Quavo Dreads: 2010-2026 Evolution, Maintenance & How to Get the Look

quavo dreads

Quavo’s dreads are one of the most studied loc journeys in modern hip-hop, partly because he has been documented in music videos since 2012, and partly because his locks have stayed in the same controlled mid-shoulder shape for over a decade. If you have searched “Quavo dreads” looking to copy the look, the short version is: medium-thickness locks, around 100 to 130 of them, installed with the coil method on Type 4 hair, regularly retwisted at the roots, with periodic side fades and ponytail styling. This guide walks through how his locks have evolved from 2010 to 2026, the techniques behind them, and how to actually recreate the look on your own hair.

Table of Contents

Who is Quavo and why his dreads matter

Quavious Keyate Marshall, born April 2, 1991 in Athens, Georgia, became famous as one third of Migos alongside Offset and his nephew Takeoff. The group’s 2013 single “Versace” put them on the map, and “Bad and Boujee” hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 2017. Across all of that, Quavo’s dreads stayed at mid-shoulder length, which is unusual enough that it became part of his visual identity. Most rappers grow their locks past their back or cut them completely. Quavo has kept his in the same shape for more than ten years, which means there is a real ongoing maintenance routine behind the look.

Quavo dreads timeline: 2010 to 2026

2010-2012: the pre-fame mature locks

Pre-fame footage of Quavo, including his school photos and early Migos videos before “Versace”, shows locks already past shoulder length. That tells us he started his loc journey around 2005 to 2007, when he was still in high school in Gwinnett County. Locks at that point look mature, well-defined, and clearly past the starter stage. Many fans assume Quavo grew his dreads after fame. In reality, his locks were already a decade old by the time he hit the charts.

2013-2014: shoulder length and the ponytail era

This is the period where Quavo’s signature look starts crystallizing. “Versace” and “Hannah Montana” both feature him with locks tied in low ponytails, sometimes high ones for performances. The locks themselves are tight, well-defined, and showing zero frizz, which suggests regular retwisting every 3 to 4 weeks. The four front locks that fall over his forehead during interviews become a recurring visual signature.

2015-2017: the cornrow detour

“Bad and Boujee” (2016) and the Culture album era show Quavo experimenting with cornrows pulled back from the hairline. This is when you can clearly see he is trimming his locks at the back to keep them from passing shoulder length. Locks grow at about 1 cm per month on healthy Type 4 hair, so without trimming, his dreads would have been past his lower back by 2017. The fact that they stay shoulder-length confirms regular trimming. Around this period he also faded the sides, which required removing two to four locs at the temples each time.

2018-2021: Quavo Huncho solo era

His solo debut “Quavo Huncho” dropped in October 2018. The album cycle photography shows locks still at mid-shoulder, sometimes pulled back in a half-up half-down style. By 2020 the side fades become more pronounced. The locks themselves look slightly thicker than the 2013 era, suggesting that the natural fusion of adjacent locks over time has reduced the count slightly. This is normal for any loc journey past 10 years.

2022-2026: post-Takeoff and the current era

Takeoff, Quavo’s nephew and longtime Migos partner, died in Houston on November 1, 2022. Throughout the mourning period and the recording of the tribute album “Rocket Power” (2023), Quavo wore his locks loose more often, sometimes braided in single-plait styles that he had rarely used before. By 2024 and into 2026 the signature mid-shoulder shape is back, with locks that now look as old as he is, in the sense that they have witnessed his entire public career.

How Quavo’s dreads are actually maintained

Working backwards from the visible result, the technique behind Quavo’s locks is fairly clear.

Installation method: the coil method, given the uniform medium thickness and the tight definition. Backcombing would produce slightly more rectangular shapes; freeform would produce irregular sizes. The coil method on Type 4 hair gives exactly the silhouette he wears.
Section size: small to medium, with 100 to 130 locks visible across his head. For reference, an average freeform head ends up with 40 to 60 locks, while sister locs go up to 200 to 400. Quavo sits comfortably in the middle range.
Retwisting frequency: every 3 to 4 weeks based on the consistent lack of frizz visible in close-up interview shots. This is standard professional loctician work, not a DIY routine.
Length management: regular trimming at the back of the head, with a one-to-two inch cut every 4 to 6 months. This keeps the mid-shoulder shape against the natural 1 cm per month growth.
Side fade: the temples are faded by removing locks at the edges and clippering the new growth. This is committed work, you cannot grow these locs back without restarting their formation.

How to get Quavo-style dreads on your own hair

The honest answer is that Quavo-style dreads require a starting commitment of 12 to 18 months before they look like his, and a maintenance budget of 80 to 150 dollars per month if you use a professional loctician. The hair texture also matters: Type 4 (Afro) texture locks fastest and holds the coil definition longest. Looser textures can achieve a similar look but the locks will be visibly less defined.

The practical sequence:

Hair length minimum 10 cm before installation, ideally closer to 15 cm.
Wash with a residue-free shampoo, no conditioner, full dry.
Section your scalp into 100 to 130 squares of roughly 1.5 cm each.
Coil each section between thumb and index finger, working from scalp to tip.
Optional: secure each starter loc with a small rubber band at the root for the first 4-6 weeks.
Retwist roots every 3-4 weeks once locks have started to mature (around month 3-4).
Trim length deliberately when you reach desired shape, typically after 18-24 months for shoulder-length.

For broader context on rapper dreadlock styles, our piece on rappers with dreadlocks and how to get them covers the most-requested looks side by side. For the freeform alternative which is the opposite philosophy of Quavo’s controlled maintenance, see growing freeform dreadlocks naturally.

Quavo dreads versus other rappers

Quavo’s dread approach falls in a distinct category. Compared to other rappers with locks:

Lil Wayne: shoulder-length, similar density, but Wayne’s locks have been visibly freeformer with more frizz and looser definition. Quavo’s are tighter.
J Cole: longer, freeformer, less retwisted. Cole’s locks have grown to upper-back length. J Cole dreads are closer to natural freeform than Quavo’s controlled style.
2 Chainz: longer, much thicker locks. Quavo’s count is roughly twice 2 Chainz’s count for the same head area. See 2 Chainz dreads for the contrast.
Bob Marley: the historical reference. Marley grew his freeform locks for over a decade without trimming. See how long Bob Marley grew his dreadlocks. The philosophy is the opposite of Quavo’s high-maintenance retwisted approach.

Maintenance cost and reality check

Quavo’s locks are professional-loctician-maintained. The honest costs for replicating that level of upkeep, in 2026 prices:

Initial install (100+ coil-method locks by a pro): 250 to 600 dollars depending on city.
Monthly retwist: 80 to 150 dollars per session.
Periodic side fade trim: 30 to 60 dollars.
Trim and reshape every 4-6 months: 40 to 80 dollars.

Annual maintenance cost runs to about 1,200 to 2,500 dollars if you keep up the schedule. That is roughly the price of Quavo’s level of polish. You can DIY some of it (the retwist, with practice) but the consistent definition shown in his interview close-ups suggests a professional hand. If you go DIY route, expect your locks to look slightly more freeformed than his, which is not a bad thing if that is the look you want.

How long has Quavo had dreadlocks?

Quavo has had dreadlocks since approximately 2005-2007, based on the maturity of his locks in pre-fame footage from 2010-2012. By 2026 that puts his loc journey at roughly 19 to 21 years. That is more than half of his life as of his current age, and explains why his locks appear so settled in shape and color.

Does Quavo trim his dreads?

Yes, regularly. His locks have stayed at mid-shoulder length for over a decade despite hair growing about 1 cm per month on average. Without trimming, his dreads would be past his lower back by now. The trimming is done at the back of the head, typically every 4 to 6 months, with cuts of one to two inches at a time.

What method did Quavo use to start his dreadlocks?

Based on the visible result (uniform medium thickness, tight definition, no irregular sizing), Quavo’s locks were almost certainly started with the coil method on Type 4 hair, with sections of roughly 1.5 cm each. Backcombing or twist-and-rip would produce slightly different shapes. Freeform is ruled out by the consistent diameter across all of his locks.

How many dreadlocks does Quavo have?

Visible count across press photos and music videos suggests approximately 100 to 130 locks. That is in the medium-density range: more than a typical freeform head (40-60) but well below sister-locks counts (200-400). The medium count is what gives his locks their distinctive thickness profile, neither pencil-thin nor rope-thick.

Celebrity Dreadlocks

cherissa Masson