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drake natural hair in straight back corn row braids

Source: Prince Williams / Getty

Drake took to Instagram to officially announce the release of his highly anticipated album For All The Dogs with a photo of him rocking colorful hairpins to secure his natural hair waves. The head-turning hairstyle has become a signature look for the Canadian artist. Leading up to For All The Dogs, Drake has embraced his natural hair — rocking it in full bloom or in neat straight-back braids. Drake in braids is a marker in time.

Drake’s For All The Dogs left the Internet imploded. The Slime You Out rapper has been trending since the sudden release with fans, Hip-Hop heads, and critics going to X (formerly Twitter) to share their reviews of Aubrey’s latest efforts. Drake is clearly in his soft era.

Drake’s Natural Hair

Drake has seemingly been on a natural hair journey since posting a photo, last year, of his textured waves. He continued to show off his curl pattern, wearing his bouncy curls under fitted caps or keeping them neatly braided.

Drake revealed he plans to take some time off from music to focus on his health after dropping the mixed-reviewed For All The Dogs. On his SiriusXM show “Table for One,” he admitted he has been going through stomach issues. “I’m going to be real with you. I need to focus on my health, first and foremost, and I’ll talk about that soon enough. Nothing crazy, but just like, you know, I want people to be healthy in life.” Drake continued to explain how he wants to “focus” on other things right now.

“I have a lot of other things that I would love to focus on. So, I’ma lock the door in the studio for a little bit. I don’t even know what a little bit is,” he continued. “Maybe a year or so, maybe a little longer.”

Fans speculate Drake subtly dissed his ex Rihanna on the track, Fear Of Heights when he used the word anti as a double entendre to covertly reference Ri Ri’s 2016 album Anti.

“Why they make it sound like I’m still hung up on you? / That could never be / Gyal can’t ruin me / Better him than me / Better it’s not me,” he rapped.

Fans also correlated another line as a jab at Rihanna’s Anti song “Sex With Me” line, “I’m anti, I’m anti / Yeah, and the sex was average with you / Yeah, I’m anti ’cause I had it with you … / And I had way badder bitches than you, TBH.”

Drake’s For All Of The Dogs, which has already reached No. 1 on US iTunes, is sparking major discourse online between critics who’ve called the rapper’s music stagnant to fans who think it’s GOAT material, either way Drake is on the tip of everyone’s tongues.

Keep scrolling to see Drake’s natural hair moments leading up to the album release.

1. “For All The Dogs”

It was only a few hours ago Drake announced his new album For All The Dogs was available to the public, and when he dropped this image of his highly-talked-about do. Rocking colorful pins in the indent of his waves, Drizzy isn’t straying away his natural texture.

2. Two Braids

While Drake experimented with his hair during his It’s All A Blur Tour, his most consistent look was a neat pair of boxer braids with sharp hairline. 

3. Like Father, Like Son

Drake took a page out of the late Pop Smoke’s book with this braided look. Drake paid tribute to Allen Iverson while posing for a picture with his son to recreate an iconic photo of AI getting his hair braided on the sideline. It wouldn’t be Drake, if he didn’t drop a good bar as a caption with an Allen Iverson quote.

4. Straight Backs

Showing off his hang time, Drake rocked the cleanest and freshly parted straight-backs to compliment his beard 

5. Curly Fro

Drake channeled his inner Eazy E with this cap over his moisturized natural curls. Drake bragged about getting his hair braided at the luxurious sushi spot Matsuhisa. “Got a braid up at Matsuhisa this evening…I got plans to get everything I been dreaming…let alone get even.”

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