natty dreadlocks

a term for medium length to long hair that is messy and needs to be combed, taken from the Black Uhuru lyrics, "Guess who's coming to dinner, Natty Dreadlocks."
Natty dreadlocks are not real dreadlocks, just knotted hair that could form into real dreadlocks if no action is taken to smooth out the tangles.

Bob Marley and the Wailers' 1974 album "Natty Dread" and title song, "Natty Dread" refer to Natty Dreadlocks as a person who is a member of the Rastafari religion, which is the original meaning of the term, as well as the hairstyle worn by Rastafarians. However, since then, natty dreadlocks has taken on the more mainstream usage, usually applied to kids, referring to tangled hair on anyone, not necessarily Rastafarian.

You need to brush out those natty dreadlocks before grandma comes over this afternoon.
Are you seriously going to your school picture day with those natty dreadlocks?

4👍 10👎