Grillz
Grillz
-
съемные платиновые или золотые конструкции,
которые располагаются поверх естественных
зубов. Появивишись в США в конце 70-х ,
начале 80-х годов ХХ века,
grillz
(или как их по- другому называют -
fronts,
в настоящее время стали неотемлемой частью
американской рэп и хип-хоп культуры. А поэтому
особенно распространены среди чернокожих
рэпперов, являясь своего рода показателем успеха
и "крутизны".
История Grillz
Во времена рабства в США чернокожие рабы
были лишены какой бы то ни было
стоматологической помощи. Тем не
менее, в редких случаях рабовладельцы разрешали
оказывать простейшую стоматологическую помощь
своим рабам. Но даже простейшие
стоматологические услуги оказывались не всем, а
только лишь особо ценным рабам мужского пола -
тем, которых рабовладелец особенно не хотел бы
потерять из-за их смерти, вызванной
заболеваниями зубов.
Рабы, которым оказывалась стоматологическая
помощь,
часто
имели медные, оловянные или даже бронзовые
пломбы и протезы. Присутствие металла во рту
придавало им особый статус, означающий их
особенную ценность для хозяина и их
превосходство
над другими рабами.
То
есть, больше металла - больше значительности.
Демонстрируя сияющие
grillz,
такие рабы доводили до всеобщего сведения то, что
они
имеют особую ценность и поэтому с ними нельзя
обращаться небрежно.
С ликвидацией рабства эта традиция осталась, так
как далеко не все бывшие чернокожие невольники
могли себе позволить дорогостоящие
стоматологические услуги.
Второе
дыхание
grillz
получили в конце 80-х годов, когда
стремительно стал набирать обороты рэп -
новомодное тогда музыкальное направление,
возникшее в недрах афроамериканской
поп-культуры. Огромные гонорары и безудержное
желание выделиться привело к повсеместному
распространению
grillz
среди чернокожих рэпперов, превратив
изготовление
grillz
в индустрию.
К тому же стоматология к тому времени вышла на
такой уровень развития, который позволял
удовлетворить самые взыскательные требования
желающих обзавестись такими символами успеха
и процветания.
Сейчас уже невозможно точно установить как,
почему и где именно современные
grillz
получили реинкарнацию. Вот три наиболее
известные теории.
Теория
#1:
Grillz started in the south
The notion that people sporting gold teeth
originated in the dirty south (Mississippi,
Georgia,
Alabama, Louisiana) is actually only a part of a
bigger notion that reflects the idea that
anything
Black must have started in the south. While
this is largely true (largely, not completely)
this theory
is neither accurate enough nor precise enough to
have meaning. It is true that what you and I
refer
to as grillz today (using precious metal and or
stones in place of teeth) has its roots in the
dirty dirty.
This
theory lacks accuracy because the south is HUGE
and it lacks precision because grillz (today)
doesn’t just refer to metal dental work. In
other words, claiming that grillz came from the
south is a lot like claiming that Krispy Kreme™
came from France. Sure, doughnuts came from
France, but
anyone who’s ever almost had a car accident
trying to bust a U-turn upon seeing a “Hot Now”
sign in the window can tell you that Krispy
Kreme™ has revolutionized the doughnut
industry. My point is that what was French has
changed so drastically that it can no longer
(accurately) be called French anymore. The same
is true with grillz. Contemporary hip hop icons
have taken grillz and turned it into something
different all together.
Grillz (also known as fronts) slide over
existing teeth and consist of metals and/or
precious stones such as platinum and diamonds.
Depending on the stone, metal and number of
teeth to be fronted, prices can range anywhere
from $50 to several thousand. Predecessors to
grillz weren't easily removable and involved
reshaping the tooth to accommodate a new crown,
often in gold, silver or platinum. Now, custom
grillz require a dental mold upon which the
metal and stones are mounted.
Теория
#2:
The
Hot Boys
started Grillz.
This one is just plain false. Although
Turk, BG, Juvenile, and
Lil
Wayne did give grillz a lot of
exposure, they were not the originators. There
is much speculation as to who was the first
rapper to rock a grill.
The grillz trend actually began taking shape
much earlier- during the early 1980s. Most
people credit New York’s
Eddie Plein (owner of
Eddie’s Gold Teeth) for kicking
things off.
Plein reportedly outfitted
Flava Flav with a set of gold
caps, who was eventually followed by a slew of
other top New York rappers, including
Big
Daddy Kane and
Kool
G Rap.
Plein then moved to Atlanta and
began designing more elaborate (and more
expensive) grillz for artists including
OutKast, Goodie Mob, Ludacris
and
Lil
Jon.
When the south exploded into the forefront of
hip hop in the early 2000s, so did the grillz
phenomenon. From there the grillz lineage can be
clearly traced from Atlanta (see above) to
Memphis (8-Ball
& MJG) to New Orleans (No
Limit, Cash Money), to Houston (Bun
B, Paul Wall), to St. Louis (Nelly).
And of course, Bay area natives stake a rightful
claim to the grillz tradition as well (Too
Short, others).
Теория
#3:
Having a grill means you’re tough.
C’Mon.
Bow
Wow has a grill.
Grillz have been a part of hip hop since the
early days, and all indications are that they
are not going anywhere anytime soon. Like
everything else hip hop, grillz are big
business. Companies are springing up all across
the country that cater to the grillz market,
with names like
GotGrillz, GoldTeeth.com, and
Mr.
Bling. With unlimited
advertising supplied by the legions of artists
rocking grillz (I saw one on
Regis and Kelly the other day)
the grillz movement may not even be at its peak.
Of course, there are haters. School districts
in Alabama and Georgia have banned students from
wearing grillz in the classroom, and similar
measures are being planned in Texas. Apparently
some educators aren’t cool with students wanting
to
Rob
the jewelry store and tell them make me a grill.
And let’s not forget those pesky dental health
advocates who point out the health risks
associated with having foreign metal objects in
your mouth for long periods of time, such as
cavities, gum disease and even bone loss.
Grillz may be here to stay, but this is one
bandwagon you won’t see me jumping on.
