views: 211424 votes: 456

A question from Chris Rocks daughter jumpstarted the making of Good Hair, but the idea for a documentary about the culture of black hair actually took root in Rocks head about 15 years ago while doing a stand-up gig in Atlanta. He noticed his hotel was packed with people, and everyone seemed to be there for the same reason: the Bronner Bros. Hair Show. Hed never heard of it, but to the over 100,000 attendees its a yearly tradition stretching back to the early 50s, with hairstylists, barbers, and hair fanatics from all over the world coming together to discover whats new, best, and different in black hair care. It was a massive gathering, and Rock couldnt believe what a passionate, colorful crowd they were. In short, Rock discovered what a big crazy business black hair was. I've been around hairdressers my whole life, he says, but I'd never seen anything like this it was just a whole another vibe. So 15 years ago, I had the idea this would make a great film. The idea laid dormant until years later when Rocks daughter asked about her bad hair. He was astonished. I tell my daughters I love them 70 times a day, he says. I hug them and I kiss them I'm that kind of dad. To hear my daughter did not like something about herself when I'm telling her she's beautiful every single minute of the day really had me thinking about hair again. She was only five at the time, he continues, and she was already having concerns about her hair shes already having hair envy. I felt I needed to understand more deeply how these issues are related: African-American women and their hair. And then I remembered the idea for a documentary. VANESSA BELL CALLOWAY ELGIN CHARLES RHONDA COWAN JOE & EUNICE DUDLEY EVE VERONICA FORBES MELYSSA FORD MEAGAN GOOD VIJAY MADUPALI GUPTA ANDRE HARRELL ICE-T SARAH JONES SCOTT JULION KRS-ONE LAUREN LONDON NIA LONG DR. MELANYE MACLIN-CARROLL JAILYN MINOR PAUL MOONEY DR. WILLIE MORROW VALERIE PRICE SALLI RICHARDSON SALT-N-PEPA AL SHARPTON RAVEN SYMONE TRACIE THOMS T-PAIN A BlackTree Media Productions Footage Courtesy of RoadSide Attractions, HBO, and DigiSynd On Camera: Jamaal Finkley http://www.blacktree.tv