Benny Harlem and his natural hair and the long natural hair of his daughter are all going viral. According to Instagram, Harlem posted the photo 76 weeks ago. Benny’s tall high-top fade can be seen in silhouette form.
The photo’s description simply stated, “Thank God.”
The pic got nearly 1,000 likes on Instagram. A good 17 months later, Benny and his daughter Jaxyn are getting much more attention in large part due to their super-long hair.
According to the Huffington Post, Benny is an artist who had 40,000 Instagram followers only one month ago.
Now, the Instagram account of Harlem has more than 126,000 followers. Apparently, folks are pretty enamored by the man whose face is like a chiseled mask of perfection. In one photo posted to Harlem’s Instagram account nearly one year ago, Benny wrote about his inspiration for creativity and notes that he didn’t cut his hair. A swimming session earlier that morning had obviously made his locks shrink in a way that African Americans are very familiar with — something also called shrinkage or snapback.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to write and Create in the center of the universe. (Fyi) I didn’t cut my hair. We went swimming this morning and it came down☝️#HarlemU“
The other photos of Benny and Jaxyn highlight the importance of Harlem’s relationship with his daughter. In one of those photos, Benny borrows lyrics from John Mayer’s song “Daughters” to remind other dads to be good to their own daughters.
Jaxyn’s large and expressive eyes make her just as impressive of a model as her father. Folks on social media are leaving plenty of comments about how much they love the dynamic between Benny and Jaxyn. There are also plenty of comments and questions about how Harlem grew his hair so long, along with queries about hair products and the like.
According to the Huffington Post, Benny let folks in on a few tips about his hair routine, one of which includes drinking plenty of water. Harlem also said that he eats a healthy diet and uses natural hair products to help grow the hair that he’s been growing since his youth.
“My hair journey began at a very young age, simultaneous with the growth in my life. I am an Artist and I will continue to flow in creativity when it comes to my personal style. The sky is truly the limit! Health is my lifestyle. I believe that being healthy mind, body and spirit allows my hair to reach beyond its peak. I maintain a very clean diet and I drink a ton of water both very important factors in the longevity of healthy hair.
“A daily routine is necessary to maintain anything great. I use plenty of natural products which over time have nourished my hair the best. Since I am in the habit of dressing and cleaning my hair, my daily routine is very simple of hydrating and styling.”
Plenty of videos seem to prove the hair on Benny’s head is really likely his own (not purchased) due to the way it moves.
Benny said that he wanted to use Instagram to show how family and fatherhood is important. Harlem wanted to let his daughter know that she deserves love and respect. He aims to teach Jaxyn that she must believe in herself and give herself kudos prior to anyone else building her up.
Naturally, with hair so long and flowing, Benny gets many comments from folks wondering if it is real. Others assume Harlem’s hair and his daughter’s hair is naturally a weave with a texture similar to African-American textures. However, when Harlem was asked by the Huffington Post if he’d ever cut his daughter’s hair, Benny answered that he’d let her be as creative as she wants with her own hair.
Most interestingly, Harlem says that he doesn’t see envy when it comes to those who use him as the model for their own #HairGoals.
“I am a reflection of what God created a man to be.”
[Image via bennyharlem/Instagram]