How Hip-Hop Made Diamond Grillz a Cultural Statement

How Hip-Hop Turned Grillz Into a Cultural Phenomenon

The history of modern grillz begins in 1980s New York, where Eddie Plein was making gold teeth for some of hip-hop’s biggest names. Born in Suriname, Plein opened Famous Eddie’s Gold Teeth and became known for creating removable gold caps for artists including Flavor Flav and members of the Juice Crew.

By the 1990s, grillz had become particularly popular in Southern hip-hop, with artists like Raheem the Dream and Kilo Ali helping bring the style to Atlanta. Over time, simple gold caps gave way to increasingly elaborate designs, and diamonds became a major part of the equation.

For Jessenia Landrum, founder of jewelry brand Jevela, the fascination began with Nelly’s 2005 hit “Grillz.” Years later, she met Plein at a signing for Vikki Tobak’s Ice Cold, and the two struck up a friendship. Eventually, he offered to teach her the craft.

“Gradually, he has become like family to me and offered to teach me. For a month, I followed him around, learning the process from start to finish. From creating a tooth impression to waxing up the mold, casting, and creating a finished piece.”

Landrum sees grillz as much more than a flashy accessory. “Diamond grillz represent opulence, freedom, and wealth,” she says. “I learned that it became a status symbol for freed slaves who were able to create their own wealth. So that makes me especially proud to be a part of the legacy.”

The Celebrity Grillz Hall of Fame

Diamond grillz have come a long way from their hip-hop roots, but they’ve never lost their appeal as a symbol of success and individuality. Today, you’ll find them on everyone from rappers and athletes to fashion’s biggest names, including Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner.

And the designs have only gotten more outrageous, with everything from diamond-covered fangs and colorful gemstones to custom creations worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some are works of art, others are just plain fun. Here are the celebrity grillz that deserve a spot in our hall of fame.

Nelly

Rapper Nelly rose to fame in the early 2000s with chart-topping hits like Hot in Herre and Dilemma, but he also helped introduce an entire generation to the art of diamond grillz. His 2005 hit “Grillz,” featuring Paul Wall, Ali, and Gipp, became an anthem for the iced-out smile, eventually reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. And who could forget the chorus? “Smile for me, daddy,” followed by the now-iconic “Let me see ya grill.”

The story behind the song is almost as good. According to Paul Wall, he and legendary Houston jeweler Johnny Dang gifted Nelly a $20,000 set of custom grillz after discovering he’d purchased a knockoff. Nelly loved them so much that he invited Wall to collaborate on the track. Dang even appears in the music video, presenting a tray of diamond grillz for Wall to choose from.

The video, which featured more than 70 close-ups of grillz, helped bring the jewelry to a mainstream audience. Nelly became synonymous with the look, sporting diamond-encrusted fangs and fully iced-out bottom sets. Two decades later, it’s hard to talk about grill culture without mentioning him.

Katy Perry

Katy Perry appeared at the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards wearing a custom grill that spelled out the title of her hit song, “Roar.”

She took things even further in her 2014 “Dark Horse” music video, wearing an elaborate $1 million grill designed by celebrity cosmetic dentist Dr. William Dorfman, best known for his appearances on Extreme Makeover. Created in collaboration with DaVinici Labs and Beverly Hills jeweler XVI Karat, the piece was later recognized by Guinness World Records as the most valuable grill, with a valuation of $1 million in 2017.

Perry’s stylist, Johnny Wujek, originally approached Dr. Dorfman about creating the custom piece for the video. The finished design featured an oval-shaped diamond surrounded by a diamond halo, floral clusters of diamonds and colored gemstones, and a pear-shaped sapphire. Not exactly your average dental accessory.

He worked with DaVinici Labs and XVI Karat Jewelers from Beverly Hills to complete the intricate, precious gemstone and diamond dental accessory. At the time, Perry’s stylist, Johnny Wujek, first reached out to Dr. Dorfman with a request for the custom piece for the music video.

Featuring an oval-shaped diamond encircled by a diamond halo, diamond and gemstone flower cluster motifs, and a pear-shaped sapphire, the defining dental implant shimmered in her smile.

Ja Morant

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant takes his team pride seriously, right down to his teeth. His custom “Grizzlies” grillz spell out the team’s name in VS+ brilliant-cut diamonds. It’s one way to show your team spirit, and certainly a lot more interesting than just wearing a jersey.

Lil Nas X

We had to give Lil Nas X not one, but two spots in our grillz hall of fame. For his birthday in 2021, the “Old Town Road” rapper commissioned a $28,000 diamond-and-opal grill from celebrity jeweler Alligator Jesus, featuring opal teeth surrounded by pavé diamonds. And because that apparently wasn’t enough sparkle, he paired the grill with a matching diamond manicure that reportedly cost $3,000 per nail.

Two years later, he took things even further at the 2023 Met Gala. Inspired by Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved cat Choupette, Lil Nas X arrived wearing little more than a thong, silver body paint, and thousands of crystals and pearls applied by makeup artist Pat McGrath. The transformation took hours and covered practically every inch of his body, including his face.

His teeth got the same extravagant treatment. The musician wore custom mother-of-pearl and diamond grillz set in white gold, complete with exaggerated fangs. Between the feline-inspired makeup, the elaborate dental jewelry, and the sheer number of crystals involved, it was one of the most memorable looks of the night.

GloRilla

GloRilla knows her way around a jewelry collection. In a 2023 interview with GQ, the Memphis rapper showed off her custom grillz by jeweler JimmyBoi, admitting she hadn’t been wearing them because they were a little too big. “My mouth be lookin’ real big when I put ’em in,” she joked. She also revealed that before getting the real thing, she used to put aluminum foil in her mouth. With a jewelry collection that includes diamond-covered pendants and personalized rings, it’s hardly surprising that grillz eventually entered the picture.

Quavo

As a founding member of Migos, Quavo has long been known for his extravagant jewelry collection, and his diamond grillz are no exception. Working closely with Houston jeweler Johnny Dang, one of hip-hop’s most sought-after grill makers, he has built an extensive collection over the years.

One of his most talked-about pieces debuted in 2018: a 17.5-carat baguette-cut diamond grill set using the “invisible set” technique and valued at $250,000. The piece featured 125 diamonds set in 18-karat white gold and took six months to complete, with each stone specially cut to fit his teeth.

Other notable designs include a 16-piece emerald-cut set that resembles church windows (Quavo’s own description), which Dang introduced in 2019 as a first-of-its-kind creation, and an open-face grill featuring baguette diamonds.

Jordan Chiles

Two-time Olympian and gymnastics star Jordan Chiles was so confident Team USA would win gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics that she commissioned a custom set of grillz before even arriving in France. And she had a very specific inspiration in mind: Beyoncé.

Taking cues from the singer’s Cowboy Carter era, Chiles worked with Houston jeweler Jimmy Phan, also known as Jimmy Boi, on a design featuring four pavé diamond-coated fronts and two solid gold fronts. After helping Team USA take home the gold in the women’s gymnastics team final, she flashed her new grillz on the podium. As Chiles told GQ, “Gold and gold, it went well.”

A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky has been experimenting with grillz for well over a decade. Back in the early 2010s, he was among the famous clients of Paris-based jewelry designer Dolly Cohen, whose custom creations were also worn by Rihanna and Cara Delevingne. Since then, diamond grillz have become a regular part of the rapper’s wardrobe, whether he’s onstage or walking a red carpet.

At the 2025 Met Gala, which celebrated Black dandyism, Rocky took his jewelry obsession to another level. As co-chair, he wore a custom look from his own creative agency, AWGE, paired with diamond-encrusted grillz, a custom umbrella covered in 90 carats of diamonds by Briony Raymond, and an impressive assortment of Bulgari high jewelry, including a diamond pinky ring featuring a 7.63-carat center stone. With that much going on, the grillz might actually have been the most understated part of his outfit.

Shaboozey

Country-meets-hip-hop star Shaboozey, best known for his breakout hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” and his collaborations with Beyoncé on Cowboy Carter, brought his signature Western style to the 2025 Met Gala. For his debut at the event, themed “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” he wore a custom Robert Wun suit adorned with more than 3,000 turquoise beads, along with a matching set of grillz by jeweler Alligator Jesus, featuring turquoise and diamonds. The result was a look that brought together his country influences and hip-hop roots, right down to his teeth.

Doechii

Doechii wasn’t about to make her Met Gala debut without a few surprises. For the 2025 event, the Grammy-winning rapper wore a custom Louis Vuitton look by Pharrell Williams, complete with tailored shorts, an oversized bow, a miniature Speedy bag, and an LV logo on her cheek.

And the designer details didn’t stop there. When she smiled, she revealed a set of gold grillz featuring the iconic LV monogram. It was a fitting finishing touch for a night celebrating Black dandyism, especially from an artist who has made experimenting with fashion part of her appeal.

Travis Scott

Houston-born rapper Travis Scott has made elaborate grillz a fixture of his jewelry collection. In 2016, while preparing to join Rihanna’s Anti World Tour, he commissioned a $25,000 set from fellow Houstonian and celebrity jeweler Johnny Dang. The custom design featured approximately 10 carats of blue, white, pink, and brown diamonds set in 18-karat gold. It was a particularly colorful departure from the traditional all-white diamond grill.

Scott has also embraced more personal designs, including his “La Flame” grill, a nod to his longtime nickname, made with baguette and round-cut diamonds set in 18-karat gold. And his relationship with Dang has continued: the jeweler even offers a diamond grill inspired by the one Scott wore on a GQ cover.

Jacob Elordi

Leave it to Jacob Elordi to turn a gold tooth into a romantic gesture. At the February 2026 Australian premiere of Wuthering Heights, the actor debuted a custom 14-karat gold cap by jewelry designer Jonathan Raksha of Maison Raksha. The piece was a nod to Elordi’s character, Heathcliff, who also sports a gold tooth in the film.

Engraved with intertwined C and H initials for Catherine and Heathcliff, the characters played by Margot Robbie and Elordi, the design also featured two star-set diamonds, one representing each character. Raksha told GQ that Elordi wanted something to remember the film by. A diamond-studded love letter, worn on his tooth? We’re into it.