Mr. Keep Surfing Eli Mack
Whats up once again people is Sa from Electric Oceans D&A, but this week I’m Going by Big O. Now a close friend of mine and and all around stand up nutcase Mr. Keep Surfing aka Eli Mack is in the place to be. For the people who don’t know you, Can you fill us in?
Eli Mack Take Dread Prez mix in some Dead Kennedy’s add a little Beach Boys then mix in 151 rum. Let Megatron drink said mix then have him do a polka dance on America’s got talent. I’m the guy who sweeps the stage when Americas got talent is over. Also I’m cancer and love long walks in the projects with a girl named “Joe”. I have 4 son’s and there all named Eli…I have one daughter and her name is George.
Big O-I met Eli back in 05 or 06 I was alittle nervous about him cutting my hair, I have lived all over the country and he is the first Barber I have ever met that had a article in GQ magazine about him. Your favorite college or professional athlete has probably been cut by him.
SO yeah He can cut and style his and your cousin’s ass off.
Now I have only met a few white barbers but they could really cut hair and were very skilled in the craft, what got you into cutting hair?
EM I wanted to be a hair dresser…nope. Marine’s hair in Oceanside under Ben Llanes. Then Nappy By Nature in Phoenix under Ali O’Neil. Then at N-Da-Kut in Eugene Oregon. Then my 1st shop “Mos Faded” in 2003 in Eugene. In 2004 Jason Thompson became my partner at Mos Faded and it became E & J’s Mos Faded. That’s where I met you O. In 2009 I opened Electric Ocean Barbershop in Portland. Jason still runs MS and has taken on a partner our friend “Allen”. Eugene was perfect for me because of my skill set with “ALL” hair types. So I cleaned up with the small black community right off the bat and since urban styles are everywhere now I had a huge base of mostly white kids but also Latinos, Asian, etc…. Also really reaching out to everyone regardless of Race, Religion, Sexual Orientation, etc….
Mos Faded was the prototype for Electric Ocean. Portland is a good spot also, it is a good place for some progressive thinking…not like in politics but rather just in real life…acceptance, kindness, honor, respect, love…this is what a barbershop should be and the only way that is going to happen is if the barbershop owner abides by these ways. About being a bad ass “white” barber…I grew up So. Cal… My hometown is similar to Long Beach. So race relations are different there than anywhere else. All in all everyone mixes pretty well. So I just never looked at people like that. I have a pretty even heart and take people on their content of character. I feel even more the opposite and want to defend somebody being subjected to any injustice.
I have a Client “John” who is a tiny little fem gay black man, 25ish. I had him fallin over in the seat. Told him if anybody was ever fucking with him for being gay or black but the gay part can be pretty tough anywhere, to call me or Josh (Barber @ The shop) and we’d be “Captain save a Homo”. You gotta laugh and joke and that’s what the barbershop let’s happen. I used love to be in MF (and maybe you heard this from me O?) There would be some new black clients who didn’t really no me and Jason is so light skinned its like to two white boys in there and I’d say “F%*K I hate black people J!” and everyone would be quite and kinda trippin and then I’d say. “J, you know the only thing I hate more than Black people….F*&King White people!” Then everybody would fall out. I love it when people who would not normally mix… get together and connect. Oh yea “White”…..no I’m just a “sic wit it Barber”
White ain’t nothing but a label…or a melanin deficiency…LOL!
Big O When I first met you I called you Tony Hawk(jokingly Eli has MAD tattoos), Lo and behold you are a pretty well known Surfer. So give us some info on that??
EM Surfing is my thing. I love it. I love big surf. I love to surf on rivers. I have been blessed to do R & D work for American Wave Machine’s who have built the best surfing machine on earth Called the “Surfstream™”. Surfing has been a blessing and I try to spread to the stoke.
Big O Congrats on the birth of your son, besides being a great parent. What other ventures and or projects you have in the works?
EM Thanks O for the love. Cutting. Cutting. Cutting. I am focused and the shop. I have a new Barber who really gifted and a super cool cat, No-Neck Josh. Got a little homie, D-Styles who is going to Barber School in L.A. and will join Electric Ocean Next year. Pump these guys. Pump the shop. Do some events for Andis clippers. In a year myself and my little brother Stevie are going to drop a small restaurant near Electric Ocean. In about two years open a Barber school. Surf when I can. Get neutered!
Big O Thanks Eli for stopping by you have been very cool and influential to me and cant wait to hit up the Lucky Devil with you. Before I sign off I have to leave you with a famous Eli quote. ” Vegas is the only place on earth where someone can drive down the street in a Bently, and a homeless guy is laying the in the sun with a shit in his pants” LMAO
Live Free Cut Well
Aloha from Eli Mack
Electric Ocean Barber shop is in South Portland. Check him out Men, Ladies and Inmates.
