me, whatever the case may be.

A lot of people from my church, you know, I just kind of really do that to also serve my church as well. So it's just like, "Yo, come through. " You get what I'm saying? " But I just feel like that's just another way to share my gift with the kingdom. So yeah, that's what's up, man. You're give you're a very giving brother. I've noticed that in everything that you've done, man. Got what would you say? You say that that's been your greatest quality and gift, the servantthood of of Yeah. Yeah. Give me that. Most most definitely. being being a servant, man. And like I said, just being Christlike.

And, you know, now I'm, you know, learning these things over the past, you know, four to five years of just truly learning how to, you know, walk in the spirit. But those were the things that I was doing. Just walking in the spirit, remaining humble, being a servant, like I said, being a man of my word and all this stuff. All those things, just walking in the spirit, just showing love all the time, you know, always just being just a solid person, you know. So yeah, I mean it it it has truly played a big part in my life just you know having that fruit of the spirit mentality. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Hey man, listen. People know about you now. They know about your beginning.

I want to get to the good part. This where I where I entered. Come on church. Come on. Come on now. When me and Hulk the barber prodigy at that point met. Tell tell these folks how we met back in the day and and tell and and let's get into that and then we going to start talking about some celebrity stuff. Then we gonna start talking about your wildest dreams and barbering coming true. Then we'll start So let's get to that. Let's get to the nitty-gritty. So, what's wild is, like I said, and I'm quite sure you probably remember this, but before we actually met in person, I stumbled across u your page and I think I seen that you was cutting Nas.

And I was just like, yo, this is Nas Barber right here. And then when I seen that you was in the A, that made it even wild. I'm like, yo, bro, bro is actually in the A. Like, this is who cutting Nas. and I was one of my favorite artists, you know, and um I was just like, "Yo, man, that's super crazy. " Obviously, you mean was just, you know, connecting with you. And then I think uh Todd Todd had uh an event down here in Atlanta and we both went to that. We both, you know, I mean, presenting new things to the industry. You mean fibers and hooking it all up. I'm bringing products, new product, coasters and stuff like that to the industry.

And um man, I remember we had that uh that dinner that night. I think we went to go to the taco joint. Yeah. Hey, listen y'all. Y'all know this. He was the first person we always had when you always see we do uh Barbers Love Tacos. " Me, Hulk, and uh Todd Bernard aka I Cut Pro. Yes, sir. Uh my boy I Cut Pro, you know, I cut Pro, he's the it's the way that I do the system. You know, you know what's so crazy about even Todd? That's that, you know, that's our guy, bro. Yeah. He literally, man, you know, Todd was, I mean, he was big time, bro. You know what I mean? Still is. You still is. Super big time. But at that time, it was like Todd was like, you know what I mean? Todd was the guy.

" And I remember like, yeah, he was one of the first ones that like really like shouted me out and I was like, man, I always appreciated that for them. Yeah. So we all so we all linked up and um I remember that I remember that dinner quite quite like it's just so it's yeah quite vividly if you will because uh before we even went there what I did like about u us three actually coming together was all three of us were introducing something new to the industry leaders of the leaders of the new school of the new school. Y'all didn't even get to get that tour. Y'all didn't get to get that tour. We might we might still need to bring that tour back.

We need we need to bring that tour back because that tour was going to be something ridiculous. Uh Hulk, like you said, Hulk is you've always been really really imaginative when it comes to like your entrepreneur mindset. " And then he's like, "Ah, I don't feel like doing it no more. Let me just go ahead let me just go ahead and chop y'all heads off with the Clippers. You know what I'm saying? Animated boy. Hey, hey, hey, hey, man. And it's crazy because I think that was the first time I was introducing cuz it's not that I introduced the It's not that I created the fibers and the automizer.

I would definitely say I did not, but nobody out there using it and the ones who were using it were hiding it and we know who was hiding it. And I just want to let you see us on this podcast, brother. Hide it. That's all. Trying to highlight it. You try to Hey, you try to hide it, but we gonna highlight it. That's it. You see how that is. And once again, like that's that's still paying homage. Like, you know what I'm saying? I'm not saying you was the first one created it, but yeah, the way that it was brought out, it was just highlighted. You know what I'm saying? Granted. Yeah. This that's just what it is. That's just what it is. So, let's talk about the Barber Star movement.

A lot of people a lot of people walk up on me now and it it's it's it blows my mind. Me and Tyreek work at Tony's right now and um we'll just have random barbers come into the shop and just start talking or even before that when we first started working at Tony's again. I remember coming into the shop, Tyreek would be in the shop and then I would hear uh when I'm coming in, you know, they're talking about something. " Man, the Musili, them boys was going in there cutting, boy. So, man, let's tell tell these folks about like the atmosphere between me, you, Tyreek, and Q the barber when we first came up with the Musa. Um, and I'll even give you a little bit more.

I came up with the name because I was getting a cut by Q. And he and he had a picture on the floor said Mansam Musa and it said the wealthiest man of all time. And while he's cutting my hair, you know, this haircut was taking uh seven hours. So you got you got a whole movie with that. Yes, sir. About the about the fifth hour. And I'm like, "Okay, come on, man. Come come come back. " And then I was like, "Uh the the the spot that we had y'all back in the day, we were working at Salon Ramsey and we were uh Salon Ramsey, of course, is one of the most historic things of all time. also one of the greatest one of the greatest uh hair spectacles on earth period.

I don't think that there was any other in the country that was doing it like Salon Ramsey. Could you couldn't really even call that sweet. That was just couldn't call it sweet. It It was It was a It was a dungeon. It was a dungeon. A barber hair stylist dungeon. Everybody in Atlanta right now who's popping came from there. Everybody who's who was a top barber came from there. Everybody who's a top stylist came from there. It's just it just is what it is. You know what I'm saying? All the people that y'all love right now on social media from Steph to all these other people, myself, Hulk, we all came from there.

We actually got an opportunity to get this little small room that used to be the the um used to be Benny's uh Benny's tattoo parlor, right? " Put all four of us in there and then the rest is history. So tell these folks about how the atmosphere of competition and camaraderie like really sharpen sharpened iron. Uh honestly I feel like that was probably like the highest level of being around like greatness. I'm I'm going just say that because like I said everybody in there was just very talented, very skillful. And once again, it's one thing to be the sharpest in the shop because, you know, I mean, you know, you got the pans and ain't nobody messing with you like that.

But nah, everybody in there was chopping. And it was just so amazing because like how you said in Salon Ramsey, it was just so many different, you know, components and rooms and, you know, I mean, openness of barbers and whoever, you know, just doing their thing. And I just felt it was so dope of where we was at. It was just like we was in the center core of it and it was just like it was no windows to see outside, no none of that. So it was just like when they would walk in that door, get chopped up by any of us and walk out everybody like, "Yo, what are they doing in there? " Like I mean literally, bro, I mean that's just just what it was. It was just a lot of heat in that room.

I think we took out the AC a lot of times. We just how much heat was in there. You know what I'm saying? That's what was happening. We kept we kept tripping the air conditioning unit. No matter how many vents we trying to put in that mug, it's like nah, dog, it's too much heat in this mug. But yeah, no, it was like I said, just just working around greatness like that, man. Was like I said, I still haven't seen nothing like that to this day uh for myself and just even being a part of something like that, bro. Like I said, it was just that was high level, man. That was that was that was first class.

And like I said, we was one of the first ones, you know, to do it on on that level where it was just like no matter who chair you sit in. Yeah. You you you about to get laced. And it was just, you know, everybody everybody knew it, man. Yeah, man. You know what's funny about that? " And I was like, "Y'all little [ __ ] ain't going to embarrass me. I'll beat y'all. " Even though I was ready. " But I was like, "Come on, man. " I like that, though. I like that. It's like, you know, it felt like it felt like a good a kingdom being built. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. So, let me ask you this.

Was that like your first time really starting to get like the celebrities coming to you at that point or I know you I know you had been getting celebrities before, you know. Well, no, I I only had one before and that's the time I was working at a mall like a little bit right right before we had linked up. Oh yeah, tell me about that. I know about that story. Yeah. So when this I know you cool. You like Yeah. Like one time one time you know who was it? But it it was AI, man. It was AI. Okay. Just randomly AI. Okay. Go ahead. AI, man.

You know, but no, it it it was cool, man, because you know, uh he used to come to that mall all the time and you know, of course, everybody wanted him to come, you know, sit sit in the chair and this the time around the time I think he had just cut his braid, so he was like had the little short fro going off and he was going back and forth overseas. Yeah, man. One day I just gave him my my my my flyer. He looked at it, put in his back pocket. " The h [Laughter] was Yeah, it was super dope. So, tell me about the cut. Like, what was what was the conversation like? What was that all about?

Actually, actually, what he did was he actually brought his son in to get get a uh get a cut and obviously that was way that was his way of trying to test out to see if I could chop. So, you know what I mean? And I did the uh did the cut on him? He was like, "Oh, I ain't never seen his cut look like that. " Of course I can. Of course. Come on. Sit down, man. Yeah. I started chopping him like that, man. And yeah, he love to cut and yeah, we we had built up a little rapport before I end up uh moving up out of that shop.

But yeah, when I got down to the layer, that's like I said, as far as you know, different celebs that was coming up out of there all the time like Yeah, that's when that really got cranking. But it's so funny though, bro, because taking it back to like even with me and you was connecting before I moved down to the city. Like you was even sharing it with me and I was hearing it from different folks just as far like people that wanted to get their haircut by me. Me being all the way out in Kennesaw, obviously Cobb County, you know, people in the city that want to come all the way out there. " Hey, man. I'm telling you, man. I know you getting your little $40 for a cut, man.

I'm telling you, man. $70, $80, $100. You not hearing me. And sure enough, yeah, that's that's what happened, man. Got down to the city, man, and turned up. Yeah. And that's what we that's where we get the no blink from. Tell them about the no blink. No blink. No blink. When you're saying that price, you got to say it with no blink. No hesitation, you know, letting them know like, nah, this is what it is. And they like, you know, what's the price for the cut? This is what it is. Yeah. Because you've always been you were always nice, bro. And that's the craziest thing. " But you said you said it like in a uh Shucks. I'm like 45, bro. I just watched you do three cuts.

Uh we had we had we at 85 100 now. And he's like 85 100. I remember the first time I He said," he did a little chuckle. I don't know about that, man. I don't know about that, man. For real. 80. I don't know my What about my old clients? " And that boy, first day I told him, the next day he had no blink. I don't know if he was rehearsing at night like, "No blink. Hey, $100. $100. $100. Okay, I got Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, no blink from there. So, all right. So, like now you in the layer, man.

you getting these celebs like tell us the f tell us about the first like introduction into the celeb world man like so now you done caught you done caught AI you know at the at the joint now you're in the layer and it's turned into another level you're starting to you know charge more your games you know it's it's a it's a NBA run in there now so tell tell us how that go man I mean honestly like I said it was just one of those things where I think it was happening so fast bro it was just like now we could sit back and I We used to talk about that all the time, like just being present in the moment, but it was just everything was just happening so fast.

But now we get to sit back and appreciate it. But um yeah, man, like I said, if it was coming from NBA players, we was cutting, you know, uh actors, you know, musicians that we was cutting. Like I said, everybody was coming in and out of the layer. And it I think it was so dope because we were all able to like pass them back and forth and be comfortable with that knowing that they was in good hands. You get what I'm saying? Like and sometimes that's so hard because like I said, you was just like, you know, your clients get so comfortable with you because they know how you cut. They know your hands. They know you going to know to cut and they know they not going to get messed up.

But once again to be in a situation where it was just nothing but hitters in there and we all just like nah I'm throwing you the oop over here like throwing you the oop over there like this is my guy. I need you to take care of him. Like yeah that was that was one of a kind bro. Well you're you're known as uh one of the most viral barbers of all time. Uh cuts that you do uh normally go on on on TV and go crazy. So let's talk about let's talk about them. First one, let's talk about how you got linked up with Jaylen Rose to be Jaylen Rose Barber to have people talking about you're a mad scientist that this man has a has a honorary doctor degree in mathematics and and equation.

So tell us about that man. So it was just I think around the time it might have been like 2015 2016 I think and I know because you used to actually cut Jaylen too, didn't you? Yeah, you used to you used to cut Jaylen, too. And I think it might have been a time where Jay Majors might have needed you to cut him or something happened in the midst, but I know it was it was a oop that was thrown. You know what I'm saying? From either one of y'all. And at that point, like I said, I started cutting. Let me correct that real quick. Let me correct that. Yep. I put J Majors and them on to to to Jay Rose. So, yeah. So, so that's I knew I knew that came.

I knew I knew it was like one of those, you know, back in basketball practice and everybody got to keep throwing the ball up on the backboard until somebody that's what that was. That's why I was like, I'm not for sure exactly, but I know that's how that's how it ended up happening. Yeah. But once I once I started chopping him up, man, I remember uh Jaylen was just, you know, getting the solid haircuts, you know, and uh he didn't have no waves or nothing at the time. And I remember I was like I was like, "Yo, man, we got to spice this up, man. We got to, you know, uh, put some waves up there. I'm like, man, show me show show me what I need to do. " And, man, this dude did it, bro.

And like I said, when he got wavy and we start really just like enhancing that cut and like taking it up to another notch. Yeah, man. " And when he started doing that nons part, I mean, like I said, man, he phenomenal phenomenal cut, bro. Phenomenal cut. So, let's let's talk even more about that, man. Like, talk about your clients like especially like a Jaylen, you know, um because I can tell you how I kind of recounted a little bit. So, I was cutting um I was cutting web at the time, right? you know, um, and the finals were going on in San Antonio, San Antonio versus, uh, Miami finals.

So, I go up to fly, uh, to go cut web, and then I come back, and then I go up one more time to cut him, and on the flight is Jaylen. And I, um, at this time, I'm the same type of eager like you said, you know, we at that point, we was just like, we shooting shots, we don't even care, right? So, I'm like, yo, what's up? I was like, uh, I didn't know they were beefing, right? " He's like, "Oh, where? You cut web. " Okay, cool. I said, "Yeah, any I see that we're coming back from Atlanta. So anytime you're in the A, man, reach out to me. " Gave him my card or gave my number. I didn't have no card on me. I gave him my number and text. He gave me his number.

" So I started cutting him for a while. When I started cutting him, that's when I started hearing all the, you know, that's when all the the documentary started dropping and all that other stuff. And I was like, Oh, okay. Uh, well, God bless my brothers, you know, cuz it's just like, you know, how we all have we have our our tightest brothers cuz I mean, even with the barber stars, we've had situations where it was like, yo, that's my brother, but I got to chill out for a minute. Me and him are kind of on a different wave, fab right now. But, um, when I said I I remember I was on tour with Nas. This what this how it happened. I was on tour with Nas and we were in Buffalo, New York.

I don't know why I remember this. So, I do remember why I remember this cuz um when Jaylen hit me, I was cutting him a couple times. He hit me, he used to have his homeboy hit me up first, right? What was what's his home uh home homeboy first? Is a his manager guy. Old school dude back in the day. He may not have Jeff. Jeff. Jeff. Yes, Jeff would hit me up. So, I was like, "Hey, Jeff, actually man, I'm not going I'm not in town. " He's like, "You know, man, you know Jaylen, he gonna be in town. He got to come down in Atlanta. people, you know, if people live here. So I said, "Don't even worry about it. " Yeah. " H And as soon as uh as soon as u I put Okay, cool. Cool.

Like maybe three month three like it it went from all right, let me Hey, you you available again, Marcus? " He said, "Okay, it's all good. " And then the next time it was like, "Hey, man. " I was like, "Hey, man. What? " Then then the next time, hey Marcus, what's up man? God bless you. H merry Christmas to you. Is there some way that we can find a way that you can put us in contact with Hulk again? I like, okay, I see what's happening. I see what's happening. And that's what and that's what I loved about our our unit, man. It's like we were always like, yo, we're going to take over the world together. Not in no individual I got. No, this is my my situation.

It's like, no, we gonna make sure that whoever is rocking is rocking. So, for even for y'all to get as tight as y'all have, um, what this is the thing that really stuck out to me. I hit I hit Jaylen up one time just just randomly just to see how y'all were doing. " He said, "Hey, bro. " Yeah. Yeah. Coldest barber I've ever known in my life. I said, "Nigga, you talking to me? " He said, "I know that. " But Marcus, Hulk is different. Hulk is different, man. And it's just I just love the way he cuts, man. So I appreciate you for putting me on, man. " Okay. He's like, "Man, you know, those are my guys, man. I I rock with him. " So I just like, man, this is always dope.

" So, let's talk about that point. All the time, like tell me about all the times that you've seen your work on television and have gotten shout outs and like what that's felt like. Well, here's the wild part. Usually when the shout outs happen, I don't even see it. Like, usually I'm like caught up tied up doing something. So, my phone just usually starts ringing. People sending me like, you know what I mean?

" So that's always a cool part because I I I get to see it on the back end like oh snap like yeah I I ain't even know like half the time when the shout outs happen that's coming just from somewhere genuine like that ain't you know me asking like yo can can y'all make a shout out to your boy like this that's just them doing that off the strength and Jaylen has always been major on that man he's he's been a I think a big iconic role in the barbering world bro like I said he played on the movie Barberhop like I said he's always just you know been big around the culture of like barbering.

Like honestly, I think if he wasn't hooping, he probably would have tried to be a barber at some point, you know, cuz he he just really loves it. So that's just super, you know, super dope to see. And then just like I said, it's just so wild because how certain things can come full circle. Then when me and my brother was coming up, my mom's had got me and my brother a signed autograph picture and it was uh Chris Weber when he played for the Kings. What? This when we was kids, bro. So, I've had like his this this this picture of Chris Weber with this signed, you know, I mean, autographed picture of Chris Weber and then then a little later on down the road, I'm getting a oop to cut his hair.

You know what I'm saying? Crazy, bro. Yeah. Crazy. So, I mean, you got you got Jayen Rose, but you also got one of the greatest comedians of all time. Yeah. Yeah. Uh Chris Tucker, man. Smoke dog. You know what I'm saying? That's Tell us about that. That's my dog. Tell me about how that even came about, bro. Like, how did that even happen? So, funny thing is, like I said, how things just working full circle, man. He bumped into Jaylen Rose and was just like, man, dude, man, who who we hooking you up, man? They be getting right, man. To Chris, man, because he like, man, you learn my voice a little too. Learn that voice. You learn that voice. Yeah.

He like this man, whoever cutting you, man, they getting you right, man. " He was like, "What? " So, I got his information. Well, he got my information. He end up hitting me up and uh yeah, first time going over to cut his hair at his crib, you know. I pull up. I'm like, man, I'm like, "Goodness grace, man. " Yeah, this that rush yard money, man. you know, still still doing it. But yeah, man. That that's that's that's my dog right there, man. Like I said, first time cutting them, it was like cutting somebody that you knew for years. You know what I'm saying? And uh just to see the dynamic of like I said, how he was brought up, how his pops was with him.

And um yeah, man, just like I said, it just felt like like a true like brother, like a brotherhood with it. And even to this day, I tell him this all the time, like, and I've even shared it with my wife, like out of all like, you know, celebs on that level that I've ever cut, this dude calls me, you know what I mean, on a regular, bro, just on, "Hey, what's up, man? What you got going on, man? I'm just checking on you and the family, man. Yeah, man. I was down here, man. Hey, I was at one Neverland, man. Man, this crazy over here, man. " No, I'm just playing. You know, I ain't flying you out for this, man. Hey, chill out, man. Yo, I I ain't going to front.

If you don't dress up like him on on Halloween at this big, do Lee for me. Give me Lee. Oh, man. Give me Lee. Give me Lee name. You remember Lee when he's on on when he's on Rush like Oh, Lee Lee. Lee, man. That's not how you do that, man. That's not how you do that, man. It's W. It's [Laughter] crazy. Yeah, boy. But no, that that dude, like I said, he's a solid solid brother, man. And like I said, even just being around him when I travel with him and stuff like that is it's the like he he he wants wants me around like as a brother, you know what I'm saying?

And like I said, it it's been cool to just have, like I said, one of those type of, you know, clients, especially that's on that level to look at you past just being a barber.

It's just like and and granted for real for real like I rarely ever allow myself to get that close cuz you know how that that mixup can happen where it's just like you the homie now like you know I mean look out you know what I'm saying but it's just always been that respect like now I want to make sure you good I got to take care of you like you know what I mean whatever you need you know I mean just let me know and like I said yeah man they they they told me one day that he he would sometimes just call you and just tell you about their um the prayers that he would for you like go into that a little bit more. Yeah.

So, like I said, this dude, man, like I said, him and his family, they be on prayer calls almost like every day, you know, and like I said, he was raised up in church and, you know, obviously everybody kind of know his story of why he kind of, you know, fell back a little bit, but from the industry, but it was just like, man, he was just he was more so about, like I said, his soul being saved and, you know, I mean, his soul being lost in the industry, man. And I got nothing but respect for that. You know what I'm saying?

because I think we all can have encountered that in some part of our careers and I don't care what industry that you in where you chasing you know your dreams and your goals and everything that you want and it's easy to get lost up in that. " And it's just like, yeah, to see that done like that on that level. Yeah. It's commendable. Wow. Would you you know, with that being the case, um it's funny how your life mirrors a lot of your clients lives. And I think that that's also stands true with all of us. A lot of us can see our clients lives in our life, you know, how they were raised and the way we were raised.

Uh with that being said, you know, what you seen the parallel between you and Chris, like him having the world as his oyster, people offering being the highest paid actor in Hollywood at one point in time, you know, get 20 million a movie. Yeah. to like to like, yo, I can't do this no more and turning stuff down. Um the same situation similarly happened to you. Like tell us a little bit more about that and how um that led you into, you know, doing Barbers for Christ. Like how did that work? For me, it was just, you know, and I've shared this story a couple of times before, but when I was about Yeah, I was 17 cuz I just got back from cutting cutting hair over the summer down here in Georgia.

and I moved back, you know, uh, to Ohio before I graduated high school. And I stopped playing basketball that that year. And I literally was just focused in on barber. And at that time, I was hearing so many different things like, "Bart, you shouldn't be doing that. You need to go to school for something real. " All these different things. So, I prayed about it. And when God actually showed me weeks later that barbering was it for me went to telling God all of my plans of what I had what what he was showing me what I you know what he wanted me to do. And in that I think that's where I messed up.

You know I I messed up by telling God everything that I want to do because I never made sure that it was in his will. You know what I'm saying? or just it that was the actual plans that he had for me to do inside of bar room. So I was able to accomplish all those things that I set out to do and it was almost like he was allowing me to do so because it was just like I know you focused like you you locked in on that and can't nobody tell you nothing. I think that's how it was like couldn't nobody tell me I wasn't Mr. Ba best barber alive Mr. Halt the barber prodigy and I I I I I want to be able to travel the world, do barber competitions.

Didn't know that I was going to end up doing a barber competition that was actually best barber in America. The same initials is BBA. I think I had a tattooed on my arm. First tattoos I got was BBA. Best barber alive. And to see myself accomplish all of these things that I set out to do.

And I think it was around 2018 2019 I started getting a lot of individuals coming up to me asking man what's next for you all like you want best barber in America travel you work for a clipper company your face on a clipper box you cut celebrities you move around you got products man you just you're doing like what's next for you and in that season I felt empty bro I I I truly felt empty in a way where it was just like yeah I did all that but I still feel like that honestly was really wasn't what I was supposed to do.

And I I feel like God allowed me to feel that in that season for a reason, you know, and my response was and you know, whatever God got for me next, you know, and I was just like, wow, just hearing that now is just like my response was whatever God has for me next. But that's how it should have been from the jump, you know, and it honestly would have saved me probably from a lot of heartache, man. A lot of heartache. uh chasing things that probably wouldn't even for me. Uh wanting certain success that I shouldn't even been, you know, touching.

The thing that I love about, like I said, the guy we serve, he'll do things in such of a way where even in your hiccups and your mistakes, he'll still turn it around for his favor. You know what I'm saying? " This this what I was trying to show you in the beginning, but now you can see it and now you get it. That's, you know, that's one of the parts that, you know, I've seen just over these past, you know, five years. you know, God just has truly just, you know, did a real number on me just getting me to like really see that for one, we're just stewards over, you know, all his resources, man.

And the gift that we have, the talent that we have, the money that we have, the family that we have, the spouses that we have, uh, all of it belongs to him. The bodies that we have, it belongs to him. And he just expects us to be good stewards over that. So that's been like my whole, you know, mind process, me being renewed, you know what I mean, through the spirit. And u when Barbers in Christ came around, I literally remember going to a show and before I went out to the show, I was doing a fast. " And um this particular show, dude, when I tell you so many people, and this usually how it happens at most shows, but most barbers will come up to you, want to pick your brain.

They like, yo, let me talk to you, you know, give you your props and all that. Majority every conversation I had was, man, I love how you share your faith, man. Yo, man, I'm a believer, too. Yo, man, I just feel like we don't have like that type of like, you know, community where we could just like share our faith. And obviously like they tell you you can't share your faith, you know, in in in the industry or whatever other industry, you know, because that ain't what you supposed to do. You know, you're supposed to keep that stuff quiet. So that whole entire weekend, that's all I'm hearing. " Like you you showing me like it has to be a community.

Like for one, we are the church, you know, and for the longest time, we've, you know, been presented that the church is just a building. But no, like when Christ was here, he was showing us that we make the church. when two or three come together, he'll be in the midst. And us behind our chairs, that's our ministry. You know what I'm saying? Like that's our opportunity to touch individuals that probably ain't stepping foot inside of a church that'll come see you weekly and open up to you all the way because they going through it in their marriage. They going through it with their health. They going through it with personal stuff. They coming to you just for advice.

And how special is that to be able to be that close to somebody, laying hands on somebody at that to be able to pour inside of an individual that you know, you know, needs help, might be lost, whatever the case may be. So, you know, that's what God has shown me. And when I started the barbers in Christ, like I said, he placed that on my spirit to do that to create a community of like I said, believing barbers, you know, and even outside of that, we get, you know, I get clients and other individuals that, you know, jump on the calls, man, and we just, like I said, we just tackle at it, you know, and it's more so like I always share with them.

It's an opportunity for us to feed our spirit outside of Sunday. You know, most people feed their spirit on Sunday when they go to church and that's it. and then they tackle the rest of the week and wonder why they, you know, they run into so many like things that life throw at them. But when it's one of those things where you constantly feeding your spirit like daily and nothing Yeah. Like Yeah. your flesh is like not not to say your flesh is just starving because your flesh is going to be eating throughout the day anyways, but Yeah. It's just you giving your your spirit an opportunity to respond when life comes at you, you know, and that's it. So yeah, man.

It's been super super dope, man. It's uh some things that we got coming up that, you know, even with me seeing like at these expos. Um yeah, man. We about to we about to shift shift the industry up a little bit, man. And um put put some stuff out there that Yeah, man. Make some heavy changes, you know. And um not like I said, not even just for us, but anybody anybody that's just a part of it, bro. Like I said, man, we kingdom citizens out here, man. And we we we got to act like it. Yeah. You already know. you already know. Um that's something that we definitely want to make sure is uh shared and uh we'll definitely put the link in the bio as well.

Um but how can barbers get connected to Barbers in Christ? So we have uh a Discord group group chat. They can hit me up on Instagram, the Hawkvision_. They can DM me. m. Eastern time every Monday. and then uh they can be a part of our discord uh group chat. So, we have a group chat that like I said, we just inspiring each other each and every day. You know, if it's throwing scriptures, motivational stuff, whatever the case may be, but it's really just having a a safe place to, you know, be able to get your spirit fed. " You know what I'm saying? I need prayer cuz life life's hitting me hard right now. Like, that's that's what we need. We It's community, man. you know, come on, man.

We just expanding that thing, man. Yes, sir. All for the And you know what's funny? I That's what um it's dope because me and uh Hulk have known each other for like we said over 15 years now. And it's just amazing to see all of like our paths to Christ. You know what I'm saying? And uh when you first met me, I was like, you know, right-hand man to my pastor. " And then, you know, um to kind of see you like literally just about faith, you know, and really get into a a lifestyle and a uh your life being submitted to Christ and and being submitted to the things of God has just been astounding and amazing. And I can see that that's why you have had so much success.

and not only had so much success, but the success hasn't crushed you because you've been able to have a strong foundation. Uh, one one quote that I will always talk about, man, is a quote that um Chris Carter said one time and he's talking about his sobriety. He was talking about how he was, you know, um he was, you know, addicted to drugs, you know, throughout half, you know, most of his his career. Uh was got cut by the Eagles. " like you got to get your life together. And for the Minnesota Vikings to have an actual which is kind of cool because the Minnesota Vikings um sobriety uh initiative was started by Grant Hill's dad. Ain't that crazy? Ain't that crazy?

Um, so it's just it's always a small world of how it works. " And I said because a lot of times when you were just saying a second ago like oh you know had I didn't follow the the uncction of the Lord a lot of times but you did bro because everything that you've been through has allowed you to be more relatable has allowed you to be able to be someone who could say no this word is true cuz I've been through it versus like somebody regurgitating what you know a scripture says what they've heard you know being raised but somebody who actually lived it who's been you know pulled from the snares. Let me go back. You getting me back church now. Pull from the snares of the enemy.

You know what I'm saying? Because when you think about snares, snares are like you don't see them until you hit a pressure point and then it combines on you from all angles. So, you know what I'm saying? So, for you to be pulled out from the snare cuz it could have crashed down on you from so many different ways. And to see what God is doing in your life is amazing. I love the way you love your wife. I love the way you love them girls, man. Uh and we know that you're a bass pro. " A barber and bass. You know what I'm saying? A barber bass. You know, hey, it's coming. I already know it's coming. What it talking about?

You know, every time every time me and Hog talk, we talk about something that's coming and it and when it and then it manifest every time. and it manifests every time, man. Um, Hulk, man, this has been an amazing conversation. I love you, bro. You know, me and you could me and you could talk for another hour or some change. You probably still watch, but I know you got to get to it and I got to get to it, too, man. I love you, man. Thank you so very much, too, for coming on the for coming on the first episode of Barber, where every star needs a barber, but every barber need a star. And we can see why my boy Joshua Hawkins is a star.

not only a star with the Clippers, not only a star with his persona, but the way he is a man of God, the way he moves in everything that he does. They say how you do one thing is how you do everything. And I've seen him be detailed in everything that he does. And it's just amazing that we're here to stay connected. Uh for all you guys, like, subscribe, share all this stuff. Please share. It's going to be down here somewhere. Like, subscribe. Go ahead and be on the Barber team. This is powered by Suprea. Uh, shouts out to all of our all of our amazing sponsors uh for this season. It's going to be dope, man. I love y'all. Thank y'all so very much. Send them out with something.

Send them out with a bar. Give me a bar. A Hulk bar. You know, one of them little one of them joint that like people, okay, yeah, I hear you. I hear you, Hulk. Give me a Hulk bar. Uh, I think one of the strongest ones, man, is that that that's just hitting my spirit right now is do not allow your talent or your gift to take you somewhere that your character can't keep you. That's it. We out. Get off. Get off here. That part. Get off of me. fixer.