*Prepared for BGLH by Meosha Tall of 1MeNaturally
Happy Holidays Ladies and Gents! Feast your eyes on this. It’s BGLH’s first male Style Icon! We’ve heard your cries and Larry is here to answer the call. Check out his feature below.
Introduce yourself!
L: My name is Larry. I’m an army brat so it’s difficult to say one place I’m from. I grew up everywhere, but “Home” is Columbus, Georgia and I currently live in Gainesville, Florida. In the government’s eyes I’m unemployed, but when I’m not web browsing I work as a freelance photographer and graphic designer. I assist a West African dance course at the University of Florida, and a large part of my time is also devoted to a prayer and worship ministry I sing with called The Furnace.
When did you start growing your hair out?
L: I started growing my hair in December 2006. For the most part I was always comfortable wearing it in its natural texture. I’ve had a few disastrous run-ins with different kinds of “s-curl” gels and flat irons, but generally I never considered that there was ever a problem with the way my hair grows from my scalp.
How do people typically respond to your hairstyle of choice?
L: “OMG – Can I touch it?!?” A close second would be “Is it real?” I’ve been growing it and wearing it out for so long a lot of the ways that it “affects” me just seem like standard procedure now. A lot of the reminders that my hair is different comes from other people. I’m pretty frequently stopped in the street by strangers with compliments mostly. Sometimes people ask to take photos of me. Who knows how many are floating around the internet. Wearing my hair natural was never an epic decision or affirmation of my blackness, but the way people respond has caused me to really examine my thoughts about natural hair, blackness and race relations, and the spiritual aspects of hair.
Do you maintain your own hair?
L: I maintain my hair by myself. The last time I was in a salon was probably about 3 years ago. I don’t get haircuts often at all. I’ve cut it myself maybe 3 or 4 times total since I’ve been growing it.
How would you describe your hair?
L: My hair is thick. There’s just tons of it. It’s pretty wiry I think. I wouldn’t say the follicles “curl” but there’s definitely some twisting and winding in no specific pattern going on up there. It knots very easily. When it’s wet it falls down and moves around very Diana Ross like, but as soon as it dries it pretty much shapes itself into an afro.
What’s your regimen?
L: I’m probably the antithesis of a natural hair guru. Lol My regimen is really laid back. I wash it with conditioner once a week or so and wash with shampoo and condition it once every two and a half weeks or so. I don’t comb it. Haven’t used a comb or pick in a few years. The most I do is run through it with my fingers a lot when I condition it in the shower (and usually end up with a large amount of hair in the toilet.) When I’ve ever washed or conditioned in the shower I’ve put some kind of leave-in conditioner in. As far as daily care, depending on how I feel I may or may not put a leave-in conditioner in before I leave my apartment. I don’t style it much. I fluff and shape with my hands as necessary.
For products I use Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Shampoo and Conditioner and I just mix and match whatever kind of leave in conditioners I feel like trying. I’m pretty fond of Blue Magic Coconut Oil actually. I also use (have used) Cantu Shea Butter, Organic Olive Oil Leave In Conditioner, Hawaiian Silky, and Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie (probably my favorite I’ve used.)
What mistakes have you made with your hair that you’ve learned from?
L: Flat-ironing my hair was the biggest mistake I’ve made. I flat-ironed my hair for a dance performance and pressed it almost every day for about 2 weeks. (silly boy). The texture never recovered and I had to chop it down from shoulder length to about 2.5 inches. Now I don’t make any attempts to straighten it.
What’s the best/most effective thing you do for your hair?
L: I think for me the most effective part of my haircare is my lack of hair care. I don’t try to coerce it into being something it’s not. I just let it do its thing. I’m sure there are plenty of ways I could do “more” but that always feels more like manipulation than natural to me.
How do you feel about women who wear their hair natural?
L: I think women wearing their hair natural is an awesome reminder that we should be enamored with the way our creator made us. I absolutely love to see weaveless women with locks, twists, afros, curls, kinks — all of that. I don’t think there’s anything wrong or un-beautiful about relaxed or straight hair, but there’s definitely something special about seeing the beauty of raw, unrestrained, how-it-grew-from-my-scalp, black hair.
Is there a blog/webpage where we can find you?
L: www.organicsomethings.tumblr.com – @yolarryd on Twitter
Anything else you want to add?
L: Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Matt 10:29-32
O…M…G thats all I can say lol this man is gorgeous! I just love to hear a man’s perspective on natural hair, especially a good one. This blog should feature men like him more often. My favorite pic is number 7 btw. Keep doing your thing and if you ever read this dont ever cut that afro! lmbo
omg i seriously wanna date that guy…that fro is amazing
Ummm… Yum? :)
lol
No but seriously, that’s some gorgeous hair!
Fro like woah! lol Love the hair! My afro is never perfectly circular like that and without using a pick too! *fro envy*
@mina lol
Wow
Wow that’s A LOT of hair
He looks like Jesus Christ on the third pic!!
^^ LOL
lmbao!
lmao yes!
Beautiful head of hair!
I find really interesting that ,most men who have natural hair, tend to NOT have a regiment or complicate hair care routine or wearing protective styles most of the time and yet still manage to have gorgeous hair.
I think this is a lesson for some women, they are doing way too much!!!!! ( though men tend to have thicker strands which obviously is a big plus for length retention).
I figured this out early in my natural hair journey simply by watching the teenage boys in my neighborhood. And I know a lot of people say men’s hair is different but I really don’t think it is. Just about every man I’ve met with gorgeous hair — and this is across races — does very little to or with it.
I’ve cut and grown out my natural hair many times over the years. Every single time I’ve employed a low-to-no-manipulation routine I have retained most of my length. Every single time I’ve stalled in my length progress, it was because I was messing with it too much.
I think it’s because men have more testosterone than us. They are meant to grow hair! Women have hormonal issues, and we can be a little more challenged in the natural progress of hair growth. We need a little more external assistance and we also tend to style our hair more as well. I really believe men and women grow hair differently. Its nice that he didn’t have to do much, and it is inspiring that he has such a simple regimine! I am inspired to scale back on products but not retiming entirely.
“In the government’s eyes I’m unemployed”
You and me both, lol. How is it that men barely touch their hair and it grows like weeds, and I have a small lab in my bathroom, lol.
Lol @ “small lab.” I blew up my lab a while ago and decided that simple is the way to go. For a simplified routine, his hair is the business!
On another note, hope you – and anyone else who is looking – will be employed soon. Keep looking up!
@nubianhbella I couldn’t agree more, I was thinking the exact same thing when he was asked of his regimen. All that extra stuff us women do is probably no where near necessary. Just leave your hair alone and let it grow.
I really appreciate the fact that you featured a guy on here. His hair is amazing! And he is absolutely beautiful.
I have serious hair envy right now lol
I have a serious weakness for guys with afros so I really enjoyed this entry.Larry is definitely a hottie and I can see why he gets stopped in the streets,his hair is indeed gorgeous… and perfectly round!! I can’t beleive he was able to achieve such great lengths with a minimal regimen;it actually inspires me to simplify mine.
LOVE IT! You guys should do Kevin Michael next!I have a hair crush on him lol.
Or how about Les Twins? :-D ok let me stop.
jason and gary should be next!
BTW great verse of scripture.
Since your part of a church ministry you should know that 1 corinthians 11:14 condems a man having long hair. It is against nature.
LOL Which would render your comment unnecessary now wouldn’t it? Unless you’re just being judgmental…which the bible also condemns.
boo!!! (@rachel)
stmaryart.blogspot.com
Does this passage define “long” hair?…Is it flowing down his back, touching his legs, brushing the top of his shoulders, beneath his ear, etc. You took this one part out of its original context so at the moment I don’t see where long hair was well defined.
And if you follow every thing in the Bible and fail to take into account the times/culture in which it was written you would be in violation of something somewhere in this text.
How is it against nature and it grows from the man’s head like that. Some people make no sense….Friggin bible thumpers…SMFH
? ^
@rachel “In talking about ….length of hair, Paul is saying that believers should look and behave in ways that are honorable within their own culture. In many cultures long hair on men is considered appropriate and masculine. In Corinth, it was thought to be a sign of male prostitution in the pagan temples…..Paul wasn’t saying we should adopt all practices of our culture, but that we should avoid appearances and behaviors that detract from our ultimate goal of being believable witnesses for Jesus Christ while demonstrating our Christian faith.” – NASB Life Application Study Bible
Samson?
and if you want to talk about the Bible, then women should not ever cut their hair. Anything from big chops to occasional trims would be a violation of that. Women should cover their heads. Women should not be teachers or instructors of men, nor speak in church. So on and so forth.
So please, stop while you’re ahead.
Actually, head-covering as referenced in the bible referred to the spiritual, not physical/literal. In those times a woman’s head-covering was considered to be her husband, father (head of her household) or flock leader (pastor) if she was unmarried adult woman.
Also, the parable about the woman who spoke in church was not that she spoke out in church, but that she spoke out of turn. In those says there was a certain protocol to speaking in church. You had to be acknowledged by the church leader and granted permission.
Jesus was born a Jew and he had long hair.
Rachel the point of that verse is a cultural one, a man should not look like a woman nor a woman like a man. It’s the same thing where churches forbid women to wear pants because we aren’t to look like men yet there were no such thing as pants in biblical times. Focus on the principal not legalism.
Be who God crated you to be basically if he took issue with men growing long hair it would not be a possibility for him to do so.
Samson…nuff said.
This def has me wanting to come back to the states!
Where are you?