Although she is known for her bright-colored wigs, Nicki Minaj has flaunted her real hair unnoticed, right under everyone’s noses.
Since stepping into the spotlights, Nicki Minaj has flaunted some of the most captivating hairstyles and wigs, so much so that her style has become as iconic as her music.
During her early days of fame, the artist rocked colourful hairstyles that complement her glamorous, outlandish outfits. However, she seems to have toned down her glam look a notch in recent years, opting for a less eccentric style.
Nicki Minaj has even emerged in public on occasions with no makeup on. However, what captures more attention are shots of the “barbie doll” without her signature pink (or similarly bright-colored) hair.
The “Anaconda” crooner has shared glimpses of herself rocking her natural hair on several occasions. However, given her history with wigs and artificial looks, those iconic moments were dismissed as yet another one of the star’s outlandish hairstyles.
Unbeknownst to many, those long, flowing, tresses the songstress often rocks, were her real hair all along. In May 2022, social media users went wild after Nicki Minaj shared a photo of herself rocking her real hair and no makeup.
The hair length especially sparked debate, as many wondered if the long, natural strands were real, while others implied her hair wasn’t properly groomed. Years prior, she responded to a fan who posted some of her memorable hairstyles, saying she has been wearing her natural hair all along, citing the 2016 VMAs as an instance.
So in between the pink barbie doll tresses and blonde fringes, what did we miss?
What Is Nicki Minaj’s Real Hair Color?
Nicki Minaj has been wearing her real hair in plain sight for years, but no one could tell due to just how perfect it always looked, easily mistaken for a wig. The musician finally dropped a hint in 2018, letting fans know she went natural for the 2016 VMAs. She shared on Twitter:
“OK, but VMAs blue dress is when she was born, Barbz. She grew and grew. That’s been my real hair this whole time and y’all didn’t even peep. Middle part jet black, inches action.”
Photos of the rapper at the 2016 event immediately went viral and have been making the rounds ever since. Minaj also shared a GIF image of herself at the event, flaunting what we now know was her natural hair.
Additionally, she let fans know the VMAs wasn’t her first time pulling off the natural looks. Rather, anytime she rocked black hair on the red carpet, it’s all hers. Hence, the color of Nicki Minaj’s waist-length natural hair is black.
Nicki Minaj’s Style Evolution
The rap queen Nicki Minaj first broke into the music scene in 2009 after rapper Lil Wayne signed her to his Young Money Entertainment record label. She released her first album, “Pink Friday,” barely a year later and has since remained a chart-topper in her realm.
While her music certainly captured attention, her style did not go unnoticed. Earlier in her music career, the star opted for dark, more natural-looking hair and simple looks. That changed after signing with Lil Wayne.
She began turning towards crazy colors and styles, with more elaborate outfits that made her stand out. The icon once said of her choices:
“I was always inspired by people who did wild stuff but didn’t always have the balls to do it myself. Now I can’t leave it alone. Even with my wigs, I get bored. I can’t believe I used to wear the same hairstyle every day.”
Going further, she admitted she began loving wigs after meeting someone that could do them. For her, the ideal wig was one that looked like a weave and not a wig. Thankfully, her hairdresser knew his onion and had his way of making her hair fantasies come to life.
Among her iconic hairstyles was the Blond fringe with green highlights she wore at the American Music Awards in November 2010. Barely three months later, she struck again with another head-turning look, this time, rocking an over-the-top beehive do.
Over the years, she experimented with pink curls, multiple colored pageboy cut wigs, pink and yellow knotted updo, and two-toned fringes. She has also gone all-yellow, white afro puffs, or numerous blonde variations, among others.
The songstress seemed to particularly have a liking for the strawberry pink hair in varying styles, solidifying her stance as the human barbie.
She Returned To Her More Natural Looks
In recent years, the rapper has turned to more natural hairstyles, showing off the more down-to-earth side of her. She also became more confident in her real hair, flaunting it on social media and the red carpet.
In an April 2013 issue of Elle Magazine, the singer donned a nearly nude-makeup look with her dark locks. She graced more red carpets with similar appearances and was also photographed on occasions radiating confidence in her dark tresses and minimal or no make-up. Explaining the change, she once said:
“I think there’s just a little bit more confidence and so I’m like, it is what it is. I am who I am. I look like what I look like.’ I don’t really have to change much of it anymore.”
Her hair doesn’t seem to be the only thing the rapper toned down. While hints of her Barbie doll persona and eccentric makeover still flood her social media pages and music videos, her outfit in real life comprises simple attire. Well, unless we’re counting red-carpet appearances, which sincerely, are understandably over-the-top (can’t blame her though).
But compared to her earlier years, her effort to go the simple way is commendable. And indeed, Nicki Minaj looks beautiful nonetheless, rocking her real hair and simple attires, even without makeup.
