Posted December 4, 2021
@its_sharrSharde Gilliam is a dedicated journalist who enjoys covering entertainment, fashion, beauty, and is passionate about all things related to Black women and Black culture. She originally joined HelloBeautiful as an intern and slowly worked her way up to becoming a freelancer and most recently, the team’s nights and weekends editor in 2021. As a Detroit native, she's dedicated to uplifting and putting a spotlight on her hometown every chance she gets. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with friends and family, and playing with her dog, Benji. Catch her on social media. @its_sharr
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Happy birthday, Jay-Z! Today (December 4), the emcee turns 52 years old, and from Twitter shoutouts to IG carousels, the Internet has wasted no time in celebrating the Brooklyn-born rapper properly.
At this point, Jay-Z, whose real name is Shawn Carter, has become synonymous with legendary and his decades-long career has given hip-hop fans and general music fans alike 13 studio albums, countless iconic verses, multiple businesses, and a positive influence that’ll stand the test of time. From the first time we were introduced to Jay-Z till now, fans have followed the rap star’s every move, watching him grow from a hustler to a businessman to a philanthropist to a husband and family man.
But his title isn’t the only thing that’s evolved over the years as his trendy style has changed as well, with the rapper stepping outside the mold with his clothing and hair choices. From the low-top fade to his current natural look and everything in between, let’s celebrate Jay-Z’s birthday by looking back at the rapper’s natural hair journey over the years.
1. 2016
In 2016, Jay-Z hadn’t quite started his natural hair journey yet as he rocked his hair short and cut down. Here’s the emcee at the 2016 US Open as he watched a Women’s Singles match between Serena Williams and Vania King.
2. 2017
In 2017, Jay was still very early in his natural hair journey as he traded in his short cut and began growing out his locs. Here he is spotted on the streets of Manhattan in September of that year.
3. 2018
During the “On the Run II” tour, Jay-Z was spotted on stage with a mini afro as he continued growing his natural hair.
4. 2019
In 2019, his hair continued to grow as he rocked it long and loc’ed at the SOMETHING IN THE WATER festival in April of that year.
5. 2020
Last year, Jay began to really show off his loc’ed look as he was spotted in NYC donning the style.
6. 2021
Most recently, Jay-Z was spotted at the Los Angeles Premiere of “The Harder They Fall” with his full, natural hair.
Model – Jay Z
Image Credit – Samir Hussein/WireImage
Jay-Z’s freeform dreadlocks are as cool and iconic as the man himself. Plus, it’s great to see celebs embracing natural hair looks like this.
MFH says
Jay-Z’s freeform dreadlocks with congos (which mean joining two or more locs so they fuse together) may not take much in the way of maintenance, but he had to grow his afro hair a bit longer, first.
The legendary rapper is clearly also blessed with patience – because it seems he started the process of growing out his almost clean-shaven head about two or three years ago.
Although social media has been alight with rumours that he wears a lace-front wig due to his preternaturally dark, thick hair, we choose to think that, at 51, he’s somehow defying nature. (But of course, it’s more likely he simply flies his barber of choice, Johnny Cakes, to his home for a discreet hair-dye sesh). Your secret’s safe with us, Shawn…
But whatever secret ways he keeps his youthful vibe, we love that he’s waving the flag for natural, freeform styles.
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Barber Skill:1 Star
Level of Maintenance:1 Star
Styling Difficulty:1 Star
Texture: 4 Star
Overall:4 Star
- If you want to grow freeform locs, have a chat to your barber first about what to do, what to expect and the correct products to use throughout your freeform journey.
- Check out the How To below for a little insight into what to expect.
- While very little maintenance is needed for dreads, Jay-Z first of all needed to grow his hair – freeform dreads form more easily on longer hair.
- Stop combing out your hair.
- Wash and massage your roots only with a non-residue shampoo – avoid the ends where the dreads are forming.
- You need to do this at least once a week as freeform dreads form better on clean hair
- You’ll also need to try and tone down the oil in your hair, and detox it from any product build-up. So once a week use an ACV rinse (Apple Cider Vinegar) with baking soda and water. You’ll find advice and ‘recipes’ online.
- You can use sea salt spray to help the hair stick together and take form. Use it in moderation as it can really damage the hair. Make sure you rinse it out after no more than 2 hours by letting water run through or your hair.