Ludacris braids are a part of his celebrity identity, well at least they were. His hair helps to define him as an artist, which makes it easier for his fans to recognize. This is a somewhat recent phenomenon that has taken hold in many different aspects of popular culture. It seems that traditionally ornate hairstyles is quickly becoming a key to establishing black identity in many forms of entertainment.
From football and basketball to the stage and screen, braids and cornrows are growing in popularity. This is not the first time that this has happened, however. After the Black Pride Movement swept through North America in the 1960s, many American citizens of African descent sought to wear more natural and traditional African hairstyles as a way to get in touch with their cultural roots. Out of this desire came many businesses and professionals aimed at this particular service.
As black entertainment has continued to grow in America, these hairstyles have become even more popular. Over time, this faction of entertainment has improved slowly, perhaps from the rise in popularity and distribution of the hip hop industry. Urban brands helped to solidify this genre and community as highly marketable as well as lucrative, but it is not only the clothing that seems to be bringing in the money.
Indeed, these hairstyles are also very lucrative. First of all, not everyone can do them properly or efficiently. This type braiding can take hours to complete, even with the most skilled hands. This is one reason why it can be quite costly, both in hours and dollars.
However, it is usually worth the expense because cornrows and braids of this kind can be left in for three or more weeks. This means that you can wash them like normal hair, with a few additional conditioning and moisturizer treatments to keep the scalp and hair from getting dry.
Although cornrows and braids of this kind have recently become very popular, thanks in part to the expanding black entertainment market, these hairstyles have been around since ancient times. In fact, some hieroglyphs and sculptures that have been found in Egypt, Nigeria, and Africa are evidence that these practices could have been employed since as early as 500 B.C! The most well-known of these ancient sculptures is also probably the largest. If you ever get the chance to look closely at the Sphinx, you will see something that resembles cornrows on the back of his head!
