Justin Bieber is being accused of cultural appropriation (again) after he debuted a new hairstyle resembling dreadlocks

• Justin Bieber shared a series of photos on Sunday and Monday showing off his dreadlocks.

• His new hairstyle has prompted accusations of cultural appropriation and racial insensitivity.

• Bieber previously faced the same accusations when he wore dreadlocks in 2016.

• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Justin Bieber recently debuted a new look, sparking familiar accusations of cultural appropriation.

In a series of photos shared on Sunday and Monday, Bieber showed off a hairstyle that greatly resembles dreadlocks.

Sometimes called "dreads" or "locs," this hairstyle is inextricably associated with Black culture and therefore considered insensitive for white people to wear.

Bieber previously wore traditionally Black hairstyles, including cornrows and dreadlocks, in 2016.

He was promptly criticized on Twitter and became the subject of several think pieces, which noted how Black hair has been politicized and weaponized in racist spaces.

In fact, just one year prior, Zendaya had worn dreadlocks on the Oscars red carpet and become the subject of racist criticism; E! host Giuliana Rancic infamously said the actress probably "smells like patchouli oil or weed."

"The privilege of being able to wear locs sans scrutiny, while simultaneously not needing to know anything about their history is what pisses Black folks off," Josie Pickens wrote for Ebony.

"It is maddening that white people love the culture that we produce so much - whether it be dreadlocks or Drake, but seem ambivalent towards our suffering and what it costs to create such a gorgeous culture in the face [of] constant erasure and hate," she continued. "And, yes, whites wearing dreadlocks absolutely is cultural appropriation."

At the time, the "Peaches" singer reacted to these accusations by saying, "It's just my hair."

Now, he's facing the same accusations from fans and critics alike.

"this is cultural appropriation... I know you can do better," a fan account for Bieber's wife, Hailey Bieber (née Baldwin), commented on his Instagram selfie.

Many feel Bieber's dreadlocks are particularly offensive following the release of his newest album, "Justice."

The tracklist included clips of Martin Luther King Jr. speeches, which Bieber said was intended to "amplify" the message of the Civil Rights Movement, as well as show his appreciation for "Black history."

However, some criticized the move as performative and shallow - and now believe that his decision to wear dreadlocks confirms those suspicions.

Some people don't think Bieber's hair looks like proper dreadlocks, but are still critical of the style.

In a short post on Monday, Bieber told his followers, "There's power in acknowledging our insecurities, WE ALL GOT EM."

He added: "It's okay to have insecurities, open up and talk about them it's healthy."

It's unclear whether Bieber was referring to his hair as a source of insecurity, or whether the post was unrelated to the backlash.

A representative for Bieber did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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