Jay-Z Shows Off Afro Hair Transformation at NBA Finals

Jun 09, 2026 - 19:17

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Jay-Z has always been the style blueprint.

But the 56-year-old especially turned heads while sitting courtside at game three of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 8, where he showed off his new afro hairstyle after years of sporting signature locs.

For the occasion, Jay-Z also rocked a Bode Lucky Draw Jacket adorned with four-leaf clovers, though his jacket wasn’t quite lucky enough to ensure a New York Knicks win over the San Antonio Spurs.

Although the Spurs overcame the Knicks with a score of 115 to 111, the “Empire State of Mind” rapper was happy to cheer on his beloved hometown team. His outing at MSG was a solo endeavor, as his wife Beyoncé and kids Blue Ivy, 14, Sir, 8, and Rumi, 8, were absent.

As for his recent hair transformation, Jay-Z debuted his new look at the Roots Picnic in Philadelphia on May 31. Previously, he had worn Jean-Michel Basquiat-inspired freeform locs for about eight years, beginning to grow them out around the time of his 4:44 album rollout in June 2017.

While the “99 Problems” artist may have looked effortlessly chic, the process of combing out his locs took a lot of time and patience to complete. Celebrity hairstylist Letisia “Lety” Ravelo revealed that she deconstructed his locs alongside a professional loctician over the course of six days.

“He knew it would take time, and he was patient through the entire process,” Ravelo told Cosmopolitan about Jay-Z’s decision to comb out his locs. “There was never a moment where he was like, ‘Forget it, let's just cut it.’ Once he decided, he was committed.”

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

Beyoncé also played a role in helping her husband change his hair through her haircare brand Cécred. Ravelo shared that she used Cécred’s detangling spray and eight bottles of the brand’s deep conditioner to finish the deconstruction process.

After that, Ravelo braided the “Big Pimpin’” rapper’s hair into cornrows and let them set for a week before taking them out to shape his ‘do into an afro for the Roots Picnic.

And Jay-Z’s reaction to his new look? The hairstylist shared, “He loved it. Loved it. Once he saw it, he was really happy with the transformation.”

Read on to see how other celebs have switched up their hair…

Raymond Hall/GC Images; Instagram/Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood

Trading in her signature golden locks, the country music star wrote on Instagram in August 2025, "Well, the last time I saw my natural hair color, I was probably about 12 years old, but I thought it might be time to give it a second chance."

Jamie McCarthy/WireImage; Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock

Sebastian Stan

The Marvel actor said goodbye to Bucky Barnes' signature long hair in April 2025, showing off a shaved head at the Los Angeles premiere of Thunderbolts*.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

Tan France

The Queer Eye star had fans doing a double take when he ditched his signature gray hair for a dark brown 'do in April 2026. The fashion stylist noted at the time that the dramatic transformation was for a role and "not a midlife crisis."

Sami Sheen/Instagram

Sami Sheen

The daughter of Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards shared her at-home hair dying journey, including its many missteps, on TikTok and raved about the results.

“I've been wanting to do this to my hair for years now," she said, "and I'm so happy that I finally did it.”

Edward Berthelot/Getty Images / Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Jessica Chastain

The Help star debuted her "choppity chop," she she put it, on the red carpet of the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in April 2026.

Shane Anthony Sinclair/Getty Images; Instagram/Jason Momoa

Jason Momoa

In July 2025, the actor shaved off his beard for the first time in six years to film Dune: Part Three, which required him to rock a clean shaven look to reprise his role of Duncan Idaho.

Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Live Nation Las Vegas/Instagram/NBC

Kelly Clarkson

The American Idol winner debuted a shorter hairdo in a July 2025 The Voice promo, trading her signature blonde waves for a shorter, darker bob style.

Instagram / Chris Pratt / Matt Baron/BEI

Chris Pratt

The actor debuted a bearded look, which he sports on season two of The Terminal List, in June 2025.

John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images; Jun Sato/WireImage

Finn Wolfhard

The Stranger Things star changed up his trademark shaggy hairstyle in May 2025 by debuting a buzzcut at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Tokyo, Japan.

Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images; Steve Granitz/FilmMagic

JoJo Siwa

In March 2025, the "Karma" singer debuted her rainbow mohawk at the GLAAD Media Awards.

Instagram; TikTok

Emily Ratajkowski

In a March 2025 TikTok video, the model called this 'do with shaggy bangs the "worst haircut of my life."

Instagram / Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Gypsy Rose Blanchard

The Gypsy Rose: Life After Lockup star debuted a short bob in March 2025, more than two months after giving birth to her and fiancé Ken Urker's first child, daughter Aurora Urker.

Clifton Prescod/Bravo/Charles Sykes

Whitney Rose

The formerly blond Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star debuted a red bob on Watch What Happens Live in January 2025.

Instagram / Hailey Bieber

Hailey Bieber

The model debuted lighter locks in September 2024, a month after giving birth to her and Justin Bieber's first baby, son Jack Blues Bieber.

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images/Araya Doheny/FilmMagic

Lily Collins

The Emily in Paris star debuted her dramatic transformation at the world premiere of her new horror movie, MAXXXINE, in June 2024.

"Changing my hair always brings out different sides of my personality and I love playing around," Lily told Vogue. "This cut and color feels bolder and yet somehow lighter. And completely more me—right now."

Sean Zanni/WireImage/John Nacion/Variety via Getty Images

Katie Holmes

While attending Chanel's Tribeca Film Festival Artists dinner in June 2024, Katie debuted a subtle, yet striking transformation of rich caramel balayage highlights that were blended throughout her brunette tresses.

Kylie Jenner / Instagram

Kylie Jenner

The Kardashians star debuted a platinum blonde look and a bob haircut after rocking waist-length strands for quite some time.

"Did someone say they missed king kylie," Kylie teased in the caption of her June 8 Instagram post, to which her sister Khloe Kardashian cheekily replied, "I did! I did!!!!!!"

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images/Pierre Suu/Getty Images

Lisa Rinna

The former Bravo star debuted a platinum blonde look during 2024 Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture.

Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images for Bulgari/Prodip Guha/Getty Images

Priyanka Chopra

The Heads of State star debuted a drastic haircut—a shoulder-grazing bob—while attending a Bulgari event in Rome i May 2024.

TikTok / Jessica Biel

Jessica Biel

In May 2024, the actress chopped her hair into a bob that many fans on social media said reminded them of one of the looks she sported as Mary Camden on the '90s series 7th Heaven.

Instagram / Megan Fox

Megan Fox

The Transformers actress returned to her dark brown tresses and debuted a sassy bob in May 2024, a month after she dyed her hair blue to enter what she dubbed her "Jedi era."

Stephen J. Cohen/Getty Images

Dannielynn Birkhead

At age 17, the daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith debuted a new lob hairstyle overnight during 2024 Kentucky Derby weekend, which she attended with dad Larry Birkhead.

Emma McIntyre / Getty Images for Baby2Baby / Instagram / Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato

The singer debuted a lighter, shorter 'do in April 2024.

Kelly Osbourne/Instagram

Kelly Osbourne

The Fashion Police alum debuted a blonde bombshell hair transformation May 8.

Vivien Killilea / Getty Images for Homeboy Industries / Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Kim Kardashian

Back to blonde: Kim debuted a new platinum 'do in April 2024.

Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images/Neil Mockford/WireImage

Rihanna

The Fenty Beauty founder debuted a bright blonde hair transformation April 17 while celebrating her latest Fenty x Puma collection in London.