Adam Levine is BACK baby…and he’s got a controversial new haircut.
The Maroon 5 singer has been photographed sporting a freshly shaved head featuring nothing but a thin mohawk of cornrow braids down the centre of his skull.
Levine completed the unexpected look with a pair of shades and scruffy beard – and look, there’s a lot to unpack here.
Firstly, what made Levine part ways with his famously good head of hair? Is this for an upcoming movie or TV role? Let’s not forget Levine has made a few brief appearances on our silver and small screen – remember Begin Again?
Or is this just a new look for Levine? The singer has experimented with plenty of the looks over the years, from bleached blonde to another ~edgy~ mohawk.
Either way, Levine is treading a fine line with his new do. Not only is the extreme hair makeover give off big creepy energy, it could also be accused of cultural appropriation.
Over the years, cornrows have become a huge trend, especially amongst the likes of Kylie Jenner and her famous sisters. However, when the ancient traditional African hairstyle is adopted by white celebrities and influencers, it disregards the history, culture and issues that affect the community.
Actress Amandla Stenberg explained the concept in a 2015 Tumblr video: “Appropriation occurs when the appropriator is not aware of the deep significance of the culture that they’re partaking in.”
“Appropriation occurs when a style leads to racist generalisations or stereotypes where it originated but is deemed as high-fashion, cool or funny when the privileged take it for themselves,” she said.
We’re not the only ones who are shook over Levine’s new look. Twitter users have been having a field day with Levine’s new ‘corn hawk.’ One fan wrote, “the one good thing you could say about Adam Levine was, well, at least he’s an attractive man with normal good hair. Well, that time is over now.” Ouch!
Here’s hoping it’s a temporary look for Levine. We all know he’s going to look back on this one in 20 years and have all the regrets.