Update: The Justin Bieber dreadlocks saga continues. Today, the singer's hairstylist Florido told Cosmopolitan that though the hairs are gone, they're not forgotten — or even thrown away. "We still have the dreads though, now we might try to slang them for a charity." Yes, you read that right.
This story was originally published on April 19, 2016, at 1:45 p.m.
Update: Justin vaguely addressed comments about his hair on Instagram today — although he avoided the whole appropriation aspect. "Some girl came up to me and she was like, 'I love you, Justin, but this is, like, my least favorite hairstyle of yours,'" he states in the above video, in a very Dude, Where's My Car? patois. He also captioned the photo: "Being weird is fin if u r not weird I don't like you." So, we can probably safely assume his dreadlocks aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Sigh. This story was originally published on April 4, 2016, at 3:30 p.m. Oh, Biebs, didn't we just go over this? A few months after sporting cornrows in Anguilla (which Bieber himself admitted was misguided), the pop star is at it again. His culturally appropriative hairstyle of choice this time? Dreadlocks. And many fans are unsurprisingly displeased.
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@justinbieber you damn white boy stop being problematic and get rid of those dreads THANKS
— gaby !! (@gabrivla) April 3, 2016
Lmaooo nah Justin Bieber is so fucking annoying . He knows Dreads/Cornrows is cultural appropriation yet .. pic.twitter.com/EWWY3JV4Wy
— black panther a (@tvchalla) April 3, 2016
It's especially problematic given that Bieber's locs (and Miley Cyrus', while we're on the subject) are being touted as hip and trendy, while stars like Zendaya have faced ignorant remarks and criticism for wearing the exact same style. (Who can forget Giuliana Rancic's remark that Zendaya's locs "must smell of patchouli oil or weed?") In the words of Amandla Stenberg, “Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalizations or stereotypes where it originated, but is deemed as high-fashion, cool, or funny when the privileged take it for themselves.”
Zendaya gets dreadlocks & she "looks like she smells like weed" Justin Bieber does it & its "trendy" & "different" pic.twitter.com/MOOausDx5V
— brooke (@brookelaf) April 4, 2016
Dreadlocks in particular carry much weight and significance to people of color. (More on that here.)
Bieber was quick to defend Kylie Jenner's cornrows back in July, so it doesn't come as that much of a surprise that he'd sport these. Still, Bieber — or at least the people behind the Bieber machine — should have known better before adopting a style without offering any form of context or credit. "Fashion and hair integrate, and we are all inspired by each other’s art forms. But when you are inspired, it should be noted,” Diane Bailey of SheaMoisture has told us. What do you think of Bieber's new look? Let us know in the comments below.
Bieber was quick to defend Kylie Jenner's cornrows back in July, so it doesn't come as that much of a surprise that he'd sport these. Still, Bieber — or at least the people behind the Bieber machine — should have known better before adopting a style without offering any form of context or credit. "Fashion and hair integrate, and we are all inspired by each other’s art forms. But when you are inspired, it should be noted,” Diane Bailey of SheaMoisture has told us. What do you think of Bieber's new look? Let us know in the comments below.