From Cash Money Records "taking over for the ’99 and the 2000" to now, grills have been an integral part of hip-hop culture. However, there have been moments throughout the rap game in which rhymers who eagerly flexed their neck, wrist and teeth adornments opted to remove the grills and floss the enamels they were born with or spent a few racks on.

Recently, 21 Savage shocked the hip-hop world with is new look—a white Colgate smile. The Atlanta-based rhymer had been rocking gold teeth since he hit the rap scene back in 2015 with his debut mixtape, The Slaughter Tape. Now, 21 Savage didn't have the diamond-laced grill like his rap peers. His mouth piece was a bit more old school—straight gold on his top and bottom teeth, similar to fellow ATL veteran rapper Gucci Mane. The image the Savage Mode 2 rapper shared via Instagram on March 22 didn't contain a caption, just 21 smiling from ear-to-ear.

Guwop also rocked gold grills for years—literally. Essentially, it was a part of his signature look accompanied by the ice cream tattoo he had inked on his face around 2011. These days, neither the teeth accessory nor the face ink can be seen on the rapper-turned-record label executive. After Gucci was released from prison in 2016 ,following a three-year sentence for federal gun and drug charges, his aesthetic was quite different from what people were accustomed to prior to when he went behind bars. His was more fit and flossed a bright white smile full of teeth. In fact, people tossed up the idea that the 1017 Records head honcho could've been a government clone. That's obviously preposterous, but it didn't stop folks from thinking it.

DaBaby was also known for his blinged-out grill—one that he didn't hesitate to display because his smile is almost as popular as his music. The North Carolina native spent about $20,000 in 2019 on his flawless, permanent mouthpiece with VVS diamonds, done by jeweler Johnny Dang & Co. in Houston. However, although some rappers have to shave their teeth down for permanent grills or veneers Baby did not. Fast-forward to 2020, and the Billion Dollar Baby Entertainment CEO ditched his icy grill and is happily flaunting his pearly white teeth.

21 Savage, Gucci Mane and DaBaby aren't the only rappers to make this transition, though. Take a look below to see a few other artists who have done the same over the years. Check out the rappers who ditched their grills for really expensive new teeth.

  • 21 Savage

  • DaBaby

  • Gucci Mane

    Gucci Mane at the Big Cat Records in Atlanta, Georgia.
    Frank Mullen, WireImage
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  • Plies

    Plies Gold Teeth Rappers Ditch Grills
    plies via Instagram
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  • Lil Yachty

    Lil Yachty Grill Rappers Ditch Grills
    lilyachty via Instagram
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  • Moneybagg Yo

    1RapNewsTV
    1RapNewsTV
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  • Young Thug

  • Kanye West

    Kanye West Grill Rappers Ditch Grills
    The Ellen Show via YouTube
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