How Grillz Became Part of Hip-Hop Style

Decorating teeth with precious materials is much older than hip-hop, but modern removable grillz have their own history. Ancient Maya dental remains show jade and other materials placed into teeth, while the removable gold fronts associated with hip-hop developed much later in the United States.

From Dental Adornment to Modern Grillz

Historical dental decoration should not be treated as a direct line to today’s grillz. The modern removable style grew within late-20th-century jewelry and hip-hop culture, where gold teeth and removable fronts became highly visible forms of personal style.

Grillz and 1980s Hip-Hop

Hip-hop emerged in the Bronx during the 1970s and expanded rapidly in the 1980s. During that period, gold teeth and removable fronts appeared on artists in New York and the South. Jeweler Eddie Plein is widely credited as an important pioneer of the modern removable grill, creating custom gold fronts for hip-hop artists in the 1980s.

The Southern Hip-Hop Expansion

By the 1990s and early 2000s, grillz were increasingly associated with Southern hip-hop. Houston jeweler Johnny Dang and rapper Paul Wall became especially influential in popularizing highly customized, stone-set grillz and bringing the jewelry to a larger music audience.

Grillz in the 2000s and Beyond

The 2000s pushed grillz further into mainstream pop culture. Nelly’s 2005 song “Grillz,” featuring Paul Wall, Ali & Gipp, became one of the most visible pop-culture references to the jewelry. Since then, grillz have continued to evolve through different metals, tooth counts, open-face designs, precision-cut finishes and stone settings.

Modern Custom Grillz

Today’s custom grillz are removable jewelry made to fit an individual dental impression. Design names can describe a finish or cut pattern and do not automatically indicate the presence of diamonds or other stones. Review each listing for its exact metal, stones and options.

Explore our Types of Grillz guide, browse the full custom grillz collection, or use the Grillz Builder to explore current designs.

Custom Grillz in Renton

Seattle-area customers can arrange an appointment in Renton, Washington, while shipped customers can follow the current impression and ordering instructions for their selected design.