When people think of dental jewelry or “grills” these days, they see it as a gaudy modern showcase of conspicuous consumption, a literal “in-your-face” sign that you’ve made it. But the practice of adorning teeth with precious materials started as far back as 800 BC with the elite Etruscan women of what is now Tuscany, Italy. While most of modern civilization has left the practice behind, hip-hop artists, specifically those from the South, have kept ornamental teeth an integral part of their culture.

Hip-hop legend Big Gipp has had a long history with dental jewelry, having been one of the first to sport platinum grills. His original inspiration? The late Richard Kiel and his iconic role as the James Bond supervillain, Jaws. He’s traced the rise of grills and their evolution beyond something originally associated with black hip-hop culture.