Answer me this,
Why do black people spend their money on “GRILLZ”
For the same reason you spend your money on Nikes.
For sentimental value? A history/story behind them? Thats why they spend all their money on grillz? Janelle, I have a strange feeling you have a grill…hahaha
Which brings me to my next point. I do own a grill! And I am not Black! So the question is - why do people spend their money on grills? Because it’s an aesthetic. Same goes to people buying nails, hair, shoes, sunglasses, jewelry, etcetera. It’s just an accessory. But if you want to get into the nitty gritty of Blacks and grills - there actually is a history behind them:
During slavery, slaves were of course denied quality dental and vision health care plans. However, on rare occasions, slave owners permitted rudimentary dental surgery to be conducted on their chattel. This, of course, was reserved only for the most valuable male slaves, those that an owner could not bear to lose to death caused by infection related to tooth decay. The slaves that received the dental work often had copper, tin, or sometimes bronze fillings for cavities and replacements. The metal in their mouth became a status symbol denoting their value to the master, and their superiority to the average slave, i.e. the more metal, the more importance. Showing one’s shiny “grill” became a way of notifying others (slaves, masters, etc) that you were important, and ultimately not to be messed with.
Of course it’s now been twisted and popularized, but you can get the gist.
