While rappers are often praised for their abilities on the mic, not many receive appreciation for what they do behind the scenes. Although he’s not here with us anymore, it’s safe to say that Nipsey Hussle was not one of them.
Nipsey’s spirit doesn’t just live through the verses of motivation and positivity that he left behind in his music, but also lives through all the self-made ventures he built from scratch. He’s remembered by his peers for how much love he gave day in, and day out, remaining an icon in the eyes of fans for the former reason, and his braids.
When Nipsey was working his way up to break into the music scene, he may have lacked experience in his profession. But one thing he never lacked is a sense of style, which is evident in the braids he wore, otherwise known as Nipsey Hussle braids. If you’re intrigued to learn about the phases he had with his braids and the looks he pulled off up until his death, this material should definitely suffice!
Table of Contents
A Thorough Observation Of Nipsey Hussle’s Braids: How They Found Their Way Into The Rapper’s Life
Once propelling themselves to stardom, rappers are known for their portfolio, among other things. One of the extras involves their wardrobe, while another involves the way they do their hair. For Nipsey Hussle, his hair did most of the talking.
For the longest time, Nipsey wore his hair in braids. The look that he was fond of involved a set of cornrow-stitch braids with 4 units. The strands on top were a bit pointy, while the pieces that made up each side followed a gradually curvy silhouette. The braids didn’t just display tons of volume, but also possessed tons of shine due to being curated with wax.
Prior to finding a braided look that worked for him, Nipsey was big on experimenting, While his signature look will forever remain the polished set of cornrow-stitch braids he once wore, the rapper also had plenty of other options that can be great for natural hair.
Memorable Nipsey Hussle Braids That Will Forever Be Cherished By The Styling Community!
Nipsey not only moved people with his music, but also gave back to the community by being an elite philanthropist. He often provided words of wisdom for the youths to live by and keep in mind, with a sense of style that many often considered to be an added bonus.
Now that he’s gone, we can only remember Nipsey for the positives; his music, contributions and philosophy. While you can easily rep his merch, post quotes that he brought to life, and even blast his music in his honor, you can also take a couple of pointers from his styling diary and replicate one of the many braided looks that wouldn’t have been as renowned without his influence. Before having a go at it, however, take pointers from the list provided below!
Squeaky-clean Cornrow-stitch Braids
If you’ve heard of Nipsey, we’re sure got access to his music prior to discovering his identity. However, if the former scenario seems new to you, perhaps you heard about him for his braids, which carried a squeaky clean set of cornrow-stitch patterns. The look not only accompanied him until his death, but also became a part of his identity prior to his passing.
These braids are quite solid in terms of hold and shine. The stitching system is quite reliable and protects the hair for a hefty amount of time, that too without causing much distress. The pattern itself takes up all the spotlight, but shouldn’t be worn for more than 2 months.
Clean-cut 2 Braids with Mid-part
A double braided look also represented Nipsey during his old days, comprising micro pieces of knotless braids held together by a solid mid-part. The braids carry themselves in a curvy line, which covers the temples as well as the rear end of the strands.
Just like the previous hairdo, this braided look also carries tons of grease, which can prevent the strands from dehydration. The wax can be replaced with mousse, especially if you’d like to eliminate flyaways indefinitely.
Narrow-stitch Side Braids With Snapback
Nipsey Hussle wasn’t fond of short hair, which explains why he always preferred the brutal creative process of braiding over wearing anything that was easier to manage and style. While he wore a fabulous set of cornrow-stitch braids during his prime, he wore a polished set of side braids during his youth, which can be good for lazy days.
The side-braids are quite narrow when you analyse their stitching technique, and can be braided with beads for more flair. On slow days, don’t forget to maintain the length with a snapback.
Double-braided Ponytail
Since Nipsey was a big fan of Snoop Dogg, it didn’t come as a surprise when he paid homage to his idol by wearing double-braided ponytails, accompanied by a mid-part. The braids often had accessories, which blended exceptionally well with the beads that hung at the tips of each ponytail.
This look can be great to execute if you’re still growing your natural hair. Before straightening your hair out, however, be sure to add some gloss to the strands and use a detangling brush to prevent hair damage.
Spiral Knotless Braids with Disconnection
Dividing natural hair into multiple units of spiral braids can be a great idea for hair as thick as 4C hair, which is exactly what Nipsey Hussle did. To maintain his hair during the early days, he would often wear these braids, which were quiet gentle on his scalp. The braids also carried admirable visuals, catering to both streetwear and casual getups.
These braids can be a bit tricky to form through self-assistance but can be perfect with an extra set of hands. Using a tail comb is absolutely necessary, especially if you’d like to create the pattern without any hiccups.
Nipsey Hussle Unbraided Hairstyles: A 3-sided Affair!
Prior to investing only in braids, Nipsey Hussle wore his afro-textured hair in a couple of ways. The hairdos weren’t as long-lasting as the braids, but definitely brought more attention to the length of his natural hair. Long story short, here are all the unbraided hairstyles of Nipsey Hussle that are low-maintenance and acceptable in the modern era.
Sleek Double Ponytails With Centre-part
This double-braided ponytail could have been a part of the previous list, but failed to deem itself eligible due to carrying the sleek curtains on top. The curtains not only take up a majority of the spotlight from the ponytails, but are solid components to rely on if you’re seeking a manageable option for your outgrown and messy length.
The centre-part is typically formed using a tail comb, and is polished tremendously to hide signs of hair damage. The look is also quite lenient on the scalp, making it great for those with thin hair.
Short Outgrown Afro With Disconnected Taper
A look of Nipsey’s that never received any attention from the media is this outgrown afro, which runs limited in length. It was stitched with a disconnected taper, which gave his facial structure more definition and his beard more density.
The taper was the perfect tool that added more bounce to the hair on the sides. It also allowed his afro hair to look more organized, despite carrying disheveled visuals more often than not. If you do go for this look, use hair mousse to hydrate the pieces on top.
Low Cosmic Afro Buns With Dad Hat
Before the drip took over, Nipsey preferred keeping it light, especially when working long hours at the studio for his albums. A go-to look that didn’t involve braids was this design, which carried the afro hair in two buns.
The hairdo isn’t just easy to form, but also takes very little time to curate. The pieces don’t have to deal with friction, and tend to look sound with a dad hat on most occasions.
Your Ultimate Step-by-step Guide To Creating Nipsey Braids At This Very Instant!
Nipsey Hussle’s braids can be a good way to showcase all the density and resilience that your hair carries. If you’re into streetwear fashion, the braids can definitely add to your appeal with ease.
Looking through the photos can be effective if you’re planning to visit a hairdresser to get these things done. Even a video can work wonders for your hairdresser if they’re still new to braiding. On the contrary, if you’d like to go it alone, try finding some guidance in the following material, comprising a brief yet effective way of forming Nipsey Hussle braids at home.
Wax your way down the middle
While 4c hair is the ideal candidate eligible enough to mimic Nipsey’s braids to the fullest, it often lacks hydration, exposing it to hair damage when under stress.
To make sure your natural hair doesn’t fall apart during the creative process, consider using wax from the bottom to the top, especially right before forming a deep middle-part to give the hair more room to breathe.
Install the plaits on each side before working your way up
Saving the best part for last isn’t just something that we can apply when consuming our favorite snack, but can also be a good motto to follow when recreating Nipsey Hussle’s braids.
Prior to installing the braids at the center, consider forming two units around the sides. Doing so will save you from being the recipient of botched results, and establish more balance to the overall hairdo.
Use a tail comb to stitch each braided unit
Forming the cornrows can be difficult without a tail comb. In other words, a tail comb won’t just be needed to create the concentrated mid-part, but also be required to implement when forming each plait in a sizable and effortless manner.
Follow an ascending pattern
Most braids contain more size in the front and more hold at the back. However, when taking Nipsey’s braids into account, the scenario is a bit different.
Unlike the descending pattern that most cornrows follow, Nipsey’s cornrows used to obtain more size at the back, which was more convenient for his scalp to deal with. Though the traditional pattern can be switched for the common stitching system, it is advised to follow his rules to pay homage to a look that he revolutionized.
Apply hair mousse for long-lasting stability
Sealing the look is absolutely mandatory if you’d like to wear Nipsey’s hairstyle for a long time, that too without any hiccups.
Once the braids are ready, nourish them with some hair mousse, which won’t just rejuvenate the follicles, but also give the pieces more hold. If your hair belongs to 4C, hydrate the braids with these moisturizers!
Don’t stress on the amount you’re applying, since adding more moisture will only add to the shine of the braids.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nipsey Hussle isn’t just an icon whose rap career will always be reminisced and glorified, but also an important enthusiast in the fashion scene who will forever be known for curating and reinventing the popularity of conrow-stitched braids, also known as the Nipsey Hussle braids.
Moving on, if you’re on board with the plan, but have questions that haven’t yet been solved, try finding more hope in the questionnaire provided below.
Q: What kind of hair type works best when creating Nipsey Hussle’s braids?
Ans: Irrespective of which hairdo you try out, as long as your hair has the visuals and pieces found on 4C hair, you can count yourself a compelling candidate as a wearer of Nipsey Hussle’s braids. Be sure to reach out to a specialist, though, especially if you’re new to braiding.
Q: Do cornrow-stitch braids trigger hair loss?
Ans: While braids are great for protecting natural hair, the look can be quite difficult to grapple through if you exceed the time limit they possess.
More often than not, cornrow-stitch braids last for 4 to 6 weeks. To save yourself from issues like traction alopecia, consider undoing them every now and then.
Final Verdict
The passing of Nipsey Hussle definitely changed the world of music forever. However, the music he left behind can also be used to see things in a positive light and remember how talented he was when in his element. Another part of his identity that can be used to pay homage to the rapper is his braids, which were worn in multiple ways until his passing.
Nipsey Hussle’s braids were quite durable and healthy, glued with gel and healthy units. The look can easily be stitched at home with a tail comb, gel, and a solid criss-cross stitching technique, but feels best when curated with some assistance.
