An Oral History: Grills Culture Throughout The Years
Hip-hop is known for breaking boundaries in other industries including art and fashion. It has influenced many designers and creatives to construct pieces that can be worn to strut down a runway or model in a music video. Grills are just one example of the many pieces that hip-hop drove to popularity.
According to Toothology, grills originated in Italy from the Etruscans. Etruscans lived from around 800 BC to 200 BC before they were conquered by the Roman Empire. Rich Etruscan women were the first to wear gold teeth as jewelry, to inspire what we know today as grills. In 1975, icon Grace Jones appeared in Vogue Hommes with a top-and-bottom solid gold grill, giving the mouth accessory its first appearance in the high fashion scene.
However, the 80s were the pivotal period for grills, as they became a staple piece of jewelry for the hip-hop genre, specifically in New York City. “Children’s Story” and “Mona Lisa” rapper Slick Rick is famous for sporting grills and was one of the first to make them famous along with Public Enemy member Flava Flav and “Smooth Operator” rapper Big Daddy Kane. Grills continued to flow through the jewelry collections of other rappers through the following decade, as Wu-Tang Clan members such as ODB, RZA, and Method Man sported their versions.
A pioneer in grill culture is Eddie “Mouth Full of Golds” Plein, who became a grill icon in the 80s. Plein opened his grill shop, Famous Eddie’s, in Jamaica, Queens, and supplied pieces to quintessential New York-based rappers including Jay-Z and Nas.
In the early 2000s, rapper Nelly became the frontman for grills, even releasing a Grammy-nominated song titled “Grillz” which starred the jewelry piece in the music video. Lil Jon & Lil Wayne sported flashy grills in the 2000s as well, adding to the expansion of the statement accessory.
Today, rappers and singers are still rocking grills, continuously finding new ways to style them. A$AP Rocky, Rosalía, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, and more artists have proven that while grills are a symbol for those in the hip-hop and fashion industry, they are also lifelong accessories that can be worn by anyone and suitable for every aesthetic.
Would you rock a set of grills? Let us know in the comments.