On this day in 1993, Poetic Justice, a love story between a hairdresser and poet named Justice and a postal worker named Lucky hit theatres captured the number one spot earning over $11million that weekend.
The movie was directed by John Singleton starred Janet Jackson and Tupac Shakur with Regina King and Joe Torry.
“Poetic Justice reached No. 1 in the box office its opening weekend, grossing $11,728,455. It eventually grossed a total of $27,515,786. Jackson received nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, with the Billboard Hot 100 number one song, “Again”.
“It was later referenced in Kendrick Lamar’s single “Poetic Justice”, which was titled after and based on the film. The song sampled Jackson’s “Any Time, Any Place.” Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film is considered a cult film especially for the performances and the chemistry between Jackson and Shakur.”
In the movie, the main character Justice writes poems which she recites throughout the film.
The poems featured were written by Maya Angelou, and Angelou also appears in the film as one of the three elderly sisters whom the characters meet at a roadside family reunion. Via Wiki.
Poetic Justice was memorable for many reasons but most of us remember Janet rocking those braids and to this day we call them “Poetic Justice Braids”.
So let’s talk about the braids for a minute!
Before they were known as poetic justice braids, they were simply known as boxed braids! The name changed after the movie popularised the style because Justice wore braids for the entire movie, remember this scene?
Since it’s the anniversary and everything, we thought it would be fun to share a few tutorials on how you can do poetic justice braids yourself. Here is what you need to prepare for the style.
How Many Packs of Hair Are Needed for Poetic Justice Braids?
In general, you will need about eight or nine jumbo braiding hair packs. As a matter of fact, in the video below Breanna Tucker used 5 packs of braiding hair for her demonstration. In addition to the hair, you need edge control and a parting comb.
How to do Poetic Justice Braids?
The first thing you need to do is prepare the hair. Soak the hair in hot water and vinegar for about forty minutes which will help you to get rid of all the chemicals that are often found in the hair.
Depending on the hair you choose for the style, cut it down to your desired length! These days we are keeping the hair long for knee-length or even ankle-length braids but that choice is completely up to you.
Watch Breonna’s video below:
After you remove your Poetic Justice Braids
One of the most popular posts on our blog to date is this post describing the aftercare you need to practice after removing any protective style.
Believe it or not, some protective styles can put a lot of stress on your hair. Box braids in particular, when installed too tight can cause strand erosion and sometimes breakage.
The great thing about protective styles is that you give your hair a chance to take a break from manipulation and you will notice a bit of growth because you are not focused on getting your hair done daily.
Read the post, but here are the highlights of what you need to do after you remove your braids.
1. Remove the shed hair – Remove the shed hair using your fingers so that you can avoid tangles.
2. Pre-poo – Use your favorite oil or pre-poo treatment and heat for deep penetration.
3. Cleanse – Use a gentle sulfate-free shampoo.
4. Deep condition
5. Pick a low tension style
The next style you choose for your hair after you remove your braids should be one that is stress-free without any tension on your crown or edges.
A loose style or a simple bun for the week could do your hair and scalp a bit of good.
Of course, we can never leave this post without watching one of our favorite scene’s right?
Did you watch Poetic Justice in the theatre in 1993 or am I just over here giving away my age?
By the way, check out 35 more protective styles in this post if you are thinking about putting away your hair for a minute.
