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Nelly's Grill

Kelis Grills

Those of you who have already watched hip-hop videoclips on TV have noticed a different glitter coming from the rappers and MCs’ mouths. The reason for that are their new jewels, baptized as grills, but also known as fronts or golds. These jewels are molded on teeth and remind us of orthodontic braces that we used in our adolescence. The first grills, called gold caps, started to appear in the South of United States more than 50 years ago, brought by Caribbean immigrants. They were soon after adopted by the ghetto pimps and gangs from Nova Orleans, a Southern city that at the time already privileged black culture much longer before hip hop dominated the world.
In the early days of their existence, gold caps would cost approximately US$ 5 and could be found in any flea market in the Southern USA. As of the year 2000, they left the guetto and were turbinated and renamed grills – or grillz in the hip-hop dialect. They are made of platinum and set with diamonds and other types of gems. They now glitter in the red carpets – and not only in the rappers’ mouths. The strong attitude conveyed by the shining smile won the mainstream and was adopted by rock n’ roll celebrities such as Marilyn Manson and the guys from Korn, football players and the Johnny Depp, who showed his version in the recent release of the Pirates of the Caribbean.

Johnny Depp Pirates of the Caribbean

Last year, grills made the American pop history when Nelly – one of the most renowned rapper in the USA, born in Saint Louis – launched the clip “Grillz”, whose lyrics refer explicitly to the new showbiz vogue, “Let me see ya grill (Let you see my what)”. That’s it, it was enough to transform the jewel into a teenager craze. Today, the frisson provoked by the jewel is comparable to the launching of the new pair of Air Jordans by Nike to boys or the latest Vuitton to girls. The grills made of platinum and diamonds reach the price of US$ 10 mil and cover the six front teeth. Those who still believe that the luxury only appeals to the male vanity will be surprised – women also bought the concept, mostly after Kelis – diva of the new R&B, designers’ darling and a common face in the first row of the New-Yorker runaways – sealed her engagement with Nas (another famous rapper) with a platinum grill instead of a ring and soon after appeared with glittering teeth in the “Bossy” clip. We are soon to find out if Brazilians will adhere to the new American bling-bling.