Justin Bieber knows how to get people talking. Sometimes it's the music, but usually, it’s the hair.
Honestly, the image is burned into the collective memory of the internet: those bleach-blonde, knotty strands piled on top of his head. When the first photos of Justin Bieber with dreads hit Instagram back in 2016, the backlash was instant. It wasn't just about whether the look "worked" aesthetically. It sparked a massive, messy conversation about cultural appropriation that hasn't really gone away since.
Then he did it again.
In 2021, just when everyone thought he’d moved into his "serious artist" era with Justice, the locs came back. Same look, same outrage, but a much more complicated social climate.
What Really Happened in 2016?
The first time Justin stepped out with locs was right before the iHeartRadio Music Awards. He was 22. It was the peak of his Purpose era, a time when he was trying to shed the "teen heartthrob" image for something grittier.
People were mad. Like, really mad.
Social media exploded with accusations that he was "borrowing" a hairstyle deeply rooted in Black identity and Rastafarianism without understanding the weight behind it. For many Black people, locs aren't just a "cool vacation look." They are a symbol of resistance against colonial beauty standards.
What made it worse was his reaction.
Instead of a PR-polished apology, Bieber posted a video using a mock surfer accent. He basically said, "It’s just my hair." He even captioned a post with: "Being weird is fun." To his critics, that felt like a slap in the face. It signaled that he viewed a culturally significant hairstyle as nothing more than a quirky costume he could take off whenever he got bored.
The 2021 Repeat: Why It Felt Different
Fast forward five years. Most fans assumed he’d learned his lesson.
Bieber had spent much of 2020 posting about racial justice and acknowledging how much he’d benefited from Black culture. He even put a Martin Luther King Jr. interlude on his album. So, when he posted a vacation photo in April 2021 showing his hair twisted into locs again, the internet didn't just move on.
It felt like a betrayal of the "growth" he’d been preaching.
The 2021 version of Justin Bieber with dreads was arguably more controversial because it lacked the "I'm just a dumb kid" excuse. He was 27. He’d made public vows to be an ally. Critics like Stephanie Cohen, co-founder of the Halo Collective, pointed out the double standard: when a white celebrity wears locs, it’s "edgy" or "high fashion," but Black people still face actual discrimination in schools and workplaces for the exact same style.
The Science of the "Bieber Loc"
Technically speaking, what Justin had weren't traditional locs formed over years of patience.
Most stylists agree he likely used a "backcombing" or "crochet" method. This involves manually knotting the hair to create an instant matted effect. Because his hair is naturally straight and fine, these "dreads" often looked frizzy and prone to breakage.
- 2016 Look: Bleached platinum, high contrast, often styled in a top-knot.
- 2021 Look: More natural "dirty blonde" hue, often worn loose or in a ponytail.
- Maintenance: He reportedly didn't keep them long either time. Both instances lasted only a few weeks before he shaved his head.
Is it Appreciation or Appropriation?
This is where the debate gets sticky. Some defenders argued that hair is universal. They pointed to ancient Greeks or Vikings. But experts like writer Emma Dabiri have argued that this ignores the power dynamic at play.
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The issue isn't that a white guy has knots in his hair. The issue is the "dilettante" factor.
Irene Shelley, editor of Black Beauty and Hair, famously called him a person "dipping his toe in the culture" without the commitment. When the trend dies, he shaves it off and goes back to being a white man with all the privileges that entails. He doesn't have to deal with the "unkempt" or "unprofessional" labels that are frequently weaponized against Black people with natural hair.
What This Means for You
If you're looking at these old photos and thinking about trying the look yourself, there are some hard truths to consider.
First, texture matters. Straight hair doesn't "lock" naturally; it mats. This can cause permanent damage to your scalp and hair follicles if not done by a professional who knows how to handle non-textured hair. You might end up having to shave your head just to get rid of them, which is exactly what Justin ended up doing both times.
Second, the social context hasn't changed. In 2026, the conversation around cultural boundaries is even sharper than it was five years ago.
Next Steps for Your Style:
- Research the history: Before adopting any style with deep cultural roots, read up on why it matters to the community it came from.
- Consult a specialist: Don't try to "DIY" locs on straight hair; you’ll likely end up with a tangled mess that requires a buzz cut.
- Consider the "Why": If you're doing it just to be "weird" like Justin said, be prepared for the same kind of feedback he received.
Ultimately, the saga of Justin's hair serves as a permanent case study in celebrity branding. It shows that even for one of the most famous people on earth, a haircut is never just a haircut.