Here's Why We Appreciate The Many Hairstyles of Dave East *UPDATE*
This post was updated on 3/12/19 to add additional content.
Who would have guessed there would be a legit interest in the many hairstyles of Dave East? We wrote this grooming post last year when, for weeks, the Harlem native showed off, "a "new style, a new hair dew, a new cut." He may have passed on the color (at least for now) but since our first deep dive Dave East has picked out his signature braid styles, took his cornrows to New York Fashion Week and recently debuted a curly fro. Let's take a look!
SIGNATURE STYLE: #DaveEastBraids
It seems for the moment Dave East has settled on braids being his signature look. Staying away from the fancy criss-cross and zig-zag braid designers that could rival a hair show, the Paranoia seems to prefer his hair braided down the sides of his head tight to the scalp or in singles.
That doesnβt mean you wonβt catch Dave Eastβs hair braided to the back. During New York Fashion Weekβ Menβs East took his cornrows to the catwalk at Grungy Gentlemenβs Fall 2019 show back in February. He graced the runway alongside mentor, partner on a joint album, Beloved, and still one of the best rappers to touch a mic, Styles P.
FRO-REAL: #DaveEastAfro
Most recently (3/11/19) the rapper took to Instagram to pay respects to the late Notorious B.I.G. In the video post, with βSomebodyβs Gotta Dieβ playing in the video, Dave Eastβs afro made an appearance. Curly like he had just taken his braids unloose he captioned the video, βRest In Peace BIG....Happy H30D Day To My Harlemβs All Over The World ππΎππΎ 3X10.β
ORIGINAL POST (3/22/2018)
No disrespect to the classic taper or the low wave cut, but day to day hair versatility for black men is limited. Most brothers aren't able to switch from a smooth slick back to a layered cut, to a messy I just got laid hair, to a choppy buzz cut within weeks time, leaving us to pick and commit to a hairdo for months at a time. But Harlem's very own Dave East is shaking things up, debuting a new style every month so far in 2018. The "I Found Keisha" rapper entered the year in a traditional cut, line-up always crisp and occasionally tapered on the sides. But in January, the low cut started to grow into a mini afro, long enough to pick but too short to catch for braids or twist.
East unleashed his twists in February. Like many at the beginning of their twist/locs journey, Kairi's father caught some slack for his mini singles, but his fans soon adjusted to the perfectly parted style and continued to witness the growth of his hair.
Now in March, we find Dave East with cornrows, a style many men of color test out at least once in their life where the hair is parted to the desired sized, sectioned into three pairs and braided close to the scalp. It's not often that we see guys consistently switch up their hairstyles, so we appreciate the many styles that the Def Jam artist is offering. This puts East in our books of men's hair goals and if he continues to keep a new do then we might have a budding grooming icon on our hands.
