Chris Rock’s New Film Talks About Good Hair

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by Lamar Tyler | on January 30th, 2009 | 12 comments

Yesterday when we were on Cocoa Mode with Shawna Renee we talked about Chris Rock’s upcoming documentary titled, “Good Hair”. If you’re black and you have a daughter you’ve probably gone through her wanting to have long straight hair, or long blond hair, etc. etc. etc… Well Chris Rock was in that same situation so he made a movie about it. He said that he always thought that little girls that felt this way were missing something in their lives but after he went through the same thing with his daughter that he gives positive affirmation to everyday he realized it’s bigger than that.

The film take a closer look at hair culture in the black community and the multi-billion dollar hair industry. It takes place everywhere from Bronner Brothers hair show in Atlanta to India where people are cutting off their hair in temples so you can sport that good yaky.

Check out the clips below then let us know if you’ve ever gone through this with your daughter or maybe you went through it yourself as a child. Let’s discuss.

About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.

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Comments (12)

Harriet Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

Memories of Spike Lee's "School Daze" scene are dancing through my mind right now. ("Talkin' 'bout good and bad hair...whether you're dark or you're fair...go 'head and stare, see if i care, good and bad hair). LOL Seriously, though, moms straightened my hair by the stove, then I did the whole jheri curl thing, then braids, then I did the perms, then I went natural from college to when I got married, then i permed the hair again, and now I'm about to get some twists. I went through the stage where I didn't like my hair (I think every little girl does, whether black or white), but I think the whole "good hair" stage only lasted 3 months for me. My pops was like Chris Rock, and he wanted his ugly duckling little girl to know that in his eyes, she was beautiful.
Nicole Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

I've had a relaxer since junior high and I always thought it was the only way to go. The lady that does my hair now is anti-relaxer and really schooled me on alternative ways to do your hair without a relaxer. I will continue to get a relaxer till I die, but I won't put one in my daughters hair until she gets old enough to make the decision on her own. I hate to see woman that see woman that are so caught up in their hair that they don't feel attractive id it's not "done" or if they don't have a long weave in it. Therefore, I'm anti-weave and don't get me started on how the whole weave thing is a gimmick anyways. Asian companies make big bucks manufacturing and selling that stuff to the black community.
LaKeysha Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

The good/bad hair myth still exists. Not only do I still hear it often but it has taken several different forms that even we do not recognize. 1. Our hair is CURLY, not kinky, nappy etc. Simply because the curl diameter may be smaller and we may deal with extreme frizz does not mean its anything outside of ordinary. 2. Why do we feel compelled to attack our hair with damaging chemicals and processes that DESTROY it so that we can BLEND in with EUROPEAN American Culture? 3. Why do we refuse to admit #2 and hide behind the excuse of straight hair just being easier to manage? See #4. 4. We have been misinformed on how to take care of our hair. We are using sulfate shampoos that have drying effects that are good for European hair but detrimental to curly hair (which is drier). We use things like brushes and fine toothed combs to tear our hair up. We attempt to wear styles that are not condusive to our hair type (tight ponytails etc). Then we wonder why our hair constantly breaks and very few AA women can get past shoulder length hair. 5. Don't be decieved, there are tons of hairstyles for natural hair besides the afro, we have just been closeminded about our hairs possibilities. If you search, you will find great styles that are neat and professional for those with that concern. 6. You alter and change things that you are dissatisfied with. When we have a majorty of a culture chemically altering some feature we must admit from wear that dissatisfaction stems (i.e. having been told all of our lives and in the media that our natural hair is bad). Its totally your choice if you decide to relax your hair but I wish we were more honost and informed about our decisions. I've done all of the above in the past and have decided to release my hair from the pressure to conform (And I had long thick relaxed hair) and I find it much more freeing to be natural the way God made me.
ewok Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

Wow. You guys are good. Great Topic! I have had long hair since my bald spots grew in as a baby (lol) and some people might consider it "good". I did not get my first perm until I was in the 7th grade. My mother stayed on me about my hair health and the importance of not overwashing, oiling it, and keeping the heat to a minimum. And most importantly: keeping her slightly vain daughter at the time in check. (lol!) I was a typical pre-teen/teenager and plus, I grew up in the 80's. It was all about Guess, Coca-Cola shirts, Michael Jordan sneaks, swatch watches, argyle socks, penny loafers, and all things excessive! My family covers the entire spectrum of hair and skin color and I consider every facet of it beautiful. The lesson starts with the parents. If you have any hang-ups about hair and skin color then you most likely will pass that on to your child. I will teach my daughter by example what beauty is and it will have nothing to do with looks or hair. I have met a whole bunch of "ugly" pretty girls....I have actually seen them 'transform' in front my face by the way they act. Pet Peev: 1. perms on infants and toddlers (and those micro-weave braids that rip their hair out) 2. sisters who think because they have naturals, they are more in tune with their blackness than I am. Hair does not define you...well, not me. 3. black people who "breed" to get the features they want in a child because they don't like their own. (If you live anywhere in Texas or near Louisiana like I do....you'll understand) Be blessed.
Political Pete Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

Looking forward to this one... Political Petes last blog post..GOP Elects First Black Chair in History: Michael Steele
Anna Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

I have naturally curly locks I put a "Just For Me" relaxer in my hair once a year to tame my curls or to help control it when I flat iron it. My kids hair has to have relaxers more often, but I did wait for them to get older before introducing their hair to relaxers. My daughters use to give their hair a break in the summer months. No perms just braids, they like to play outdoor sports i. e. swimming and basketball. Now they like the cute shor hair cuts that do require relaxers and they are no longer to vain to wear a swimming cap. Good for Chris for doing this.
Lori Friday - 30 / 01 / 2009 Reply

Hi, I am so happy that Chris Rock made this documentary so people, Black, White and others, will have these conversations and start to question the significance of our hair. It's a topic that will never get old. If people want to read a really good book that explains where the terms good and bad hair come from, as well as the whole history of Black hair's influence (politics, fashion, business) on American popular culture, they should look for the book, "Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America" published by St. Martin's Press. It's a great read, informative, inspiring and interesting. Loris last blog post..Are White Girls Better with Color?
Harriet Saturday - 31 / 01 / 2009 Reply

I wonder if he'll make mention of the research that discusses the correlation of breast cancer in black women to the hair care products we use. That research was pretty alarming, especially looking at the products they specifically mentioned. The only one on the list I ever used frequently was the B & B SuperGro (you know every little black girl at one point or another used that stuff so their hair could smell like coconut. LOL). At any rate, if anyone is interested in the research, check out the following link: http://www.wpxi.com/health/4204594/detail.html
Harriet Saturday - 31 / 01 / 2009 Reply

You can find the list of potentially toxic products here: http://naturallysophia.blogspot.com/2007/11/beware-hair-care-products-cancer.html
Harriet Saturday - 31 / 01 / 2009 Reply

There is a database of hair, skin, eye, nail, baby, oral, makeup and fragrance products that I found on the naturallysohia website that has seriously made me consider changing my entire beauty regiment. I don't even want to relax my hair anymore after looking at the rating given to the products on this website! Tell y'all what: i'm going to write an article about it instead of inundating this topic with a whole bunch of stuff. More to follow!
Unmarried Young Chick Wednesday - 04 / 02 / 2009 Reply

I agree with person who said that the trouble with hair is what we make it. I have relaxed hair, not because I want to be white but because it's easier for me to maintain straight hair vs. natural. I hate it when people talk about how black women need to embrace their ethnicity and go natural. Being black really has nothing to do with how you wear your hair, it has everything to do with how comfortable one is in you are in your own skin. Sometimes I feel as if people want to project their own esteem issues on others as to feel big about themselves.
Patra Friday - 13 / 02 / 2009 Reply

The Black haircare industry is a multi billion dollar industry, that made its profit from the shame that many AA women feel about their hair. From the manufacturers, distributors and sellers of fake hair, relaxers, curl systems, to the sista who does the work...That is extremely sad to me.