Are those the only two options?

Why would you think it's a wig in the first place? It's not unusual that full afros could appear wiggish, but it's pretty clear it's his hair. I think his natural hair looks just fine. I think fans over the years are so used to the permed look, so it's not surprising if it's taking some fans time to get used to him wearing his hair in a natural 'do.

I've thought it was a wig since I first saw it on The View. People around here get all mad when you say it, though.

It didn't look right on The View and during the RnR Affair time (Kimmel, etc.), but it seems he was probably in the growing it out stage back then, because seeing him this Tuesday the 'fro is bigger and looks completely real - and totally great!

I vote : Wig

I see nothing wrong with him wearing wig

SchlomoThaHomo said:

I've thought it was a wig since I first saw it on The View. People around here get all mad when you say it, though.

I think some project that type of attitude, because some fans who are not familiar with Black American hair textures, often have the impression, when they see some Black Americans, with a full, head of hair, they automatically assume, they're wearing a wig;so in their minds...it must be a wig. It's apparent it is his hair. Most afros when they grow thick, they grow out and get larger, and can have a 'wig' appearance, because of the tight curl texture. When it is washed, it tends to shrink in size, but can be blown out. If you look at some of his younger pics when he wore a 'fro, I'm sure some folks assumed it was a wig too.

Not a wig. You can see his natural curl pattern. Prince's hair is soft, doesn't look wiggy to me. That's how his hair naturally grows when not straightened.

2elijah said:

Why would you think it's a wig in the first place? It's not unusual that full afros could appear wiggish, but it's pretty clear it's his hair. I think his natural hair looks just fine. I think fans over the years are so used to the permed look, so it's not surprising if it's taking some fans time to get used to him wearing his hair in a natural 'do.

he's always in his hair

Plus his hair was straightened in the Plectrum Electrum piece, and at the Grammy Awards. You can switch back and forth between straight hair and curly/afro hair when your hair is natural.

MadamGoodnight said:

Plus his hair was straightened in the Plectrum Electrum piece, and at the Grammy Awards. You can switch back and forth between straight hair and curly/afro hair when your hair is natural.

And you can do that when you put in pieces and take them out? I don't have a dog in this fight, but I agree with the above sentiment: people get awfully sensitive when you question the man's looks, hair, skin, whatever...

I personally don't understand why there is such a defense mechanism out of it. If that man has had botox, so what?

If he had a wig or pieces, so what?

I think he very well could have pieces in, and that the afro might be a wig or otherwise. I've seen performances in good lighting which show his hair might be thinning. Maybe in the Chris Rock Interview? I think that one. His hair to me looks like it's thinning.

It would not surprise me if he wore some pieces. But if he did, I don't give personally care. I don't think it detracts from his artistry. Newsflash: he also wears make-up! GASP! I know, crazy right! His eyes aren't actually that big!

Why does it matter?

GuyBros said:

MadamGoodnight said:

Plus his hair was straightened in the Plectrum Electrum piece, and at the Grammy Awards. You can switch back and forth between straight hair and curly/afro hair when your hair is natural.

And you can do that when you put in pieces and take them out? I don't have a dog in this fight, but I agree with the above sentiment: people get awfully sensitive when you question the man's looks, hair, skin, whatever...

I personally don't understand why there is such a defense mechanism out of it. If that man has had botox, so what?

If he had a wig or pieces, so what?

I think he very well could have pieces in, and that the afro might be a wig or otherwise. I've seen performances in good lighting which show his hair might be thinning. Maybe in the Chris Rock Interview? I think that one. His hair to me looks like it's thinning.

It would not surprise me if he wore some pieces. But if he did, I don't give personally care. I don't think it detracts from his artistry. Newsflash: he also wears make-up! GASP! I know, crazy right! His eyes aren't actually that big!

Why does it matter?

I don't have any defense mechanism in any of my posts here, not sensitive, etc. Just stating what is visible to the eye. I have never said it was a big deal if he had wigs, pieces, whatever in any of my posts in this thread. Where did I say it mattered? I am answering the original poster who asked *Do you think the afro is a wig?* Redirect your line of questioning to them. I am providing answers.

Oh here we go, but okay..........

Afro hair looks fuller than the same hair that is straightened. Hair that is straightened by flat iron, blow dryer with comb attachment, hot comb or hot curlers will look "less than" than a big blown out afro. The hair is washed and dried and maybe even picked out, thus making it an afro. Prince's hair has been even longer than what he is sporting now. I'm not surprised by this being his real hair on display.

I just saw his hair at the LOL tour, and I'm familiar with his hair type. It's not a wig. A wig is usually one uniform texture all around. Real, natural hair is not. Prince's hair is thinner on the ends, wigs don't look like that. You could see his hair all the way to the nape of his neck, and it looks natural. In the Plectrum Electrum film the hair looks the actual legnth that it would be if the curls/afro was straightened.

GuyBros said:

MadamGoodnight said:

Plus his hair was straightened in the Plectrum Electrum piece, and at the Grammy Awards. You can switch back and forth between straight hair and curly/afro hair when your hair is natural.

And you can do that when you put in pieces and take them out? I don't have a dog in this fight, but I agree with the above sentiment: people get awfully sensitive when you question the man's looks, hair, skin, whatever...

I personally don't understand why there is such a defense mechanism out of it. If that man has had botox, so what?

If he had a wig or pieces, so what?

I think he very well could have pieces in, and that the afro might be a wig or otherwise. I've seen performances in good lighting which show his hair might be thinning. Maybe in the Chris Rock Interview? I think that one. His hair to me looks like it's thinning.

It would not surprise me if he wore some pieces. But if he did, I don't give personally care. I don't think it detracts from his artistry. Newsflash: he also wears make-up! GASP! I know, crazy right! His eyes aren't actually that big!

Why does it matter?

That's also why I thought it was a wig and also because of the shots from 2010 where he's rehearsing and you can clearly see his hair has thinned. Compared to that, I thought the fro on the View looked unnaturally thick. And also when 3rd Eye Girl or Andy on Twitter recently quoted the wig scene from Amadeus: "They're all so beautiful! Why don't I have three heads?!"

If it's not a wig, great! If it is, cool! I just think it sometimes looks off, whatever it is.

2elijah said:

SchlomoThaHomo said:

I've thought it was a wig since I first saw it on The View. People around here get all mad when you say it, though.

I think some project that type of attitude, because some fans who are not familiar with Black American hair textures, often have the impression, when they see some Black Americans, with a full, head of hair, they automatically assume, they're wearing a wig;so in their minds...it must be a wig. It's apparent it is his hair. Most afros when they grow thick, they grow out and get larger, and can have a 'wig' appearance, because of the tight curl texture. When it is washed, it tends to shrink in size, but can be blown out. If you look at some of his younger pics when he wore a 'fro, I'm sure some folks assumed it was a wig too.

^^^^ This. If you are not familiar with this particular hair type and/or texture, you may question the thickness of the afro. Afro = full, straightened = not as full as afro hair.

This is the same thing when people assume Prince has/had a "perm" when they see him without this afro. Hair can be straightened without the use of chemicals, but some don't know this. He was switching up his styles quite frequently before this tour. This afro look goes along with his retro rocker vibe.

uhh,, luv the natural......

MadamGoodnight said:

2elijah said:

I think some project that type of attitude, because some fans who are not familiar with Black American hair textures, often have the impression, when they see some Black Americans, with a full, head of hair, they automatically assume, they're wearing a wig;so in their minds...it must be a wig. It's apparent it is his hair. Most afros when they grow thick, they grow out and get larger, and can have a 'wig' appearance, because of the tight curl texture. When it is washed, it tends to shrink in size, but can be blown out. If you look at some of his younger pics when he wore a 'fro, I'm sure some folks assumed it was a wig too.

[Edited 5/11/13 18:05pm]

^^^^ This. If you are not familiar with this particular hair type and/or texture, you may question the thickness of the afro. Afro = full, straightened = not as full as afro hair.

This is the same thing when people assume Prince has/had a "perm" when they see him without this afro. Hair can be straightened without the use of chemicals, but some don't know this. He was switching up his styles quite frequently before this tour. This afro look goes along with his retro rocker vibe.

[Edited 5/11/13 19:28pm]

yeah this is true. i have my hair in an afro some times and i notice "this almost looks like a wig" when the hair cover my ears but thats just how most african texture hair looks when in that style

mzspongebob said:

MadamGoodnight said:

^^^^ This. If you are not familiar with this particular hair type and/or texture, you may question the thickness of the afro. Afro = full, straightened = not as full as afro hair.

This is the same thing when people assume Prince has/had a "perm" when they see him without this afro. Hair can be straightened without the use of chemicals, but some don't know this. He was switching up his styles quite frequently before this tour. This afro look goes along with his retro rocker vibe.

[Edited 5/11/13 19:28pm]

yeah this is true. i have my hair in an afro some times and i notice "this almost looks like a wig" when the hair cover my ears but thats just how most african texture hair looks when in that style

Co-sign on both your posts. Black Americans have various, hair textures. From very tight curls, curly-kinky, soft-kinky, wavy-straight, etc. This is not unusual if you know anything or are familiar with Black American hair textures-men or woman.

The hair can be straightened with a pressing comb, when it is chemical free/without a perm. That's absolutely nothing unusual. Back in the day, the 'pressing comb' was used to straighten the hair, without chemicals, so it can easily frizz, in bad weather, i.e. rain, very humid weather, and revert to its natural state.

When chemicals are put into the hair, it changes the hair texture, and will appear thinner, flatter at times, especially when freshly done, and it is not unusual to see parts of the scalp showing, especially in the sensitive areas, (center/top part of the scalp), because the chemicals often flatten the hair, when it's freshly permed, and separate the hair strands. You can also have what they used to call a semi-fro, which is when you curl natural hair, with special rollers, and you can wear a curly/semi-fro or if your hair has a naturally, loose, curly pattern, it can be worn like that naturally.

What is questionable is why can't some fans believe it is his hair and insist he's wearing a wig, because they see a little of his scalp showing, when the stage lights shine on the top/center of his hair, when his hair is in a permed state? It's not unusal that hair parts, with relaxed hair. Also, yes, if he wears his hair in an afro, he can straighten the next day, 'without chemicals' with an electric pressing comb/or a pressing comb/flat-iron. The non-electric pressing comb, is what many Black American girls used to have done to their hair back in the day. when their mothers straightened their hair 'without chemicals'.

Now there are electric pressing combs/flat-irons that many women of various racial/ethnic groups use today. You could either wear it in it's natural state without pressing it or wear in in its natural texture in braids, twists, afro or style it without pressing. Just to note, every Black person does not have the same hair texture. They have various hair textures, as a whole. There is no, one standard shape for an afro, because they are worn in various shapes, and depends on how the individual chooses to wear it. Also, many Black Americans don't use chemicals in their hair, and are comfortable wearing it natural.


Sad though that his hair always seems to be in question for those not familiar with hair textures of Black Americans, and those of African descent, but we all don't have the same texture of hair. If it will help any, I'll post some hair equipment used to straighten the hair and some pics of various, hair textures familiar to persons of color:

Pressing comb applied on stove or heating equipment. Can be used on natural hair (hair without chemicals) to straighten hair.

Example below on wavy-curly textured hair being straightened:

Example below with use of Electric pressing comb on natural hair

Flat-iron for straightening hair

Lenny Kravitz, with unpressed, natural hair

(Below) Straightened hair either permed or natural hair straightened with a pressing comb/flat-iron

Below:

Various hair textures of Black people (All these hair textures can be straightened/permed)

Kinky-tight texture

Natural hairdo - soft, wavy texture

Kinky-tight curled

kinky-tight texture

...and we know who this is below ;known for her famous afro

Straightened or permed hair

Kinky-curly hair texture

Permed or hair straightened with pressing comb

Kinky-curly/wavy texture

[Edited 5/11/13 22:51pm]

chriss said:

MadamGoodnight said:I don't have any defense mechanism in any of my posts here, not sensitive, etc. Just stating what is visible to the eye. I have never said it was a big deal if he had wigs, pieces, whatever in any of my posts in this thread. Where did I say it mattered? I am answering the original poster who asked *Do you think the afro is a wig?* Redirect your line of questioning to them. I am providing answers.

1) While I was directly responding to your rationale, (that one can switch back and forth between hair.... textures when hair is natural OR it has been enhahced using pieces or wigs), that rermark about defensiveness was me co-signing Scholomo's message that people get all mad when you bring it up. I didn't quote him, and I should have. So my apologies for that.

2) Re: "Redirect your line of questioning..."

We don't have to solely engage the creator of the topic. We can respond to people's responses about the topic as well. It's kind of how conversation happens, ya know?

Afro hair looks fuller than the same hair that is straightened. Hair that is straightened by flat iron, blow dryer with comb attachment, hot comb or hot curlers will look "less than" than a big blown out afro. The hair is washed and dried and maybe even picked out, thus making it an afro. Prince's hair has been even longer than what he is sporting now. I'm not surprised by this being his real hair on display.

As a person of color who was raised in communities of color with a vast array of hair types, I have a TINY bit of understanding of how this works. Afro hair can also look signficantly shorter as well when compared to the same hair that has been straightened. And the promo pictures where Prince has his hair straightened to my eye do not show significant length difference between his straightened or natural hair: another reason why I would not be surprised if his hair is enhanced when wearing it as an afro.

I just saw his hair at the LOL tour, and I'm familiar with his hair type. It's not a wig. A wig is usually one uniform texture all around. Real, natural hair is not. Prince's hair is thinner on the ends, wigs don't look like that.

Excellent. I saw him at the front of the stage during the first shows in Vancouver, like, I was around less than 2-5 feet from him for most of the sets as well. (BTW- aren't we lucky to have seen this tour?). And I will agree that you are right. A wig can be uniform in texture, but that is absolutely not a universal statement. I've seen many human hair wigs as well as man-made ones that mimic human hair patters which aren't entirely uniform. Also, again, what I reference earlier is that IF he has enhanced his hair, it could also be with having pieces put in as well.

Do I honestky GAF? No. A majority of my first posts was about how people NEED for Prince's hair to natural because they take it as an insult to suggest that it might be anything other than natural. Like they foam at the mouth to defend his hair. It goes beyond an academic discussion, they take offense if you have reasons to believe his hair or appearance is more than 100 percent natural. I guess I don't understand why.

[Edited 5/12/13 7:08am]

2elijah said:

Sad though that his hair always seems to be in question for those not familiar with hair textures of Black Americans, and those of African descent, but we all don't have the same texture of hair. If it will help any, I'll post some hair equipment used to straighten the hair and some pics of various, hair textures familiar to persons of color:

As a person of Color, I'll say that I encourage a dialogue of question and interest. I don't think it is sad that Prince's hair is questioned by those people who are not familiar with the hairstyles of Black Americans.

In fact, I think asking questions can actually be a really good thing for those who are unfamiliar with a subject rather than an alternative of ignorant assumption.

I think the questions "is Prince's hair a wig" is probably a GREAT way for a person who is unfamiliar to engage within a discussion rather than "Prince's hair IS a wig."

In fact, I'll go so far as to say that it's probably responsible and respectful for people who are not familiar with a subject to ask questions about it than to create uninformed ignorant opinions.

I also wanted to say that as a person who is all about increasing education, I think it's good that you've shared a bit about the tools and textures.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Let me guess: the mere QUESTIONING of whether or not this is his natural hair making your roll your eyes?

If so: then THIS is a prime example of what I refer to earlier in this discussion.

GuyBros said:

MadamGoodnight said:I don't have any defense mechanism in any of my posts here, not sensitive, etc. Just stating what is visible to the eye. I have never said it was a big deal if he had wigs, pieces, whatever in any of my posts in this thread. Where did I say it mattered? I am answering the original poster who asked *Do you think the afro is a wig?* Redirect your line of questioning to them. I am providing answers.

1) While I was directly responding to your rationale, (that one can switch back and forth between hair.... textures when hair is natural OR it has been enhahced using pieces or wigs), that rermark about defensiveness was me co-signing Scholomo's message that people get all mad when you bring it up. I didn't quote him, and I should have. So my apologies for that.

2) Re: "Redirect your line of questioning..."

We don't have to solely engage the creator of the topic. We can respond to people's responses about the topic as well. It's kind of how conversation happens, ya know?

As a person of color who was raised in communities of color with a vast array of hair types, I have a TINY bit of understanding of how this works. Afro hair can also look signficantly shorter as well when compared to the same hair that has been straightened. And the promo pictures where Prince has his hair straightened to my eye do not show significant length difference between his straightened or natural hair: another reason why I would not be surprised if his hair is enhanced when wearing it as an afro.

I just saw his hair at the LOL tour, and I'm familiar with his hair type. It's not a wig. A wig is usually one uniform texture all around. Real, natural hair is not. Prince's hair is thinner on the ends, wigs don't look like that.

Excellent. I saw him at the front of the stage during the first shows in Vancouver, like, I was around less than 2-5 feet from him for most of the sets as well. (BTW- aren't we lucky to have seen this tour?). And I will agree that you are right. A wig can be uniform in texture, but that is absolutely not a universal statement. I've seen many human hair wigs as well as man-made ones that mimic human hair patters which aren't entirely uniform. Also, again, what I reference earlier is that IF he has enhanced his hair, it could also be with having pieces put in as well.

Do I honestky GAF? No. A majority of my first posts was about how people NEED for Prince's hair to natural because they take it as an insult to suggest that it might be anything other than natural. Like they foam at the mouth to defend his hair. It goes beyond an academic discussion, they take offense if you have reasons to believe his hair or appearance is more than 100 percent natural. I guess I don't understand why.

[Edited 5/12/13 7:08am]

I now see you meant to quote Schlomo. I accept your apology, & I also offer one for asking you to direct your line of questions to the thread creator. I was just thinking wouldn't it be better to ask them since they started the thread? Maybe ask them why they would want to know, or why they were curious? Okay, it's been cleared up. Water under the bridge.

.

I see where you were going with this, but I am not one of those people that you are referring to. My original posts (before I was quoted) only had a few lines each. I did not post in caps, do any name calling, use profanity, or use offensive smileys. Nobody else did either from what I read last night. There was no, as you say, foaming at the mouth in my posts. I didn't read anything like that yesterday. I don't need for Prince to do anything. Shrug.

.

Now back to the hair....I still have to disagree here. Prince looks like he has a free flowing curly natural to me. It was longer in certain spots, curlier in other spots, & he was touching it while performing. It did not look "perfect" as wigs often do. Not every hair was in place. It was doing it's own thing, lol. I've had an afro wig for a '70's costume. It looks nothing like Prince's hair.

I do have more than a tiny bit of info and experience with ethnic hair, and it still didn't look wiggy in person to me. We can agree to disagree on this one. (Yes, LOL tour was amazing! Loved it, and I feel very lucky to have experienced that).

The hair in Plectrum Electrum looks as it would look after afro hair has been straightened and then curled. When straightened hair is curled, it becomes shorter in legnth than just left straight with no curls added. That is what you may be referring to when you said there could be pieces added.

LavenderPurple said:

I wanted to touch his hair when he dove into the crowd, but then I thought I better not but I really think it's his natural hair...

A wig?

I really hope so.

Totally one of the worst hairdo's of his career.