Bill:

The “billions” figure quoted in the movie stopped me in my tracks too. just think of the things that money could be used for.

And yes, self-esteem issues are present. people may get defensive about it, but we spend so much money on fake hair, relaxers, creams to get rid of frizz, oils to make our hair grow and for what? the average black woman is not satisfied with her hair.

not many people want to discuss the role of natural hair in this debate, but if we are honest with ourselves, if more women were natural, these asian beauty supply businesses are getting rich off of our insecurity and they would take such a hit if we rejected all of their fake hair and straightening products!

btw, most people who are natural care about the quality of products they put in their hair and avoid certain ingredients (like mineral oil), so as a result,we already tend to buy black (i.e. carol’s daughter, oyin, etc.). thank god for the internet.

#74:

negative people come in all shapes, sizes and hair textures. so, people should not put women who are natural on some kind of artificial pedestal. those women obviously were not nice, but i don’t see how their hair texture is relevant.

now, a lot of people say that natural women look down on others. it may just be a perspective thing. to be natural in this country is very difficult. blacks don’t support you, society in general does not support you. so you have to be very clear in your decision and really learn to love yourself and feel beautiful and confident from within because society is not reflecting your image back in a positive way.

My hair has been natural for almost 4 years. I thank god for that, but now, I’m checking out the products I use. Thank you for whomever posted the listings of black owned products. ALthough some are quite pricey, I’d rather support them than anyone else. It’s on baby…it’s on!

@70 Ms_Mac1:

I just read it! My mistake. LOL I knew you’d be like WTF is this?!? LMAO!

I think we all get heated over topics like this. We’re constantly yelling, “Why aren’t blacks improving as a race?” and the reality of the situation is that we only have ourselves to blame. I, personally, don’t want reparations just for the simple fact that most of the money will go away from us. The only things most of us will have to show are exactly what you wrote of (rims, grills, Prada bags and more ish that has no REAL value to your future generations).

@ Coffy:

You ain’t never lied! I love being natural. I haven’t had a perm in over 8 years (I started going natural in HS) mainly because I hated the burning. Why go through that when you don’t have to? Yes, being natural is high maintenance (my hair is super curly, long, and THICK), but it is well worth it. People love my hair not to mention that Koreans sell it too! lol I can’t believe they are actually selling us our natural hair. Now tell me that isn’t crazy.

We need to be more innovative. Hmm… I think I’ll look further into corporate law classes. Being a Corporate Attorney for Black-owned businesses has just now become an option.

you know what:

I ain’t even mad at Koreans.
Koreans are Hustlers….
That’s what Hustler’s do :Take from YOU.

I just learned a VERY valuable lesson from this documentary….
* Aron Ranen did a EXCELANT job. This is “60 minute” quality. What a expose !!

Me & my family are about to do something with 99 cent stores….

I’m going to reach out to Lucky White of Kizure Industries and work with her. She can probably tell me who to by my mechandise from for the least cost.

NuStar Industries Korean Owned) just TOOK OVER Southern California…

Damm..That’s …Gangster

Found this during a google search. I think it’s about the same video with all 4 parts. This discussion has been going on for almost a year.

http://izania.com/forums/...hread.php?p=3605#post3605

Food for thought to spark even more debate:

In an attempt to go natural, a lot of sistahs braid or twist their hair (with Kanekelon) in order to make the transition smoother. Everyone isn’t born with superfine or manageable hair so growing out a perm can be ROUGH. I have thin hair and it was hard for me when I tried so I know it can be rough for some others.

So, here’s my question for anyone who condemns the use of perms and weaves and believes in the all natural state of hair: Is it OK to use these Korean hair products when it serves as a means to an end only?

just a quick note to the readers,

We always ask how these foreigners can set up shop in our neighborhoods? Well first off they don’t have to pay taxes until they become citizens you have to live in america atleast 7-10 years before you become a citizen or get married to a citizen so guess what that’s tax free money and they don’t have to go through anywhere near as much red tape as an average American would with setting up shop so they find the easiest places with the least resistance in government to try their ethics. 9 times out of 10 that’s urban communities.

If you want to start protesting the invasion of people setting up shop in your neighborhoods then PLEASE start attending some council meetings in your local neighborhoods and voice your opinions. They are not always for old ppl that like to complain, council meetings are set up for the community at large and those ppl REALLY do care about your concerns but they’ll never know them if you don’t attend meetings and make your requests known.

So these are some tips to starting with making a change. You may not have the investment backing or you may not be educated yet to the point of starting your own businesses but you can do SOMETHING. Boycott those asian and korean stores and buy from black owned companies, check out sallies or walmart and some of the companies that I listed above that bill gave an expansion of the information for. Get a paypal account and make decent purchases so you can feel like you’ve done something for your community. Then attend a council meeting. Check your community’s municipal centers and the public access channels shoot you can google it to find out when they have them and attend atleast ONE meeting and make your concerns known

Remember knowledge is power but wisdom is application!

i wish i could read most of these and comment accordingly because I know the posts are insightful
esp from bill, ms mac and im not her (do enjoy reading your comments) but i actually have work to do today

so ill make this very quick
i think one solution is to start with our kids
its always about the kids…they are our future
and if we cant move mountains in our lifetime maybe they can in theirs
we have to get them to see all the hype of american material wealth there is out there, teach them the importance of investing and assets vs. liabilities
most kids thing having a car is an asset
especially a flashy one
they dont understand the concept of depreciation the minute you drive off the lot
how to budget etc…
these things (as far as i see) are not being taught to many of our kids and they too become consumers like the generation before them

This is so sad be true and you no what ?
I dont even live in the states. I live in Europe and the same thing is happening over here . And it is not the koreans who owe all the black hair companies but it are the people from india. In every country you go in europe wheter it is england , the netherland , Germany almost al the black hair shops are owed by idians whe need to stop this nonsense and keep are money in the communtiny not only in the states but also in Europe and Africa black people need to united because if we dont were gonna be finished and be stuck in the ghetto forever not just in the states but al over the globe.

Thanks for posting this. I appreciate that concreloop also keeps us in the loop about social issues that plague our people as well as gossip.

I’ve stopped shopping for products as Asian owned places long ago. Not because of this documentary, but because I noticed they were selling the same products a their store for so much more than Sally’s or another place. Now from seeing this, they won’t see another dime of my money, ever! Another problem I’ve read about is that black owned places get ran out of business because they lose so much money because of theft. That’s right. Shoplifting aids in running our OWN people out of business also. It’s time for us to wake up.

It’s funny how something like this can be posted and won’t see 200+ comments, but a damn Beyonce post can clock 200 in a matter of hours. That’s saying alot…

ms mac I wear my hair naturally but I don’t condemn perms or weaves. I just don’t use perms on my own hair as a personal choice I have my reasons.

I have used and will continue to use weave as a means of giving my hair a rest maybe during winter months or just from the monotany of everyday wear but my biggest obstacle will now be where am I going to purchase it? Because if I’m true to my word than my boycott will be my boycott and I will want to purchase based on the owner and the supplier. unfortunately I don’t have any answers on that one. We shall see how it turns out.

I love to see my women with her hair done !!

I give her EXTRA money to go and get her Hair done, her nails & toes…

Why…. Because it Makes her FEEL GOOD about herself !
……And, I like the results!

When she comes home from the Beauty Salon, she has a bounce in her step, she feeling sexy, and acting sexy !

* She’s rocking the Kelis Cut now..
.Man, I appreciate that !!
Lord, she’s looking good…
Can’t wait to get home….

Scuse me..Back on topic.

My Point is this: Don’t all of y’all get mad & stop going to the Beauty Salon !!!

Natrual ain’t for everybody !

The HAIR is a Woman’s Crown !!!

God intended for you ladies to have Beautiful Hair !!!
Long or Short, Weave or Extensions…Braids… whatever..

ALL of God’s Daughters are Beautiful Flowers !!!

And All of God’s Flowers are DIFFERENT.

Differant Hair Textures..

So..It’s okay to get mad (about this documentary)

Just CONSIDER and ASK your Hair Stylist what products they are using !!!

MOST Hair Salon OWNERS are VERY EDUCATED as to the products they purchase for THEIR Hair Salon’s.
They go to a LOT of Trade Show !!!!

Peace

Bill, I notice that when there are “deep” discussions on here you are always one of the few brothers who give input. I don’t always agree with everything you say but sometimes you make a sister not want to give up on the brothers. I appreciate the fact that you’re giving us a male side because this issue is bigger than HAIR.

Now, if only you could recruit a few more of the homies to balance things out!

@85
i think blk people are the underdogs no matter where
i cant speak for other caribbean countries but i know for a fact in trinidad (even though blk people are the majority) the east indians and syrians come over and run shit.

and let me repeat blk people are the majority
not like here in america
oh and while we are on that here’s another suggestion for the kids
i’m a mentor for HS school students through my company and I also speak to the kids around my block cause im a kid at heart and i want to make sure they are on the right path
and alot of them have no idea that this country is about 77% (and i know this number is not exact) white
they only can visual as far as their eyes take them and not many have traveled across this country
they dont know about the red states
they just see metro NY and think the percentage may be smaller…real talk
but yet we spend more than they do how does that figure out
these are the type of things we need to discuss with them
because the schools damn sure aint

I made the decision a long time ago to stop buying my products from them. I did that when I was accused of stealing. I put the can of grease in the wrong section of the store and rushed out when I got a phone call I was expecting. She approached me at my car and asked me where the grease was. I told her where the grease was placed and informed her that I wasn’t going to even risk going to jail for fucking three dollars. I let her know that I would never spend my money with her store again, luckily I have a black hair supply store around the corner. I don’t know who distributes for her store, but I do what I can. They don’t really know our hair.

It’s ashame that they can barely speak english and their taking over an entire market. This was really eye opening. it’s not only Korean’s, Asian, Indian and Middle Eastern people have been taking over the black hair care market for decades.

on Friday, September 8, 2006 @ 3:26 pm

lalita said:
——————————————————————————–

This is so sad be true and you no what ?
I dont even live in the states. I live in Europe and the same thing is happening over here . And it is not the koreans who owe all the black hair companies but it are the people from india. In every country you go in europe wheter it is england , the netherland , Germany almost al the black hair shops are owed by idians whe need to stop this nonsense and keep are money in the communtiny not only in the states but also in Europe and Africa black people need to united because if we dont were gonna be finished and be stuck in the ghetto forever not just in the states but al over the globe.
——————————————————
on Friday, September 8, 2006 @ 3:38 pm

Nix said:
——————————————————————————–

@85
i think blk people are the underdogs no matter where
i cant speak for other caribbean countries but i know for a fact in trinidad (even though blk people are the majority) the east indians and syrians come over and run shit.

——————————————————

Bill Said:
That’s WHY I LOVE talking to you guys on Concreteloop !!

I can geta GLOBAL Viewpoint from My Trinidadian Sister (by way of brooklyn) Nix, & my European Sister Lalita !!!

Wonderful Discussion !!!
I’m loving This !!!

Oh yeah thanks for the cut and paste bill!

Now go recruit some brothers to come over here and share their opinions so we don’t sound like we’re clucking in the hen house LOL!

@ MrsDawsondn - Thanks for your feedback. The reason I brought that up was not to attack people who go natural. I just want to know if the real issue for people is about looking good, taking care of their hair or protesting the common European beauty standard. I know this debate has been fought on here before but this is a great forum to revisit it. (I wasn’t in the first debate, just read it).

I find that people who go natural sometimes associate it with a direct connection to their African heritage. I also find that some of those same people can come off as haughty and just as uppity as people who wears weaves down their backs.

The other side of the story is that not all people who wear weaves or relax their hair are any less connected to their heritage or feel any less “African.” But this debate about loving one’s self and being “nappy” vs. wearing a perm and being “European” is a continuous one that is so fascinating to me so I love hearing people’s take on it.

Hair texture really has nothing to do with the topic at hand. It doesn’t mean you have to go natural or stop perming etc.. it just means to be aware of the products and where they’re coming from. I like my hair straight.. natural just doesn’t work for me but regardless of how I wear my hair.. I will not give a cent of my money to anyone other than black owned hair businesses. What REALLY just gets under my skin is how the koreans are copying EVERYTHING from the Kizure company! WTF! I wonder if some kind of infrigement rights are being trampled on here?

Has anyone see the Barbershop episode on showtime about a clothing store “Niggaz” trying to open up in Calvin’s neighborhood and turns out it was owned by asians?

I would like to dedicate this video to my sisters,
Ms_Mac1
Nix
MrsDawsondn
and all the BEATIFUL women of ConcreteLoop

it’s called
I am NOT my Hair, By Indie Arie, featuring akron
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LhPE_Nft0k

If you check the TOp of this page look for related posts, I am not my hair - Indie Arie

and thank you for feedback as well ms mac. Well to comment on your question:

I just want to know if the real issue for people is about looking good, taking care of their hair or protesting the common European beauty standard.

My real reason for going natural was because my hair was being overprocessed and I had a stunt in growth. Now me I like to look good but i also had to take into consideration the health of my hair and why it was always not doing what I wanted it to do so I decided to go natural. That was my personal choice and reasons for it. In the process I learned alot began to understand my hair and work with it. And I might at it looks real good to me and my dh lol.

I don’t look down on anybody else for their choices with their own hair and I hope to not be looked at in that way (in real world and on the net). What I do to my hair is my decision I don’t find it necessary to beat another person down because they ain’t feeling my flow I just do me and keep it moving. To each his own right? Hope that helps with answering from one sista’s point a view

Solution: Buy from black faces only black-owned products. Maybe highlight a product a week here in concreteloop that is created for black hair by blacks. College students and everyone can learn more about distribution and business. Black people are really uninformed, myself included, about how distribution works.

@ #74 Katz26:

That sucks how they treated you. I can only speak from my experiences and other people I know. It sounds like you just ran into some women who felt threatened by you. That’s how I take it! But good for you for not letting them put a halt to your mission.

@ 75 Jade:

I love wearing my hair natural now. I used to always wear it straight or in a bun for work and people used to always ask about my nationality (Indian and even Arab) as if black people can’t have pretty hair. It’s crazy. Wearing my hair natural gave me a chance to educate the ignorant folks in my office who loved to ask questions!

@ #82 Ms_Mac1:

Black-owned companies/products make products too for women with natural hair. You can straighten it to help with the growing out process. My Mother has long, thin hair and is growing out her perm now. Boy are her roots something else! It’s difficult for me to comb it sometimes. She usually keeps it in twisties or really small twists (like when we were kids), so she doesn’t have to comb it everyday.

I am LMAO @ Bill #88! Natural isn’t for everyone! That is funny. I’m certainly not telling every woman in here to go natural, that’s just a matter of preference. Being natural versus having a perm doesn’t make you any more African-American than the next sister. I do believe that most of the young mothers out here today don’t even give their daughter’s hair a chance. I hate seeing 4-year olds with weave or getting a perm.

awwwww thanks bill
that was sweet
i think your a beautiful person too

life should be just like this
you speak to people and know their minds before you ever see them

mimi_ga said:
——————————————————————————–

Solution: Buy from black faces only black-owned products. Maybe highlight a product a week here in concreteloop that is created for black hair by blacks. College students and everyone can learn more about distribution and business. Black people are really uninformed, myself included, about how distribution works.

Mimi_GA

EXCELLANT, SUPERIOR Ideal !!!
Gold Star for Mimi_GA….

Please email this ideal to Angel.la
RIGHT NOW !!!!!!!

hey nix..I see you..
Love ya like a Play cousin !!

I am sure that there are black weaves being made. We can’t solve the “wear your hair natural” argument. But we can find black manufacturers. What companies make black weaves? I don’t wear them, but it would be a start for those who do.

I’m glad to see serious issues being aired - and its been great reading the responses! Sorry for the long post but…

This issue is bigger than hair…and I think that the posts are pointing to that as much as the issues raised in the video.

My mother and her neighbors have seen ALL the businesses in the local shopping strip near our family home back in the States become Korean-run and on top of it they ONLY cater to Koreans - in a suburb that is predominately Black… Koreans from the City take private coaches up to our neighborhood to do their shopping… I remember clearly a time I went into the Korean supermarket there when it hadnt long opened and was told flat-out that there was NOTHING for me in here - and damned if they werent telling the truth after I walked around with two of them following me! So instead of a short walk two blocks away I had to take a bus pick up a few groceries before a snowstorm hit when before there had been a fully functioning supermarket that served EVERYONE in the community. Im going on 41 now and this was the late 80’s… we’ve seen this explored somewhat in films like “Crash” and even “Boyz in the Hood” touched on it a bit through one of the talks that Laurence Fishburn’s character gave to his sons and his friends if my memory hasnt completely gone…

And with the hair thing: Here in Britain its the same thing; except its not Koreans that run things its Pakistanis and Indians (the groups referred to when we say Asian over here). I lived here for about 6 years before I discovered I could get all my products I left behind in NYC right here - and guess where I HAD to go? To black areas with stores that once again cater no one but Africans, Afro-Caribbeans and minute numbers of other ethnic folks (including token Native Americans like me) but which are owned by British Asians - no different to home!

For the past year or so I have lived in a part of London that is 95% Black. When I walk down the local High Street there are no less than half a dozen HUGE beauty supply stores within walking distance of each other - all completely owned and operated by Asians…no locals are employed in these stores. And dont get me started on Paris - same thing. You can have a HUGE immigrant community of “people of Black Origin” (as the Brits put it) - and yet its Asians and Middle Easterners that you have to do business with…

Now having said all that - this isnt really anything new - we all know this and its been commented on. But one thing I have noticed with British and French Asians and Middle Easterners is how many of them pool their resources to set up these businesses… They look out for their own definately - but surely the Black community can manage to do the same? Perhaps a part of the problem for many is the belief that it’s not possible - that once the underdog, always the underdog. Yet there are fine examples of black-owned businesses on a large and small scale - and some of the posts here and the video show that. But more needs to happen definately…

Yall have just about said it all. It’s a shame that this stuff is happening. In my area, I don’t know of a black-owned beauty supply store. The asians have them all. Ever notice how when you go in there, they watch you like hawks??! That’s reason enough to take your business elsewhere.

Hey just looked on BB and found that they also make a perm, there’s a start.

this is nothing new to me. i’ve only been to a “korean owned” hair supply store once. last yr right after hurricane katrina, mi mum’s work sent stuff and they had a list of shih that people needed. well they needed hair supplies so we got combs,brushes,borretts, hair oil, u know basic shih.

well when i went to the bak of the store and saw that it was “korean owned” i flipped out, i was like momma let’s leave i’m “too thru” and she was like naw lets jus get this stuff. @ the cash register and there was a blk cashier i was like “do u hav a prob with workin fi koreans?” she sed now it’s paying my bills or something smart like that.

well anyway i’ve always been opposed to spending money outside the blk community, but i don’t live in a huge city, so the number of blk/african/carribean owned stores is limited. i mean wuh is there: blk barbershops,a carribean foodstore, and an aehtiopian restaraunt?? needless to say they are all very successful, but we need more!!

personally i dont spend money w/ people of middle eastern descent or asians, b/c i feel like they are very disrespectful and nasty to all their customers, and they don’t appreciate our bussines.

one last story and im done “gushing”. up the street from my house there’s a middle eastern owned conveniece store, well i went up there and this guy of middle eastern descent was watching me the whole time following me around (mind u its a tiny store) anyway while i was countin out the money for wuh i purchased, i was like “can u put that in a bag?”, he looked @ me as if i asked him to translate the dead sea scrolls, so i sed if it’s that hard for u to put my snaks in that bag it’s even harder for me to find the money to pay u, so jus like that iw alked out and left that shih on the counter

J.M. PRODUCTS, INC. COMPANY HISTORY

ISOPLUS is another option. J.M. Products, Inc., (J.M.), based in Little Rock, AR, is the manufacturer of ISOPLUS®, ISOPLUS® for Kids, ISOPLUS® Natural Remedy®, ISOPLUS® Natural Collection® , ISOPLUS® PROSYSTEMS® ISOPLUS® UpTURN®, Healthy Solutions® Plus, Oil of K® and Black Magic® brand products. The Company is one of the largest manufacturers of ethnic hair care products in the U.S. and is the largest Black owned company in the state of Arkansas.

well atleast most of us do support blk owned barber/beauty shops

aight i got another story….lol

aight so i was like 13 @ the time and mi dad (RIP) sent my bro and i down to “subway” fi get lunch,(it’s middle eastern owned) well anyway when we got down there they made all the subs and shih and rang us ^ and i didnt hav enough so i was like “throw” my subway away i dont hav enough fi pay for it. the owner of the store looked @ me w/ such hate in hhis eyes, then as i was leavin the store he sed here take the sub, but dont pull that again haha jus thought it was a funny story lol

This is nothing new to me. Blacks dont own too much of anything. Its the result of generations of programming self hate, and crab mentality. When ever I get a chance I purchase black. They have Korea town and we have ??? They embrace their culture and we ???

As usual, this shit is OUR FAULT. Blacks were always known for being real, now we changed that by getting all these fake-ass weaves. I don’t see why we get weaves, colors, braids and other stuff because I have NEVER seen one that looks better than just going NATURAL. That shit is soooo ghetto and ugly! I don’t even Holla at a sister all weaved and braided out, I holla at sisters that look NATURAL. Our priorities are f*cked. We could have spent those BILLIONS on something else. The irony of it all is that ya’ll are PAYING to:
Make Koreans rich
Look fake and ugly with those ghetto styles
Damage and burn up your own hair beyond repair!
I ain’t made at Asians because they are smart enough to beat us at our own game and use our VANITY against us.

on Friday, September 8, 2006 @ 4:38 pm

NativeMoon said:
——————————————————————————–

I’m glad to see serious issues being aired - and its been great reading the responses! Sorry for the long post but…

This issue is bigger than hair…and I think that the posts are pointing to that as much as the issues raised in the video.

My mother and her neighbors have seen ALL the businesses in the local shopping strip near our family home back in the States become Korean-run and on top of it they ONLY cater to Koreans - in a suburb that is predominately Black… Koreans from the City take private coaches up to our neighborhood to do their shopping… I remember clearly a time I went into the Korean supermarket there when it hadnt long opened and was told flat-out that there was NOTHING for me in here - and damned if they werent telling the truth after I walked around with two of them following me! So instead of a short walk two blocks away I had to take a bus pick up a few groceries before a snowstorm hit when before there had been a fully functioning supermarket that served EVERYONE in the community. Im going on 41 now and this was the late 80’s… we’ve seen this explored somewhat in films like “Crash” and even “Boyz in the Hood” touched on it a bit through one of the talks that Laurence Fishburn’s character gave to his sons and his friends if my memory hasnt completely gone…

And with the hair thing: Here in Britain its the same thing; except its not Koreans that run things its Pakistanis and Indians (the groups referred to when we say Asian over here). I lived here for about 6 years before I discovered I could get all my products I left behind in NYC right here - and guess where I HAD to go? To black areas with stores that once again cater no one but Africans, Afro-Caribbeans and minute numbers of other ethnic folks (including token Native Americans like me) but which are owned by British Asians - no different to home!

For the past year or so I have lived in a part of London that is 95% Black. When I walk down the local High Street there are no less than half a dozen HUGE beauty supply stores within walking distance of each other - all completely owned and operated by Asians…no locals are employed in these stores. And dont get me started on Paris - same thing. You can have a HUGE immigrant community of “people of Black Origin” (as the Brits put it) - and yet its Asians and Middle Easterners that you have to do business with…

Now having said all that - this isnt really anything new - we all know this and its been commented on. But one thing I have noticed with British and French Asians and Middle Easterners is how many of them pool their resources to set up these businesses… They look out for their own definately - but surely the Black community can manage to do the same? Perhaps a part of the problem for many is the belief that it’s not possible - that once the underdog, always the underdog. Yet there are fine examples of black-owned businesses on a large and small scale - and some of the posts here and the video show that. But more needs to happen definately…

ConcreteLoop..It’s a GLOBAL thing…
One last commercial:
BRONNER’s Brothers Makes everything you’ll EVER need for you Hair.
Have a Great Weekend
Peace Love & Hair grease………..I’m OUT !!
:Bill has left the building !

Its God’s fault, if he hadnt given black pple nappy hair then none of this would be an issue

So we have BB and Isoplus that both make perms and hair products. Some of us don’t have access to black-owned supply stores, so the smartest option would be to buy from the locations that benefit less from it. For instance, we could buy from Walmart’s and Target’s who benefit the least from our money and less from the Korean-owned stores that focus on hair.

114—thats part of the problem. I think we miss the forest for the trees….A broader view needs to be taken. The Documentary is a fractional representation of our lack of ownership.

I mean the same case can be made for the death of the black farm and black coops, black local stores and boutiques as well as hair supply stores.

I think part of what is killing us is this very VERY narrow view that we take WITH EVERYTHING.

PEOPLE THIS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT HAIR. WAKE THE FUCK UP.

Jqueen I will email you tomorrow.

I’m late to the discussion but, I watched these videos about three weeks ago and the Asians are trying their best to block Black owned business (did anyone notice when the Black man said the Asian’s believe he is one of them, when he purchases items over the phone. DAMN – I could never take away someone’s livelihood, I just don’t have it in me and I also believe in healthy competition.

BILL, what you know about Steak n Take (you bringing me back) and thanks the info on Bronner Brothers – I did not know it was Black owned.
* you learn something new everyday*

MEZZO - Thanks for the link and what symbol to look for.

MS MAC 1 - *PREACH*

COFFY - I’ve never heard of the term “fire cream”- I like that term. I call perms “creamy crack”

Damn you, MS MAC 1 :0) – I’m going thru the transitional phase w/my hair and I am questioning my methods of growing out my perm. (use weave or let it all hang out)

Side note - I’ve heard NIGGAR is the name of a store in Africa.
And an Asian Professor told me when a family comes from the Philippines – they get together and each individual family raises $1,000 until they have $10, 000 for the new arrivals to start a business or buy a home. - I love this concept

# foxxy380 said:

Are you serious? The Asians and Koreans been doing the dayum thing. Let me ask a question. Where are all the Asians and Koreans mostly set up at? In the black neighborhoods. How many Asian stores are in the hood? How many are in the white neighborhoods? Do you think “other races” would allow them to take over. Hell No! So they did it to a race that they know they can get away with it. And quess what? They have. So we need to really wake up my people. By the time our children get of age, will there be any black businesses for us to support?

____
im quarter asian and i know for the fact that they do not enter “hood” to target blacks, how narrow minded is that for you to say. whites dont want near ” hood” because they are intimidated even thought its a cheap slot. im a marketing student, and dont generalize. i know how hard it is to make it out there being an african american. so please know your facts before you type those made up things, someone will read it and run their mouth thinking its true. this is why society is messed up.

im half korean and yes its the country that makes most of the hair products. DONT SAY ASIANS, SAY KOREAN, because they dont really deserve the heat when they most of the country are not as advance as korea, HENCE MOST COUNTRY IN ASIAN are so called THIRDWORLDCOUNTRY meaning they dont have money.

Hmm okay. I use the products that are good on my hair therefore I could careless who makes it. So yeah…

they dont buy it!. when the sales are not good they cancel the products.

idk who makes the product, as long as it works, my mom is a marketer, and said sales goes beyong race, so whatever sell they sell it. like the lady in the end of the video said , they didnt mean to take over the industry but thats whats happening.

lmao of people here being hypocrits, you know damn well you dont buy every products made by our people. this is a business , not even about race. you would start a business that makes alot of money too.

i’m late in this discussion too, so i’ll keep it short.
this sort of stuff don’t just happen in the states, it happens in England too, only stores are run by the other asains (indian/pakistani/bangali etc…). As now most of them own the wholesalers as well, when a black person trying to set up their own business for their own people the asains block them. [off topic] i remember there was an incident where a black girl got raped by some asains in a hair shops which resulted in riots and hair shops getting burnt down.

I’m done with getting pent up and angry about it. there’s no point sitting around doing nothing. i’ll be 18 soon and i know you’re never too young to start a business, i’ll do whatever i can to make sure OUR community reclaim what is OURS.

We can still create the best. We create the best fashion for people to jack. The best music for people to jack. At least in hip-hop you can point out black millionares. You have a ton of black stylists, why not the chemists to go with it? We turn our nose up at education- that’s why.

i dont really comment here, but to this post i will, wonder why we are the least owners in the business? because our people are too ignorant to know that Education is the key. Knowledge is power.

I don’t think Black women’s love of ‘doing our hair’ is a self-esteem issue for the most part.

if anyone has ever watched a documentary about any African tribe that still lives in the bush, you’ll ALWAYS see African women with some kind of style to their hair (i don’t mean perms and fingerwaved styles).
I’ve seen documentaries showing the women styling the hair (usually in some type of lock or twist), and putting different things on it to change the color and different things as ornaments for the hair. It was something that the women of the tribe took VERY SERIOUSLY.

THE SAME WAY WE ARE ABOUT OUR HAIR.

i think our love of our hair is a cultural thing that goes back to our ancestors. Our African ancestors LOVED their hair and the women spent alot of time keeping it styled in some way shape or form…

so now, we still have that same love for our hair…whether it’s permed or natural

#105 said something very interesting. In her last paragraph she said “But one thing I have noticed with British and French Asians and Middle Easterners is how many of them pool their resources to set up these businesses…”

HERE’S HOW THEY DO IT…

My dad worked with an Arab man who’d been in the states for less than a year. Within that time, the guy was able to get a loan and open a business…my dad asked him HOW WAS HE ABLE TO DO THAT SINCE HE’D JUST GOTTEN HERE???…this is what the Arab guy told my dad…

He (the Arab man) had some family that had gotten to the US before he did. What they did was, BEFORE the man went to the bank for the loan, he opened a bank account, and his family lent him thousands of dollars, JUST TO PUT IN THE BANK…NOT TO SPEND…so, then he went and applied for the business loan…when the bank checked his bank account, and saw how much $$ he had in it, THEY APPROVED THE BUSINESS LOAN…

As soon as the loan was approved, the man WITHDREW THE $$ AND GAVE IT BACK TO HIS FAMILY MEMBERS THAT LOANED IT TO HIM…

And foreigners have been doing this mess for YEARS…THIS IS HOW THEY’RE ABLE TO OPEN BUSINESSES SO FAST…

This is just ONE IDEA…I know that not everyone has family that’s in the financial state to lend thousands…but some people do have family that can do this…for those that can do this I hope you all take this idea and run with it

This is just ONE IDEA…I know there are millions more, but I just wanted to let people know what the other races/nationalities are doing.

Its fucked up on how the Koreans have us hooked on their products. Some of their shit don’t even work. When you look at the box or the bottle of the product the person’s here be lookin all nice, then when you try that shit, you realize that shit was a waste of money.
I’m a dude so I just use that wave grease(that barely works) or hair spray when I’m growin my fro. On the real that crap dont work neither, I be madd as hell when I be waitin for the results and Nothin happens. I’m glad I don’t buy those shits no more. I ain’t stressing that shit tho. They got that.

This is messed up but as one of the women interviewed said we are not helping the situation any we(myself included) will continue to buy things from the koreans because they are cheaper.

And another thing we truly do not recognize our power. We are the #1 consumer yet we continue to be disrespected… u do the math.

I never buy from Asians because I know they jack up the prices and I am cheap. I believe a lot of people have great passion but I know 5% won’t do much about it. THat is just how people are. But as a black woman I personally don’t mind helping whomever out just as long as I don’t have to deal with “the attiude” If you give me a product at a reasonable price I will support you. Look at Tyler Perry. Don’t tell me black don’t support black! You just got to do it right.

aint no surprise. we’re the next generation, we can change things. again, we need to work together and on ourselves, thats when we’ll find success for real. angel.la thankyou for posting this up. keep them coming!

I love Carol’s Daugther as well! It is nice to see a black owned company doing well! Although I am a black woman I do not limit my self to “black hair products.” I try everything! I think it is a matter of what works for you’re hair type. Many people would be suprised the the supposed white hair products actually do quite well on various har types

We can stop this bullshit if we all just come together. Black women GO NATURAL! If every Black women grew out of her relaxer, grew out her natural hair and went without weaves, etc., do you know how much that’ll cripple the Asians grip on this market? There wouldn’t really be such a booming business then, because the two hot buys at these stores are what? WEAVES AND RELAXERS

So not only has the world made us feel that we are not acceptable if we don’t have long, straight hair, they capitalize on this insecurity. This is a damn shame. I made the choice to go natural for other reasons, but this damn near takes the cake. NAPPY IS BEAUTIFUL! GROW THAT SHIT OUT!

Why can’t more of us learn to make weaves on our own and learn how to make relaxers, and own the shops that sell them? That can be done, too.

Well, the truth hurts. We say we are hurt but what do we do about it? Nothing. We perpetuate this hair issue by calling each other nappy headed (a dated term but true). This is why we run to the store in a frenzy to buy a weave. We don’t want to be called dusty, jiggaboo, bummy, etc., so we have to get our hair “did”. The guy said it well, “Brothas won’t get at you unless your hair is done”. A lot of us are not comfortable with going natural because our own people, family or friends would not understand. So we are brainwashed and continue this ignorant cycle. Sorry folks.

I rarely comment, but I have to say thanks for posting the info on this video!!! I’ve known for some time that there weren’t a lot of black-owned hair care products, but I didn’t know the lengths to which blacks were being cut out of the back end. After watching all four parts and the two updates, as of today, I’ve started my own personal boycott (shop and buy black-owned hair care) and I’m definitely going to spread the word!

going natural was the best thing i’ve ever done. i support black business for my hair/ skincare even if it means me paying more. inkylovesnature.com and carol’s daughter.

i know those people in that clip. the first clip is from Van Clef Hair Salon in Chicago. Full service, black owned and all about enpowering our people. not surprised Rahni (the owner) allowed the brother to film.

those Kizane (?) curlers are in high demand. it’s a shame.

White companies are buying up the last of the big black owned hair suppliers. I believe there’s only 3 large distributers left.

L’Oreal had built a “Research Center” in the southside inviting blacks to come and have their hair/ skin studied. AIN’T THAT SOME SHIT?!! and black people work there and go in there! Where’s the rage and the feeling of being insulted? They dropped in our neighborhood and asked to study us! This ain’t Gorillas in the Mist! Studying us to make products so they can make money off us!

As the sister said about the Pride flag. It’s our flag! That’s like suing anyone for using the American flag. Black owned should use the latter flag to trip them up.

I’m angry beyond words everytime I think about it. This isn’t new and we did nothing as the convient stores and supply houses cropped up and they started following us like we’re going to steal activator.

we shit on our own people too. i’ve seen many times blacks prefer the others to black owned of equal standing: they want a discount. they think everything cost too much. they think you think you’re stuck up. all sorts of dumb shit.

they would never walk into a white owned business coming out of pocket. why do that to ourselves?

going natural is good but there are black owned distributors that supply sisters with straighteners. so putting them out of business wouldn’t be cool. plus the others are trying to distribute products for natural hair too.

The reason why the Korean stores are in Black neighborhoods instead of White is exactly b/c of what the Korean man on the tape said…Black women change their hair every week. White women do not get their hair done at the salon as often. Asians are smart business people and they know who is going to buy their products the most. If some women didn’t spend so much on their hair or learned to do it themselves, there wouldn’t be such a market for them.

I personally have not relaxed my hair in probably 10 years and it is long and curly. When I want it straight I flat iron it myself. I rarely visit a salon. I also buy the products that work in my hair, and none of them happen to be black owned products or claim to be specifically for black hair.

@ 90 NIK

I really agree when you say black people are the underdogs but we can make a change and it is really is pissing me off black people every where are beeing the underdog I have friends and family that live al over the world , Europe , The states , Africa , South america and i have been to some of thoes places and its al the same ,same problems same drama we need to start making a change its like a battle and were loosing it.

Here in the Netherland where I live how ever we are not the mayority but there isnt rasims here so I really dont see why we arent doing well . We get a lot of changes ,equeal rights ect. But we dont take the chances we are gettin and I just cant figger out why like for example here in Netherland we have 3 school systems low,middle,high .
(When you finish the Low school you get to do a job with your hands , When you finish middle you get to become a teacher, policemen , nurse ect . when you do high you get to be a law yer , doctor , architect ect. )

Im in high and im the only black student in my class the low is filled with black students and it is rediculess because i know thoes kids are also smart and they could do much better . And it isnt about rasism ,things are really calm down here we get so many oppurtunies and we just fuck them up i just dont understand why .

@112 ZV

Yes you are right this shit is are fault and are priorties are indeed fucked up . One time is was watching the oprah show and it was about america poor there was a black women in the show no money totally broke no hope of change in the situation and can you believe it her her was done perfectly .
you mean to tell me that you have no money for nothing not even food for you and your kids and your hair is done ? Come on it really shows were your priorties are. The woman in the video said the same :
they rather go hungry then not having their hair fixed .Think about al off the billions we spend on hair product that money could have been used for much better cause it just so silly and it doenst make any sense .

@ 114 Develicious

Wtf are you talking about its gods fault ?????? Its are own fault we should like the way we are and stop trying to look white . Because that is acatually what we are trying to do when we are getting are her straightend and when we are getting are weaves ect.
I started to think about this a long time ago . I picked up a magazine and it was called black hair.
I sqoopd trough it needless to say that only 5 % of al hairstyles where natural . The magzazines
should be called “‘How to get you black hair as close to white hair as possible’”‘

@ 116 Im_Not_here

Its true it not about hair and people need to wake up and realise that the problem is much bigger .
We really need to start making changes beause the way we are living is not working . And it so funny because black people arent the only minorities in most countrys if you think about it : Jewish peole,arab people ,indian people they are al minorities just like us .
The only differents between them and us is that they alway stick to getter they always try to do the right thing for the community . If one of us black people starts to do well for them selfs there is always like ten other black people trying to put them down to pull them back as fast a possible.

black people generally dont like to see other black people doing well . We need to stop hating ,the brother or sister next to us who is doing well we should encourage them and then think for our self what can i do to help my own sitation get better.

@ 120 Kendra
what does that has to do with the topic ??
and mabye if you dindt notice Africa is also a
3e world Continent and Asia still has
more money than Africa so your statement isnt correct.

Anyways it was kind of a long story LOL . Appolgize for my englisch i know it isnt perfect but it isnt my first languash so cut me some slack

Well after reading these comments I agree with a lot of you about our situation as black people, but this has gone on for years and yes it is down to us to change it as we’ve said time and time again. The situation is the same here in England with indians owning most of these businesses. So how much more waking up to things must we do? then what happens is this will all blow over and we will be back in the same position come next year complaining about the same thing or something else. A lot of black people don’t want to address the the deeper issues that affect us. They are happy to be ignorant and so be it. We need to be re-educated both young and old and understand how to make the system work for us and not everyone else. The few of us who won’t allow other races profit off us in this manner aren’t enough to make a difference. With this hair situation, the problem is that black women have become dependent on these products i.e weaves and relaxers and these non black businesses . Pple are making money off us because of our own insecurities, we are not taken seriously as a race, why should we when some of us make a mockery of ourselves. We put hair from other cultures in our head, we dont even know where or who it comes from. We talk about the attitudes of the black businesses which is true some are like that but then if you get the same attitude from korean or asian (indian) shops we still go back to them. The madness of it all!

Did anyone find out if I was right about Aron being an old caucasian man?

Nevermind, ARON RANEN IS A WHITE MAN! I’m cool on buying the dvd. People made it seem as though purchasing the DVD would some how go back into OUR community.

god, everything is not a conspiracy. so what if the film maker is white. does that dilute the message? we’re talking pure economics. south koreans have a virtual monopoly on not only the maufacture of hair but are increasingly edging out competition in all facets of the blackhair care market. i’m not hating because they’re in the market but as a result of their monopolisitc tactics; that’s wrong but that’s capitalism.

but people we have choices as to where we spend our money. while it may be few and far in between, where there is a black community there are black businesses. speand your money there.

but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that just because hair products are made by a black company they are good quality. look at the ingredients. many of the lower end products in the stores are trashy. period. i personally buy dominican haircare products which i find in latino-owner mom&pop stores.

lastly, it’s interesting how little discussion there is on the vast amount black women spend on our hair compared to other ethnic groups. it’s kind of disgusting. where are our priorities? perhaps we should channel all the money spent on caring for our hair towards proper nutrition, education etc.

@ adorkable - I interpreted it that way at first too but then I realized she was just sayin support him for the simple fact that he’s trying to bring light to a situation that involves us. It really doesn’t matter what race tells the story as long as the story gets told and truth is spoken.

I read the remaining comments and have to agree with most of what was said. As I predicted, this didn’t even hit 200 threads, much less 300, so that is sort of dispappointing.

Nonetheless, I’m glad that at least a handful of us cared enough to share, educate each other and pass on useful information. It only takes one person oe one event in one moment to change history so maybe this will be the catalyst.

nyp said:

but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that just because hair products are made by a black company they are good quality. look at the ingredients…

*** You’re 100% on it there. And a lot of people fail to realize that the first ingredient in the product is the most prevalant. So if water is first, then petroleum, what are you really getting for your money? Watery grease!

——————————–
nyp said:
lastly, it’s interesting how little discussion there is on the vast amount black women spend on our hair compared to other ethnic groups. it’s kind of disgusting. where are our priorities? perhaps we should channel all the money spent on caring for our hair towards proper nutrition, education etc.

*** NYP, this was one of the first things I mentioned when we started this discussion. I priorities are JACKED. I myself get a professional haircut at the Hair Cuttery every six weeks ($12) but I cannot tell you the last time I visited abeauty salon. That “every two week appointment” does not work for me or my pocket books. We really need to spend our money more wisely. I’m not against getting your hair did but when the baby can’t eat and the rent ain’t paid, you have a problem.

^ our priorities…