Travis Kelce is making it clear he doesn’t want any smoke over the fade haircut! The Kansas City Chiefs player addressed a viral New York Times headline during a recent press run.
With a laugh, Travis Kelce called the headline “ridiculous” before clarifying his point of view.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous, and to do it on Feb. 1, to throw me to the wolves like that? That was messed up man, I don’t want anything to do with that one. I got a good fade if you need it, though. It’s a two on top, a nice high and mid-fade with a taper in the back. But I didn’t invent that, I just asked for it.”
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Watch Travis address the controversial headline below.
New York Times Sparked The Travis Kelce & Fade Haircut Backlash
To kick off Black History Month, the outlet published an article with the headline “They’ll Take The Travis Kelce — Hairdo, That Is.” In their article preview sentence, they alleged that “barbers in America and abroad” are receiving requests for the “the Travis Kelce.” The rest of the text seemed to imply that Travis Kelce popularized the fade.
Needless to say, his haircut is a simple one that Black men have been getting done for generations after generations. Just ask any Black barber or peep inside any Black-owned barber shop.
To be clear, the hairstyle originated in the 1940s and 1950s among U.S. military members, per a 2016 Ebony article. However, by the 1980s, Black barbers started spicing up the fade. Eventually, it became a staple in Black hip-hop culture and among its early innovators and artists. From hi-top fades to the more tapered look Travis Kelce rocks, one thing is true: Black men and women popularized the haircut — not the Kansas City Chiefs tight end player.
Nonetheless, screenshots of the NYT headline quickly went viral across social platforms as Black users, in particular, called out the NYT for cultural erasure.
To note, Alyson Krueger — the writer of the controversial piece — appears to be a white woman. That lil’ tidbit was not lost on social media users amid the backlash.
Keep scrolling for reactions to the NYT’s article published on Feb. 1.
The NYT thinks that Travis Kelce invented the fade 🤦🏾♀️ When you have zero cultural competency on your staff, this is how you end up with stories like this, and explaining swag surfin,’ which is at least 15 or years old. pic.twitter.com/EgqZ1vJmBN
— Jemele Hill (@jemelehill) February 2, 2024
The Fade vs The Travis Kelce hairdo pic.twitter.com/OGyCvx323c
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) February 3, 2024
@nytimes get some black writers on the staff because they would’ve told you that’s not the “Travis Kelce” it’s a FADE 😭😭😭😭
— KY. (@kyvskyra) February 3, 2024
The same people who think Travis Kelce invented the fade are the same people who learned the term “woke” only a couple of years ago. Both have been around forever.
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) February 6, 2024
First they called swag surfin the “Chiefs victory dance.” Now a fade is the “Travis Kelce hairdo.”
BRING BACK GATEKEEPING🗣️ pic.twitter.com/55VlZXpIbf
— Danayiah (@gxldendayy_) February 3, 2024
Dear @nytimes Calling the cut Travis Kelce now wears ANYTHING but a FADE shows the lack of cultural competency y’all got going on over there.
It is akin to when folks were calling cornrows “boxer braids”.
Black folks been cutting our hair like that forever. Show some respect. pic.twitter.com/DVhagLcwR2— Whitney Alese (@TheReclaimed) February 2, 2024
Dear @nytimes, @people, barbers and consumers across America, this is called a ‘FADE,’ not ‘the Travis Kelce.’
I, and other Black men have been getting fades from our barbers since before Travis or his barber were born.
The hairstyle originated in the U.S. military around the… pic.twitter.com/I9u2FPbTqR
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) February 3, 2024
We give Travis credit for a lot. Future Hall of Famer, clutch player… etc but to stay this man originated the fade and calling it the “Travis Kelce” is disrespectful to Black
Culture. Black men have been wearing a fade or dark Caesar haircut since the beginning of time. https://t.co/z1tbfxulqo— Kristen Holloway (@KHollowayTV) February 2, 2024
