The Most Ridiculously Expensive Grillz in History

Grillz are decorative precious metals that you can snap over your teeth. Today, we see many Hollywood stars rocking grillz that ice out their teeth. However, the practice of wearing precious metals over the teeth actually began with the Etruscans. Not long after, the Mayans followed this practice (around 800 BC and 900 AD), sticking bits of metal over their teeth to signify wealth. But dental grillz’s popularity only rose during the 1970s, when modern people started using gold to replace their missing teeth. This practice was especially prevalent in New York back then, where African Americans from poorer backgrounds invented hip-hop along with wearing dental gold. 

Scientists claim that gold has antimicrobial properties, making them the perfect material for constant wearing inside the mouth. And thanks to the hip-hop industry, this dental necessity soon became a fashion item. Although it’s not clear who was the first Hollywood rap artist who wore grillz in a music video, many fans actually credit Kilo Ali and Raheem the Dream as pioneers of the trend. However, the majority of people claim that it was Slick Rick’s glittery grin during the debut of this 1988 album that changed the course of grillz’ history. Today, celebrities even outside the rap industry can be spotted rocking out iced-out teeth and dental gold from Las Vegas. Let’s go over some of the most expensive grillz and the celebrities that wear them.

6ix9ine

The New York rapper 6ix9ine is famous for wearing colorful grillz. He does not shy away from being eccentric and is proud of his fashion concept, which has evolved impressively since 2014. He usually gets his custom grillz from the highly in-demand jewelry Jimmy Boi. Here are some of the ridiculously fabulous pairs in his collection:

• 6ix9ine Gold Rainbow - This colorful and bright teeth accessory has become synonymous with 6ix9ine as it reflects much of his branding (that and all his tattoos). According to the rapper, rainbow to him is a love story. 
• Shark Rainbow Grillz - This set of grillz is somewhat one-tier above the 6ix9ine Gold Rainbow. It’s just a bit more advanced and intimidating than the previous one, but it’s just as impressive and colorful. They feature rainbow enamels in sharp shapes, making speaking a little tricky for the artist. 
• Vampire Diamond Rainbow Grillz - This is Jimmy Boi’s masterpiece for the artist. It’s one of the most expensive diamond dental accessories the Brooklyn-based rapper has ever paid for, costing him about $150,000. 
• White Gold 18K with 585 Diamonds - First spotted in 6ix9ine’s video clip “GOOBA,” this set of grillz is a work by Johnny Dang Grillz. It features tiny pieces of diamonds that coat the rapper’s teeth, completely icing out his smile to match his sparkly shark bling. 

Pharrell Williams

OG musician Pharrel Williams is one of the hip-hop industry’s game changers. His famous set of grillz is encrusted with 22k gold and various precious stones like sapphires, emeralds, and rubies glistening with blue, red, white, and yellow diamonds. The artist commissioned this set from a dynamic father-son duo from the New York-based Gabby Elan Jewelry for a whopping $100,000. 

Lil Wayne

Lil Wayne is one of the biggest names in the rap world and one of the pioneers who popularized the worldwide use of grillz. For as long as he’s been releasing albums, Lil Wayne has been wearing gold mouth sets, normalizing the practice of accessorizing teeth. One of his most iconic sets covers the front of his teeth with tiny diamonds that sparkle brighter than his career. It’s not clear if he had this grillz permanently installed onto his teeth or if he could take them out whenever he likes. But one thing’s for sure: this set cost him a handsome bill of $150,000.