“The barber is really a pillar of the Black community.“
Adonis “AD” Pitts, Master Barber
No structure can stand strong without the right support. You can take that statement and apply it to anything, especially the Black community. Barbers have always played a vital role in our community, but few really know how important that role is unless they are a barber themselves, developed a personal relationship with a barber or spent a few weekends waiting for their chance to hit the chair.
In late September, music publishing company Not Native hosted a barber battle for the title of best in North Carolina. THE BLOCK had a chance to speak with participants William “Mr. Groom Room” Winters, Duke “The Fadeologist” Hines of Right Cut Barbershop and Adonis “AD” Pitts of Hair Masterz about their journey to becoming the barbers they are today. They shared their thoughts on cutting hair as an art form, the significance of barbers in Black culture and the bonds formed between Black men in the safe space of barbershops.
The barbershop has always served as a cultural mecca for Black men. We laugh at the barbershop, we unburden at the barbershop, we build at the barbershop.
And in true barbershop fashion—William, who owns Mr. Groom Room Barbershop, took his chance to talk a little smack ahead of the battle. What some might call an “old head” in the game, he’s earned the right to brag.
“I’ve been a barber for 35 years. There’s no barbers doing what I do at my age.”
William ‘Mr. Groom Room’ Winters
“You can go downtown and get a guy my age, and all he’s going to do is give you a #1, #2 or an edge up and let you go,” he continued. “Not me. I put my best foot forward. I try to keep up with the younger crowd, the younger generation, the new haircuts.”
“I look, I research and see what I can do. I try to be a better me. Every day, I try to reinvent myself.”
At the battle, he brought that same energy; a true veteran to the craftsmanship of cutting Black hair.
“The shape up, fade—it’s almost like painting a picture.”
AD
As a testament to his painter-like abilities and attention to detail, AD had a large ring light at the battle, reminiscent of a handy man with just the right tools in his tool box for any fix.
Moving past the surface-level analysis of a barber just being able to make someone look good—these people truly represent a very important role in our society.
A barber wears many hats. Sometimes they’re just the person cutting your hair, other times they’re your therapist or even personal comedian, but an unspoken yet always fitting title is worth mentioning as well: community leader.
Duke knows all too well the valuable and powerful position a barber has in the Black community.
Speaking to the leadership status of barbers in our community, Duke attested to how the power of a barber’s role is recognized.
He told us every third Saturday, the barbers of Right Cut Barbershop in Cary, North Carolina, along with some influential community members, meet at the shop with officers from Cary’s police department to discuss how the officers can better serve the people they’re supposed to protect. Even those in the chair or waiting for a cut are encouraged to participate in the discussion.
“It takes a village to raise a child anyway, so you have those different influences throughout the community,” Duke told THE BLOCK.
“You might have kids comin’ in, feelin’ all types of ways. You just talk to them and see what’s goin’ on; You try to lead them.”
Duke ‘The Fadeologist’ Hines
Though they were competitors in the barber battle, you can definitely find some commonalities in the nature of these men. The largest intersection between them is an understanding of the duty they have as community leaders.
“A lot goes on in the barbershop, more than what people might think,” Duke alluded.
“When you come into the barbershop, everybody can relate to what’s going on in today’s society. We’re talkin’ about the same thing: tryin‘ to get ahead, what’s out here, what’s not out here. You can collaborate, come together and make something happen. Whether it’s for a job interview, marriages, relationships, you know?”
“Our culture is different from straight hair client culture. It’s a lot different. You can come into the barbershop and find out what’s goin’ on today,” William added when asked about the bonds the barbershop cultivates between Black men. “I try to talk to my guys every day, every single day. I try to talk to them and let them know there are better ways.”
As the battle intensified, the two finalists were chosen; William and Duke. You could feel the presence of competition in the air. The wealth of experience and knowledge Mr. Groom Room gained from his 35 years of dedicated craftsmanship were at war with the sheer talent and youthful essence attained in the four years of cutting by The Fadeologist; a match of the ages.
“I want to be that barber when these kids get older and say, ‘I remember when Mr. Groom Room used to cut my hair. He was always tryin’ to get me to do the right things,’” William expressed.
In awe of Duke’s abilities in a previous round, William had to step back and appreciate the work of a fellow craftsman. With years of experience between them, the respect was still fully present.
A “changing of the guard” is often the outcome—and even the business model—of Black-owned barbershops. In our community, the shop becomes a place where older generations pour into the young and watch them grow.
Time and time again, the full scope of what a barber in the Black community does goes unexplained—and is seldom celebrated. But here on THE BLOCK, we challenge you to really appreciate the people in these positions and think about the many ways they serve their community.
Be sure to comment below or on our Instagram page with some of your favorite barbers; let’s give them their flowers now.
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Dennis Horne
This was a wonderful read. I truly appreciate the perspective taken about us as barbers and our impact on society as well as in our community. Ty
Phillip Loken
You’re welcome, glad we could tell the story right!