Source: Josh Brasted / Getty
Over the past few years, nail polish has become a trend for men. But this movement not necessarily a new one.
Although there was no specific rule for who could use nail polish during its creation, It was ‘commonly believed’ that fingernail painting was a female-oriented activity that was reserved exclusively for women.
RELATED: 76ers Jared McCain Explains Why He Paints His Nails
It wasn’t until we seen pop culture icons such as Prince, and Kurt Cobain sport nail polish, that caused the public to raise questions around what is masculine, what is feminine, and gender conformity as a whole.
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Hip-Hop Icon Fat Joe
believes male rappers who paint their fingernails do it to get attention. During an Instagram Live broadcast, Fat Joe gave his opinion on rappers painting their nails and wearing purses. The Bronx rapper went onto say that male rappers who paint their for unique visibility and to increase record sales.
“It feels like…a new trend, a new swag, a new style,” he said in the video. “Paint your nails, use a bag, wear a bag.”
Although Fat Joe is very well entitled to his beliefs, we must acknowledge the act of men fingerpainting came way before the artists.
Who was the first man to paint his nails?
The Babylonian warriors reveal the earliest records of men grooming their nails. Dating back to around 3500 BC, Babylonian warriors would prepare for battle with beauty rituals. “Warriors adorned their nails with ground minerals as part of a pre-battle ritual designed to intimidate their enemies” according to a 2018 paper from
The University of Rochester Medical Center.
So although nail grooming dates back centuries, there has been an uptick in discussion recently, revolving around men painting their fingernails, specifically athletes.
RELATED: Polished Players: A List of Professional Athletes Who Paint Their Nails
Who was the first male Musician to paint his nails?
It is believed that Prince, was the first male musician to paint his fingernails in the early 1980s. Prince was said to frequently receive manicures and have clear nail polish painted on his fingernails. The late David Bowie also wore nail polish during the ‘80s, and pop culture icons such as Kurt Cobain and Dennis Rodman sported painted fingernails during the ‘90s.
Now, new artists such as Lil Yachty, ASAP Rocky,
Kid Cudi, and Bad Bunny, challenge the conservative idea of fingernail painting being viewed as a feminine pastime.
Source: Ethan Miller / Getty
According to xxl.com, Lil Yachty has faced years of online ridicule for expressing himself through nail art. Lil Yachty, founder of
the nail polish brand Crete, first began experimenting with nail polish in 2021 after receiving guidance from A$AP Rocky, who
introduced him to clear polish and buffing techniques.
Source: Courtesy of Fear of God / Courtesy of Reebok Classic
But he’s not the only one who’s hip to the colored fingertips. Our team at RNB Philly created a list of Male Musicians who paint their nails.
Check out our list of Male Musicians who paint their nails below!
This post The Man-icure: 20 Male Music Artists Who Paint Their Nails was originally found on wrnbhd2.com
