Many young people who live in the heart of Atlanta grow up to be game-changers. Throughout the streets of Atlanta, we find many grand talents such as rappers, poets, artists, fashion designers, hair stylists, and so much more. However, this time, the game has indeed been changed. Khalil Battle, a current Howard University student is just one of many who are having an impact not only in Atlanta, but throughout the country.
At the age of 16, Battle developed a vision to help teens with textured and curly hair in finding a solution to their dry hair difficulties. As a young man who encountered similar issues as a child, he got fascinated by hair care science and set out to design a morning curly hair regimen that would help him achieve his goals of soft, controllable, and healthy hair. In his never-ending hunt for items that worked for his wild hair, grooming and self-care eventually became his main emphasis. This is where his nationally recognized brand, KingCurls, has flourished.
It has not been an easy road for KingCurls to become what it is today. The brand, KingCurls, has become both an internet phenomenon and an emerging new brand to watch, thanks to platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Battle found it difficult to get hair products for males when he was a teenager. Due to the hair industry’s prominence as a primary market for women, Battle found it difficult to find items designed exclusively for guys. Before creating KingCurls, he worked with a chemist to design the products. He began his business with a curling styling cream and has now expanded to include a full range of shampoo and conditioner. According to Battle and his associates, more products are on the way.
I had the great honor to interview Khalil Battle, Chief Executive of KingCurls, and Jarrod Huey, President of KingCurls, to talk about their newest line and talk about what’s next for KingCurls.
VOX ATL: What is King Curls? What are your specific roles in KingCurls?
Khalil Battle: I started KingCurls when I was a freshman at Woodward Academy, because I saw a vision for a new generation of haircare. I wanted to change and break the current climate that was going on in the hair industry. With that being said, I came up with a brand dedicated to boys, but can still be catered to women as well.
Jarrod Huey: KingCurls is a brand that caters to the underrepresented market of men in the hair care industry. We are severely lacking a presence of Black men’s hair care and what we wanted to do was to tell guys that it’s OK to take care of their hair.
VOX ATL: How would you describe your latest line that just dropped?
Khalil Battle: We recently just came out with a full line of products including: shampoo and conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and three different kits. We originally had one product, KingCurls Curl Styling Cream, however we wanted to expand our company. We wanted to make sure we were showing our audience the whole spectrum of what our company has to offer, which is why we chose the other products. In addition, we wanted to provide our audience with a variety of options for styling their hair for the best results.
VOX ATL: What would you tell entrepreneurs who are trying to get their business started?
Khalil Battle: Building a team does not happen overnight. The best advice is to go with the flow, construct team members, and network with people who are very passionate with the business.
Jarrod Huey: KingCurls is a family company due to continuously building the team during the entrepreneurial journey.
Visit the company’s website or follow KingCurls on Instagram and TikTok.
