Rapper Smallz Lethal has marked a deeply personal turning point in his life and career after shaving off his dreadlocks; a look he had worn for 15 years and one that had become inseparable from his public identity.
In a reflective and emotional statement shared on his socials, the Common Mwananchi rapper revealed that the decision was far more than a cosmetic change. For him, it symbolised growth, release and the beginning of a new chapter.
“Today, the weight is gone,” Smallz Lethal wrote. “After fifteen years, I have shaved my dreadlocks. It feels strange to touch my scalp and feel the air where there used to be a heavy, tangled history.”
For over a decade, the rapper’s dreadlocks stood as both armour and emblem; a visible declaration of his Rasta values, his resistance, and his spirituality.
They accompanied him through his most defiant moments and his quietest seasons of prayer, becoming a living archive of his struggles, victories and evolution.
“Those locks were my armor,” he said. “They saw me through my loudest rebellions and my quietest moments of prayer. They were a symbol of the fighter I had to be and the humility I strove to maintain.”
In a music industry where image often becomes identity, Smallz Lethal’s transformation carries weight. Known for his introspective lyricism and unapologetic authenticity, the rapper used the moment to challenge the idea that identity is tied to appearance.
“For over a decade, I wore my Rasta values on the outside for the world to see,” he reflected. “But as the hair fell away, I realized something: the fire of the rebel and the peace of the humble man aren’t in the hair.”
Instead, he says, those values are “etched into my character.”
The rapper was keen to clarify that the move does not signal a loss of self, but rather a shedding of excess weight; emotional, symbolic and personal.
“I am not losing my identity; I am simply unburdening it,” he wrote. “I am stepping into the world light, carrying the lessons of the last fifteen years in my heart instead of on my head.”
The announcement quickly resonated with fans, many of whom praised the vulnerability and depth of his message.
“One of the illest MCs in 254 Smallz Lethal Najua haijakuwa rahisi kuangusha hizo hizo mizizi,” his fellow rapper Samora GKV Mwamba.
The living legend 2Pac. My brother Smallz Lethal umefungua njia. I’m soooooo proud of you my brother. Unajua maali tumetoka. And for those who it’s the end, watch out for 2026. Long live my brother smallz lethal,” posted fellow artiste Brain Child White.
Despite the dramatic shift, the rapper insists that his essence remains intact.
“I am still a warrior. I am still a student of life,” he affirmed. “I am just beginning a new chapter.”