Erykah Badu Tells The Story Behind Her Floor-Length Pin Braids: “It Takes A Village”

Photo Credit: Andre D. Wagner for The New York Times

From a smooth baldy to a kinky fro and everything in between, Erykah Badu has rocked every style imaginable. And most importantly, with every style that adorns her head, she slays!

Recently, the soul songstress has been rocking floor-length pin braids that we can’t get enough of, no matter how time consuming they appear. In a new interview with the New York Times, Badu revealed the story behind the braids, sharing that it usually takes days to complete the full look that includes thousands of pin-sized braids.

“I wanted [the braids] to be as thin as the lines on your hand,” she said. And they definitely are!

Notably, led by hairstylist Yasmin Amira Davis, each braid takes anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes to plait all the way down, and there can be up to five women braiding at once. “When we are all together, the rhythm — and we are all around, there’s incense … it just feels really good,” said Badu. “I takes a village. A tribe. And it’s a sharing kind of thing.”

For such a tedious yet protective style, Yasmin and her assistant touch up Badu’s braids every two to four weeks to keep them fly and fresh.

What do you think, ladies? Would you try a style like this?