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What do a famous rapper and a world record holding DJ have in common? Well, aside from these two guys being long time friends – they are also part of the same gang. A notorious gang of heart breakers, leaving girls swooning since 1999. Otherwise known as; the beard gang. We got together with rapper Lynxxx and world record holder for longest DJ set DJ Obi at Bar/Restaurant and barber shop “BarBar” in Lekki to ask them a few questions about their personal style, grooming and lives in the limelight. DJ Obi was getting a slight trim and a shape up while we rolled the questions.
I have barbers everywhere I go.. Everywhere… In London In Hull, when I was in Uni, in Lagos, in South Africa… But if I’m traveling and I know I’m going somewhere where I don’t have someone that I can trust out there, I get a cut the day I travel, so its fresh.
Ndani LS: What are your thoughts on the whole beard gang trend?
DJ Obi: “Is it really a gang?” I started growing my beard for like 3 reasons… One was because when I moved to Nigeria, I couldn’t find a good barber, and the guys that I was barbing with just kept messing up so I just had them not touch my face, because then my face was very sensitive and I started breaking out or razor bumps because they shave too close…
You know, another reason was because I lost my dad, so like I cut my hair and people would see me and just be sad and start crying… So I started growing the beard because he didn’t have a beard, so I was like ok, this would be a different look you know…
And then it became part of my brand, like when I started growing the beard, a lot of ladies started complimenting the beard and playing the beard, so the advice was to keep the beard as the DJ Obi look and it stuck.
Lynxxx: When I came out as Lynxxx I had a beard, so when they say beard gang which really started like 2013 and stuff right, that’s when it became popular and stuff… I’m like we been had a beard bro.
I know the beard is a signature look, and the reason why I actually started growing my beard was because I had to cut it ever other week, if not I had to grow it out. Even like right now, if I get a line up today, by next tomorrow its started coming out, so…
Ndani LS: Would you ever cut your beard off?
Lynxxx: In January, Obi cut his beard off, and he sent a picture to our syndik8 group on whatsapp, and he sent a pic to the group and we’re like ‘WHOA!’ And I said guy, you’re ‘Obi’ now, you’re not Dj Obi anymore. Till you grow it back you’re Obi bruh. I mean the truth is like, a beard does make you look more masculine, like for me if I cut my beard I probably start looking like I’m 16.
Let me give you an example, look at Drake before and after his beard – the beard makes people take Drake a lot more seriously…
DJ Obi: And he went to gym and started getting a little buff
Lynxxx: Yeah, beard and muscle! Listen, This Is Expo! If you want to be a buff guys, you understand, just give them beard and muscle.
Ndani LS: How important is it to you to be conscious of your appearance?
Lynxxx: You should look your best for God, you know why, because when people see you and they see your spirit and they see your physical and it all matches you have more power in terms of influence them. If I look like a bum and I come here and Im like oh Jesus no one will listen.
So yea, God made you in his image and his likeness so it is your duty to maintain his image and maintain his likeness, I think it goes hand in hand, the difference is don’t make it a vanity thing, you shouldn’t be late for church because you’re trying to swag, but look good and go to church.”
DJ Obi: At least look presentable, at the end of the day this is cleanliness is next to Godliness situation, just because your Christian doesn’t mean you should look like a bum… At the end of the day it shows you are spiritually conscious with your image, because if the streets of Heaven are clean you’re not going to come dirty up the place.
Just don’t look like a bum, I really believe in dressing comfortably, I do usually wear T-shirt, Jeans, Sneakers… If you’re breaking it down to events you have to dress according to what event you are going to, because you don’t want to be under dressed or over dressed, so you have to dress according to the occasion, but at the end of the day its always good to dress comfortable, so you’re confident when you when you walk into a room. That’s whats important really.
To keep up with these two guys, follow them on instagram: @djobiajent & @its_lynxxx
