Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Zariff: Barack Obama's Barber

Barack Obama is taking his barber of 14 years with him to The White House!

Zariff tells Us Weekly:
“I said, ‘I’m going with you’ [if you win],” Zariff told Obama, according to CBS 2. His reply? “Absolutely. I’m not changing barbers, man.”

Mr. Obama has even mentioned his barber in an interview that aired on "60 Minutes".

Obama: “Well, that’s something that I don’t think I’ll ever get used to. I mean, the loss of anonymity and this is not a complaint, this is part of what you sign up for. Being able to just wander around the neighborhood. I can’t go to my old barber shop now. I’ve gotta have my barber come to some undisclosed location to cut my hair. You know, the small routines of life that keep you connected I think - some of those are being lost.”

Source

This is something that I can directly relate to because I've been Kanye's barber for 13 years now. I remember when Kanye first moved to New Jersey and he would be gone for a few months at a time, and come back with a huge afro smashed underneath his hat. I said "Man, you don't get your hair cut while you're out there?" His reply? "No, I wait until I come back here to see you." He would try to convince me to move to New York so he could get his usual cuts, but I had a very large clientele that was based in Chicago. He promised me that when he got his deal, he would hire me full-time.... He kept his promise.

March 23rd, 2003 I was gone...


This is one of my old clients from Chicago, Johnny. He's Mrs. Michelle Obama's hairstylist. I was surprised when I ran into him @ The Democratic National Convention and found out that he was the person keeping The First Lady's hair so fresh. Johnny is actually the person who schooled me on how this business works on the level that we're on. He told me about getting an agent, setting my day rate, editorial fees etc... Thanks homie!

I just want to say GOOD LUCK to Zariff and Johnny, and get ready for the ride of your life!

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thats awesome, and great to see! my boy is a barber in Boston its a true gift and skill! its great that its been able to take you around the world!!

Fresh ta Def!!!

Anonymous said...

very cool post

Tuesdai Noelle said...

Hey Ibn,

*Smile*…this made me smile, thanks for sharing :o) He does a very NICE job on her hair. *Smile* You have to LOVE, First Lady Michelle, she’s SUCH a “woman of substance” & integrity.

One quote, just came to my mind after reading your story, that I would put into play for my own personal visions/dreams;
"We were always dreaming of how it was going to be." ~ George Lucas

I’ll take it a step farther with Lucas, dreaming of how it was going to be & what we’d do when that moment actually came.

Indeed,
"It's the independent American spirit that built this country - hard-working entrepreneurs who believe in the reality of their dreams." ~Robert E. Hughes

Sidebar…didn’t mean to be long winded, I just wanted to voice, some more good words :o)

BEST WISHES to you: Johnny & Zariff :o)!

Anonymous said...

what else do you do with kanye apart from cut his and his crew's hair?
btw thats in no way an insult and i apologise if it came out that way
im just interested in what u do as ur with him a lot....

Trill Cosby said...

^ he has also mastered the art of ballin hard then celebrating.

you have an awesome life...i wanna live like you when im older.success is stressful as hell...it's constantly on my mind.there's not been a day gone past in the last 2 years where i haven't thought about success.it's not the money and material side of it that i think about it's the bit where you are a master at your craft and the money thing is just a bonus..like an option...i can opt to go and buy a ferrari. i also wanna see the world...i don't wanna be stuck in this fucking bedroom 10 years from now,hanging out with dudes that i have nothing in common with,in fact they probably beat me up in the street.
i just want to do what i do.seriously,people like you and your people keep me from going insane.you let me believe there's hope.sometimes i see people like Ye or Pharrell or whoever and they're meeting some genius like quincy jones or something and i'm sitting there like i want that to be me meeting Ye so many years from now.
i need Ye's new album when it comes out...that shit will get me focused.it did when graduation came out.

LeeJulien said...

Yeah man, once a guy finds a good barber, its pretty much impossible to replace!
I'm 16 now, and my first hair cut was when I was 3, my bro-in-law did it cos he like the main barber in Huddersfield (where i'm from), and I haven't ever had my hair cut by anybody else, you just feel good when you find a good barber and they do it for you, almost as if you won't trust anybody else lol, but if Ibn wants to give ma shape-up or a fade sometime... ;) haha

EK said...

Damn, that would be the job of a lifetime! After all this time of reading your blog I've never known you were KanYes barber. I know this is a far ask, but I live in New Zealand and KanYe is coming here in like a week. I pre-booked my ticket for the show and everything, but I'd really like to meet KanYe, you, Don C if he's with y'all. The crew! Would you be able to hook a big time fan with when you will come through the airport would you. I've tried to figure it out cause I know you will be in Germany on the 28th. Then here by the 1st.Hit me up PLEASE karemiks.blogspot.com.

Anonymous said...

Now school Me..
Im been cutting since '89
having clients from all sectors n suburbs but now im ready to up it to some of these World Figures i see in Desperate need of a
G0odCuTt!!

?uest™ said...

Right On!
i too am interested in what other projects you have going on..
because i checked out the FRANK REPS, and i had a 2 ?s that i wanted to ask...