Latest news with #barbershop
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
London rapper guilty of murdering father in front of young child
A rapper has been found guilty of murdering a father in front of his young child in a barbershop in north-east Belle, 30, was convicted following a five week trial at the Old Bailey after stabbing Josh McKay, 31, in the neck as he had a haircut in Walthamstow on 8 July Parker, 39, who drove Belle to the scene in Leyton, and Daniel Cooper, 22, who provided a balaclava and knife for the attack, were both cleared of was found guilty of perverting the course of justice and possessing a bladed article and Cooper had previously pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article. The trial heard that there was "existing hostility" between Belle and Mr from Edmonton, north London, had a YouTube channel under his nickname "Topz" and in a video uploaded before the murder had made a specific reference to his desire to attack Mr jury heard that Belle rapped: "I pray every day that I buck JMK."Prosecutor Louis Mably KC said that Mr McKay had been having his hair cut on a Saturday afternoon when he was attacked and killed in front of his child. 'That's my dad' The barber, who was just finishing Mr McKay's haircut, told police he had seen a man wearing a balaclava creeping through the door, but thought it was "a joke" at first until he saw the man was carrying a large kitchen knife."The man approached Mr McKay, and just as Mr McKay swivelled round on the chair to see what was going on, the man plunged the knife into his neck and then pulled the knife out," said Mr the resulting scuffle the knife had fallen to the ground, and Mr McKay picked it up and chased the attacker out of the shop, the court heard.A female passer-by, who saw a man dressed in dark clothing "creeping" towards the shop and carrying something in his right hand, went into the barbershop and called also saw Mr McKay's child outside. The child had seen the attack happen and was upset, saying "that's my dad", the court police investigation identified Belle as the attacker and CCTV evidence showed he had spotted Mr McKay in the barbershop by chance 25 minutes before the attack."What happened is that straightaway, and very quickly, he saw the opportunity and made preparations for the attack to make sure he could carry it out before Mr McKay had finished having his hair cut," said Mr prosecution alleged that Parker and Cooper both helped Belle carry out the attack. The court heard Parker was in a relationship with Belle and drove him to Cooper's address to collect a knife and then drove Belle back to Lea Bridge Road where he carried out the attack before returning to the car and being driven back to Parker's three defendants gave evidence in their defence, with Belle claiming he had acted in of Gosport Road in Waltham Forest, and Parker, of Canterbury Road in Waltham Forest, said they were not aware of Belle's will be sentenced at a later date.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
West Bromwich barber shop gets men talking about mental health
A barber shop in West Bromwich is helping men open up about their mental health with the help of two NHS-trained Stars Barbers offers customers the opportunity to talk about issues in a safe and private evening sessions are led by two mental health experts who run Melanin Moods, an organisation set up in 2020 "to provide specialist support to black and brown communities".Rowan Farrell, from the barbers, said it helped people to "offload and vent" and discuss their feelings. "People start talking because it's a safe space, they feel like they can talk and engage with their barber," Mr Farrell said."They've got 30 minutes in the chair and it helps them to off load and vent, whatever issues they've got."Dr Chanelle Dennis, from Melanin Moods, jointly leads the sessions and said it was a service that aimed to tackle the taboo and stigmas that existed within the black and brown communities. Her colleague Talisa Mesquitta added: "We want to ensure that the barber shop, as it always has been for black men, remains that safe space."They know that they can come here and be open and talk about whatever it is they want to talk about and it's not going to leave here."The evenings have been running for two years and participants said subjects that have been covered included fatherhood and learning more about anxiety and understanding the impact on themselves and men come up with action plans to hold one another to account to deal with issues while "checking in" on each other. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Why a men's barbershop has sparked fury from Aussie women over a controversial policy - as owner fires back: 'Let guys just be guys'
A barbershop owner has defended his male-only policy despite mothers complaining they have been forced to wait outside while their sons get a haircut. Robbie Ferrante operates Robbie's Chop Shop in Adelaide and labels it the 'last male sanctuary' where guys of all ages can 'get away and chill'. His business has struck a chord with some women such as Elena Téa who shared a scathing TikTok video questioning how the place was able 'to continue'. Local women complained they had been forced to sit outside while their sons or brothers received a haircut. Mr Ferrante told Daily Mail Australia on Monday his shop aimed to fill a gap for young men who are searching for a place of community. 'What I saw over time was a lot of boys didn't have good role models, (who) needed a little bit of a helping hand or someone that could just sort of guide them,' he said. 'So I'd always had this vision of a place where guys could just be guys and relax and not have to worry about conforming to society or what they say or things that they do. 'Not in a bad way, but just having the freedom to express what they're feeling.' He said there was an added benefit to the business' policy as it encouraged children to be independent while their mums waited outside. Mr Ferrante said it aims to give children 'something where it's not just your mum or dad talking you through this whole experience'. 'It might be something small, but this is something that you're gonna have to do for the rest of your life: interact with people, talk to people,' he added. 'It doesn't feel the same when the mum is in the shop.' Mr Ferrante said often fathers would have their hair cut at the same time as their sons. But scathing critic Ms Téa claimed the business' social media page was a 'cesspool of hate'. The company's Instagram often shares messages about 'It's ok not to be ok' and 'Check in with your friends', encouraging mental health discussions for their clients. It also regularly posts images of fast cars, photos of the shop and memes including Christian Bale's misogynist anti-hero Patrick Bateman in the film American Psycho. Mr Ferrante said mothers are asked to wait outside so their sons can have an independent 'experience' where their parent is not speaking for them 'Anybody can masturbate under a sheet, but it takes skill to do it without the barber noticing,' one post reads. Ms Téa said in her TikTok: 'I don't know how this place is allowed to continue. 'It's honestly so bad that it's just laughable.' Several women on the post complained about not being allowed onto the premises. 'The way that mums bring their kids there for a haircut and are made to SIT OUTSIDE ON A BENCH while they wait!' one wrote. Another said: 'My mum and I once went in with my young brother to get his first haircut and they all just stared at us. '(They) told my mum and I to go outside to say what we wanted to be done to his hair, and leave him.' Ms Téa also shared screenshots of what she claimed was part of the business' website. 'We keep the manliness up and the chit-chat down,' it read. Mr Ferrante said neither he, nor the team who run the website, recognised the writing Téa shared. When asked about the shop's references to American Psycho and memes that could be construed as toxic, Mr Ferrante defended the posts. 'If you can't see the funny side in a lot of things in life, then you're probably not gonna have a very funny life,' he said. 'I have a daughter, I have a wife, I have a sister, I have a mum. There's a lot of things that I will not stand for as far as toxic masculinity.' But Mr Ferrante added that if something 'really does not hurt anyone', then there is nothing wrong with that. American Psycho, a novel which was previously banned in Queensland, tells the story of an investment banker who kills women. 'Someone going around and murdering women, I think that's disgusting, obviously. I'm not idolizing anything like that, I just think it's a well done movie,' he said. 'But I think the other context of the movie is the guys with their business cards talking s*** about business cards. That is a very guy thing to do.' The shop has previously applied for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act in 2023 which would protect them from claims they are not treating people fairly. Their application has yet to be reviewed.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Los Angeles barbershop blasts ‘Baby Shark' to ward off homeless
A barbershop in downtown Los Angeles is blasting the toddler-favorite 'Baby Shark' song to deter homeless individuals from setting up camp outside the business. Shalom Styles, CEO and founder of Styles Barber Lounge, spoke with KTLA on Sunday, explaining his ongoing efforts to protect his shop and keep his customers safe and comfortable. 'I've been making sure since I came to this street that there's no homeless, there's no tents, and if I see something, I clean it up,' said Styles. 'I'll see cracked glass on the corners, because they're cracking windows sometimes, but on 11th Street, they're not – I have surveillance.' Styles explained that another effort he's put in place with the help of property management includes security cameras that make a noise to alert anyone making motion nearby. 'When people are walking past and forth and loitering, the cameras beep, but the camera sound isn't loud enough. There's cars going by at all hours of the day, also not loud enough,' said Styles. 'So the speaker playing 'Baby Shark' is gonna make everybody move, or bring the news and have the city do something about it.' In a recent encounter, Styles said he had to tell a naked woman to leave after he found her sitting unclothed on his bench. 'It was bad, it was an eyesore for business,' said Styles. 'She started screaming at the top of her lungs, she kicked her shoes off, threw them and screamed for probably 10 minutes.' Styles said police and other city efforts haven't helped, but that he hopes the city will try harder, as these issues seem to be growing around his shop. 'We can't have the encampment grow here,' said Styles, talking about the music choice. 'It's annoying for them to do what they're doing to the business, so I'd rather they just be annoyed.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
17-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Pokz Hair Studios Offers Mental Health Support Service for Black Men
Croydon, UK - In the heart of Croydon, Pokz Hair Studios is redefining the traditional barbershop experience by intertwining expert hair replacement with a sanctuary for mental well-being for Black men. Founded by Opoku Kunadu-Yiadom in 2023, Pokz Hair Studios is more than just a place for quality hair pieces for men of colour. It's a haven where clients find solace, understanding, and a listening ear. Opoku, a certified barber from the London School of Barbering with additional qualifications in Hair Replacement Systems, transitioned from a career as a quantity surveyor to pursue his passion for barbering during the lockdown. His unique approach has seen the studio flourish, expanding from an initial 10 clients to serving dozens regularly, with revenues growing from £40,000 to over £100,000 annually. 'It's not just about the haircut,' said Opoku. 'It's about creating a space where men feel safe to open up about their struggles, be it depression, job loss, or personal challenges. The barber-client relationship is powerful; sometimes, it's the only place where men feel they can truly be themselves.' This approach is particularly significant given the mental health challenges faced by Black men in the UK. Statistics reveal that Black men are 17 times more likely than white men to be diagnosed with a serious mental health illness and are more frequently subjected to mental health interventions . Yet, they are less likely to access mental health services, often due to stigma and systemic barriers. Opoku said: 'One of my regular clients stopped coming in. Concerned, I reached out and discovered he was battling depression after losing his job and facing personal issues. I invited him for a free haircut. That simple act helped restore his confidence, and he soon secured a new job. It's moments like these that underscore the importance of what we do.' With everything he does, Opuku is focused on supporting and advocating about men's mental health and parental alienation, emphasizing that 'hair is just the beginning - it's about holistic well-being.' Media Contact Company Name: Pokz Hair Studios Contact Person: Opoku Kunadu-Yiadom Email: Send Email Country: United Kingdom Website: Source: PR Company
