Friday, March 11, 2011

Breaking The Ice! (Part 1 interview with Cool-C)

BREAKING THE ICE!!!


The Time is FINALLY here!!.. My EXCLUSIVE interview with World renowned Hair Mogul COOL~C!!

 You've  seen him in Numerous hair magazines, Rockn The stage at Hairshows all over the Country,
heard him on the radio,Attended one of his advanced hair classes,Booked a Photoshoot with him,or even watched one of his instructional dvd's on how to do the latest hair trends. His Name rings Bells far beyond  Detroit City limits......Cool~C has been dominating the Hair industry for over 15 years STRONG!!!!.... NOW for the 1st time EVER  you  a glimpse inside the mind  of  Carlton (Cool-C) Mosley as he shares his Humble beginnings, being homeless, Living in a van, and what eventually, influenced him to begin doing hair....................


Every great man has a story!


Ok, so first off anyone that knows C (as I call him)... Knows that he is a ball of energy and will keep u laughing nonstop...So I had my work cut out for me.... It was hard at times to pull my self together,..lol!..  I'm in Los Angeles, and he is in Detroit preparing for his Newest endeavor "The Weave Depot" (more info later)
 So our conversation started off how it usually does when me and him get on the phone... Playing catch up,and just kicking it...... It soon turned to the matter at hand!...THE INTERVIEW!

Here we go...........
Char: Hey C, How ya been??
Cool-C: I'm good, having the Best day of my life.
Char: Alot of people don't know that we've been friends forever, we've got history,...LOL! It's Crazy how time flies huh?
Cool-C: I know right! It's been a min, I remember when u 1st started sewing... I was having a Hair show at Cobo Hall and I said "You should do the fashion for the dancers". and you said "Ok".... Later you told me, you didn't know what you were doing...That was the start of Chargrels.
Char: YES!.that's sooooo true!.I remember that, I was soo nervous.
Char: I've been anxiously anticipating today,I'm so happy you choose my blog to do your first ever Exclusive interview.
Cool-C: My Pleasure,My pleasure,...You know you my people.

Ok Let's dig right in......................

Char: Where were you born/raised?
Cool-C: Ecorse Mi, A little city right outside of Detroit, It's a little city with a big heart.
Char: How many siblings do you have?
Cool-C: I have 2 Real sisters and 20 step brothers/sisters.
Char: WOW! Daddy wasn't playing huh?
Cool-C:  Not at all.....*Starts singing* "Papa was a Rolling stoneeeee"
(We Both start laughing)
Char: How was your childhood?
Cool-C: I had very humble Beginnings, I grew up in the A Block projects in Ecorse Mi. In my younger years my Mom had a great job at the plant, and was a Very good singer, she was even suppose to go on tour with Diana Ross but my grandmother said No!.... a little bit after that things got bad, My Mom started using crack and heroin (He pauses for a moment)....................
Char: You ok?
Cool-C: Yea..
Cool-C: It got really bad, I use to see her shooting up in the living room,.. she would leave me and my sisters for weeks at a time, alone and with no food. she also had an abusive boyfriend that would beat her and take her food stamps. I promised myself,when I got older I was gonna get him. (years later) After football practice one day when I was in highschool I got my chance, me and my friends beat the breaks off his azz!

But back at home...my mom had been gone for over 2weeks,  So my Auntie Princilla came and got me, My auntie Charlotte took my sister Nicole, and my grandmother Mrs Bell took my other Sister Mishon.
Char: Ohhh My!..I never knew that,....How old were you?
Cool-C: Around 9-10
Char: Wow.. Where was your father?
Cool-C: My father was never there, He was a pimp!
Char: A Pimp?... A real pimp,like Goldie or Magic Don Juan??
Cool-C: Pretty Much.
(Get's silent)
Char: So how was it staying with you Aunt Princilla?
Cool-C: It was difficult in the beginning, because she had 6 kids of her own,I was treated with tough love, But it shaped me.
Char: How do you feel like it shaped you?
Cool-C: They were heavy into church, they would often play the piano and sing around the house, God was in the atmosphere. They were also very strict, I remember one day I forgot to do my chores, and I had to scrub the floor with a toothbrush... needless to say I never forgot my chores again..lol!
Char: I bet you didn't
(We both start laughing)
Char: Ok so after you perfected cleaning the floor.........LOL!
Cool-C:..LOL!
Char: By this time your in high school right?
Cool-C: Yep.
Char: What highschool did u go to?
Cool-C: I went to a few... Ecorse High school, South West and Robichaud Highschool. I enjoyed highschool, when I did go..lol!.. I played football and basketball, it keep me occupied but I soon became rebellious and started staying out late,skipping school, all kinda shit. Until oneday my Uncle got feed up, I came home late after a party and my uncle said "Go back to the party" and they put me out.
Char: How old were you?
Cool-C: 16 going on 17
Char: And they put you out?
Cool-C: Yep!
Char: Where did you go?
Cool-C: I had a Van, I sleep in my van for 6 months, I did what I had to do to survive, I would stay with friends, and I stayed with my girlfriend at that time
Char: Were you still going to school. at this time?
Cool-C: Yep.
Char: So you were homeless in highschool?
Cool-C: yea, I was....
Char: I never knew you went through so much at such an early age...........

Char: When did you become interested in doing hair?
Cool-C: Actually My neighbor, This guy named Peanut, Had a pair of Clippers and I Had a Gucci hat. I said "Let's trade" and we did, I took the clippers, and cut a big dash outta my hair...lol!.. I wore a hat  to school and got sent to the office for not taking off my hat, I had a BIG BALD spot, I'm like send me home then!
(We both start laughing)
Cool-C: But after that I got me a summer job, and bought me another pair of clippers....
But wait!...let me go back, I  forgot,......was cutting hair when I was 13, (not my own)..lol!.. for extra money...
Char: Ok so you was a little hustler way back then?
Cool-C: You know it BIG BABBBBYYYYYY!!!!..lol!
Char: So You started off as a barber first?
Cool-C: Yea, I got really good fast, I was the neighborhood barber,.. alot of people don't know I use to cut Big Meech and his Brother Terry Hair from BMF, They were the one's that actually influenced me to keep cutting hair and told me to go to beauty school..
I eventually started working in a neighborhood salon called Jusuit Hair Salon. I saw that the Hairstylist made more money then the barbers, they were driving Drop top Iroc's  and I was driving a hooptie...lol!..  I said, I'm in the wrong profession. .. One day the Owner Mrs Gaston found me a funded program at Virgina Farrell Beauty school, The firstday I walked in there and saw all those women in all white, I said I'm in heaven, This is what I wanna do!
Char: LOL!.. U a mess!
Cool-C: I ended up wining 21 1st Place trophies in Hair competitions and I lost 1 time because I had just took a class from International hair stylist John Gooden, So I was trained on making the hair look polished, and professional, So when we did the competition they thought a professional did the hair and that I had cheated, so I was disqualified
Char: That's Crazy, I know you were mad?
Cool-C.. I had won 21 times, They can can have it, I was on to the next one (*In Jayz Voice*)
Char: LOL!
Char: Where did the name Cool-C come from?
Cool-C: In high school, They use to Just call me Cool... Then they added the C from my First name Carlton.. "Cool-C" cause I'm so Cool..Ya Dig!..lol!
Char: Yea I Dig!...LOL!
Char: So Now your out of Beauty School, What's Next?
Cool-C: I worked at BC's in Southwest, I took more advanced classes from: John Gooden, Karl Reed, My Homie Mr. Little May he R.I.P.  Kahlifiel and all the greats.....
I remember my 1st ad in Billy Cason Hair Designer Magazine, He came up to BC's  and did a photoshoot, he had to be there no more that 15 mins. He gave me a   lil bitty ass ad!..lol!
Char: How small was it?
Cool-C: I looked like a dot on the paper, My picture was as little as a dime.
Char: *Dieing laughing* get outta here!
Cool-C: I'm serious!!!...lol
(Were Both laughing:)


Char: How long did you work at BC's??
Cool-C: NotLong!.. I was growing to fast!...I needed a Challenge.. You feel me!?
 So I started working  at the infamous  Turning Point Hair Salon In Downtown Detroit!
Char: I remember that salon, you guys took over the hair books back in the day, I was in hair school studying yall hair styles..lol
Cool-C: You was jocking!
Char: Whateva!..lol!,
Cool-C: Yea, When I started working There, I meet Marlena Stevenson, Tracey, and the owner Alisa... Me and Marlena later became Best friends.. we was Bonnie and Clyde, she taught me alot, They introduced me to the finer things in life,Quality hair styles, they were upscale... remember I was coming from the hood!
Char: Yea, because the 1st ad I ever saw you in you had on a suit and your hair was blonde...lol!
Cool-C: We had just did this hair skit on demolition man and he had blonde hair, I cut that shit off the next week!..It had to gooo Big BaaaabbbyYY!...lol!
Char:Yea That Had to goooooooooo..LOL!!

Char: Sounds like it was a nice salon to work in...
Cool-C: It's Funny Cause working at the Turning point, was actually a turning point in my life!..  I had just Got a NEW Condo Downtown,...MY Clientele had GREW!...My Popularity GREW!...DOPE NEW RIDE...MORE MONEY!   And I would soon Find Out... MO MONEY MO PROBLEMS!!!!!

                   This was the Beginning of a Hair BOSS!



           * Check Back NEXT Friday  March 18, For Part 2!!*

Check him out:
Twitter:   www.twitter.com/coolckingofhair
Facebook: www.facebook.com/coolc1

4 comments:

Tara said...

Love it! CAN'T wait for the next part. I inspire to be a well known stylist..traveling and everything. I was always curious as to how he made it. I love this interview and will be looking out for the rest.

Unknown said...

Good stuff..can't wait for part 2

andrea said...

Congratulations!!! You can accomplish anything with BIG dreams.

Selena said...

I remember when Carlton had that van, at that time he was talking about going to hair school. He said " I'm going to blow up", ya'll watch. I said that to say this, Carlton i'm proud of you. You inspired me to do hair. Maybe one day i'll have the pleasure of working under someone as good as you are. May God continue to bless you & your family.

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