My career didn’t really take off until I started locking my hair….
Giovanni Bates
Can you introduce yourself to the readers? Where did you grow up and go to school?
My name is Giovanni. I grew up un Marietta, GA and attended Bethune-Cookman College before transferring to West Georgia College.
When did you start locing, how did you start (coils or twists) and what made you want to loc your hair?
About 8-9 years ago…..started off with a baby afro and my girlfriend at the time who also had locks wanted to see how I would look with twist & 8 months later, my hair was locked.
Did you always want to be a model?
Not really.
When, why and how did you get into modeling?
Just one of those things where people always told me that I looked like a model or should be a model………and then one thing led to another and I was doing fashion shows & TV commercials, was approached by an agent and the rest is history
I know you have a great career going for you. How soon did you career take off and can you mention the highlights?
Thank you very much…….and I would have to say (honestly) that my career didn’t really take off until I started locking my hair…….at that time, the popular look for black men was the bald head and full lips (ex: Tyson Beckford)………so my natural hair (twist) was something new to the modeling game………then other celebrities hit the lime-lite with natural hair (like Maxwell & Eric Benet) and the look became a demand…………and I was already in the game just waiting to come off the bench, so to speak (like playing basketball) (LOL).
Where do you go from here? Do you have other plans or dreams that you would like to pursuit?
Well, outside of modeling & acting, I’m a middle school teacher in the ATL…….I teach Media Broadcasting….so I love working with kids………….BUT, I would have to say that my DREAM is to start a foundation that would allow inner-city kids between the ages of 12-15 to travel the globe and bring the things that they have studied and read about in their history books to LIFE……give them a chance to travel this amazing world of ours and see these things with their own eyes, touch them with their own hands, walked where other historical people have walked.
How do you care for your locs?
I have 2 professional lock stylists………Thando Kafele in Brooklyn, NY & Calla Johnson in Atlanta, GA…..and between the 2 of them, they always keep my hair looking tight (LOL).
You know I think you really rock those locs of yours no matter how they are styled. You just rock them. However sometimes I hear men and women also complaining about their locs, the maintenance and such and they cut them off. So I wonder, has cutting your locs ever crossed your mind?
Well, to be honest, yes, it has……BUT not for those reasons. Because my locks have become walking advertisement for some stylist, national ad campaigns, and other professional reasons, I don’t really have that options to cut them right now (even if I wanted to)………..the only reason why that thought has ever crossed my mind is because the long they get……the more they get in my way sometimes (LOL)…….like when eating, brushing my teeth, driving in my JEEP wrangler with the top off (the become weapons like “whips” slapping me in the face) (LOL)………and they are becoming hotter and hotter every summer (LOL)….and not “hot” like sexy, but “hot” like HOT (LOL)…..seems like when I have my locks down, my neck is hot, and when I have them up or tied back in a pony-tail, my scalp is hot.
We don’t see many women with natural hair in the media. Why do you think that is?
Actually, I disagree…..every time I turn on the TV, I see beautiful black women with natural lil curly afros or just a simple lil natural cut, but I don’t see too many woman with locks though……….sad.
Do you think locs are an advantage in modeling? Does it make a difference when it comes to women?
Well, in this industry, there really is no advantage because the demand is forever changing…….what come be in for now and seems like it will never change, will and can be changed in a a matter of weeks………its determined by those who are highly praised and often imitated in this industry as to what the next “IN-LOOK” will be…..sad.
What do you think about relaxers and weaves? Why do you think so many of us black women use chemicals and wear weaves?
That is a mystery that I will never know the answer to…(LOL)…………but if I had to formulate an answer, I would have to say what I always hear from black women……and that is that they can not commit to one hairstyle. Not realizing that you can have hundreds of styles just with 1 head of locks…(LOL).
This may seem like a stupid question but I have heard men say that they can’t date a woman with short naps. What do you think of that? Can you say that you would never date a woman with relaxed hair, a weave or short nappy hair?
I LOVE ALL BLACK WOMAN……….from the bald heads, to kinky naps, twist, locks, braids, perms, weaves, etc………because up underneath all those hairstyles lies a BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN……….and nothing else can compare or ever compete with that!
What is your favorite cd?……….too many too name, but I love all genres of music
What is your favorite book?………the BIBLE
What is your favorite movie?……… The Notebook, Shawshank Redemption, Ghost, Rush Hour(s), Friday, Love & Basketball, Love Jones
What is your favorite hairstyle?………locks…..duh! (LOL)
What is your favorite hairstylist? (Obvious)…………..uh………….uh. uh. dang…uhuhcan’t choose between my 2 because they are both great…..and I couldn’t maintain without either one of them.
You last words? ……….. just blessed and honored that you even thought I was worth interviewing, but I will give a lil word of advice about life to other……..”Show a man who loves what he does for a living, and I’ll show you someone who has never worked a day in his life!” ………..GOD BLESS
