These Hamilton barbers started cutting hair as teens. Now, at 20, they run their own shops [Video]

Kassim Abdulraheem cut his first head of hair — his best friend’s — when he was in grade nine. He said he “butchered” the haircut then, but still cuts his friend’s hair to this day.

“He lives in Ottawa… He doesn’t get a haircut anywhere else,” Abdulraheem told CBC Hamilton.

When he was a kid, he used to watch barber videos on an iPad before he went to bed, he said. 

Now, at 20, Abdulraheem, also known as Kay, owns a barber shop in downtown Hamilton, Kay Cuts Studios.

He’s one of more than 60 stylists and barbers coming together Saturday to offer free styling and cuts to racialized youth. Hair stylists and barbers have not met like this in Hamilton before, something that Abdulraheem is very excited about.

“This is probably like the best thing Hamilton has had in a while,” he said.

WATCH | Hamilton barber Kassim Abdulraheem …