What is a fade in black culture?

What is a fade in black culture? In Black culture, a fade is a significant haircut style with history and identity, where hair gradually tapers from very short at sides and back to longer on top, creating clean blend, popular among Black men and boys. Types include low fade, high fade, temp fade, bald fade, skin fade, often combined with afro, waves, twists, or line-ups. Fade has roots in military cuts but became central to Black barbershop culture since 1980s and 1990s hip-hop era, symbolizing neatness, style, and self-expression, often paired with edge-ups and designs. In barbershop, fade is art form requiring skill with clippers, representing grooming, confidence, and community gathering place. Beyond haircut, in Black slang, fade also means fight, as in catch a fade meaning to fight, used in urban slang and music, meaning to settle dispute physically. So in Black culture, fade carries dual meaning, stylish haircut representing cultural pride and grooming tradition, and slang for fight, both widely recognized in music, social media, and everyday language, with barbershop as cultural institution.