Beyoncé Reveals How Blue Ivy Inspired Jay-Z's Hair Transformation

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Jay-Z Shows Off Afro Hair Transformation at NBA Finals

Forget Becky—Jay-Z is the one with the good hair.

In fact, Beyoncé revealed her husband started maintaining his locs nearly a decade ago to show their daughter Blue Ivy Carter, now 14, just how great it is.

"Our daughter was about 5 and she wasn't feeling very confident about her hair at the time," the "Sorry" singer shared in a June 21 video for her Cécred haircare line. "When she told her father that, it inspired Jay to grow out his hair."

According to Beyoncé, who also shares 9-year-old twins Rumi Carter and Sir Carter with the rapper, Blue "had no idea that her father’s hair had texture like hers."

"I thought it was always beautiful that the real reason Jay grew out his hair was to show Blue that her hair was like his hair," she continued. "We really wanted her to love and embrace every inch of her gorgeous curls."

As for why Jay was recently rocking a massive afro? That also had to do with their family.

"Jay told me a few months ago he was planning to comb out his locs for the Philly show with The Roots. He wanted to do this in honor of his father," Beyoncé explained in the video. "His name was Adnis Reeves and his favorite sports team was from Philly. His dad always rocked a 'fro, so he wanted to rock a 'fro in his honor."

Kevin Mazur/MG26/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

While the "Texas Hold 'Em" artist initially "didn't really want him to cut them," she went through with what she described as Jay-Z's "emotional" hair transformation. Over the course of five days, she and Blue—as well as a team of hairstylists and loctician—worked on combing out the Roc Nation founder's locs.

Fortunately, Beyoncé said they were in "immaculate condition."

Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images

"There were times I massaged his hair with my hands for about an hour—sometimes two hours—for each wick until I can gradually separate his hair with my finger," she shared. "The key ingredient was patience and love."

And for Jay-Z, who married Beyoncé in 2008, having his locs brushed out was "not for the faint of heart."

"This is day five of getting my hair combed out," he said in behind-the-scenes footage included in the video. "Went through it, opened it up."

To see other dramatic celebrity hair transformations, keep reading...

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.”

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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.

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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.