GRILLZ: the Interesting and Complex Life of a Commodity
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GRILLZ:GRILLZ: TheThe InterestingInteresting andand ComplexComplex LifeLife ofof aa CommodityCommodity Nishika Vidanage Nina Granberry What is a grill? Department of Sociology and Anthropology •A grill is a decorative mouth accessory, a Production dental piece worn over teeth. Blood Diamonds •Grills can be made out of gold, silver, or •In 2002, the UN approved the Kimberley Process scheme aimed at preventing Custom Made Grills platinum and adorned with precious gems conflict diamonds entering the market. •The first form of mouth grills; a mold of the customers mouth is taken such as diamonds. and a custom made grill is constructed. •Kimberly Process: •Grills are custom fit by taking a mold of the The Kimberley Process is a joint government, international diamond industry •The grill is either permanently placed inside the mouth and adhered teeth and then designing it to custom fit your and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds - rough diamonds with dental cement or teeth. Dental Grillz that are used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments. The trade in these illicit stones has contributed to devastating •The grill is a “pull out” and snaps into place over the teeth conflicts in countries such as Angola, Cote d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of History Congo and Sierra Leone. The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme is an •Oral adhesive is used to attach semi-precious stones to the grill or •Grills originated in the southern states of America (states innovative, voluntary system that imposes extensive requirements on •If the customer chooses, notches can be made into the grill so that the such as Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and Louisiana). Participants to certify that shipments of rough diamonds are free from conflict diamonds. The Kimberley Process is composed of 45 Participants, including the stones are permanently set into the grill. •Grills are considered to be part of the southern African- European Community. Kimberley Process Participants account for American Culture. approximately 99.8% of the global production of rough diamonds. At Home Grill Kits •Popular among youth who cannot afford to have custom fit grill •Before the 2005 debut of “Grillz” by artist Nelly, grills were made. already integrated into the urban culture. •Sold on the internet, these grill kits boast a “perfect fit” with “no fail” directions on how to use the silicone casting bar. •Originally, grills were not removable; the teeth were capped with gold. Now, grills are removable mouth •Usually made of a cheaper material. Flava Flav pieces. •Since there are air pockets around the casting bar, the customer Diamonds is more susceptible to oral infections and bacterial buildup. •About 130 million carats (26,000 kg) are mined annually, with a total value Raw Materials of nearly USD $9 billion. About 100 tons are synthesized annually. Grills are composed of either gold, silver, or platinum. Victims of Blood Contrasting who wears the diamonds Marketing •Synthetic diamonds are produced Diamond Violence and who mines them. •Aimed at the urban community. Gold each year at nearly four times the rate of natural diamonds, the vast majority Diamond Mine De Beers •Gold is the most commonly used element of synthetic diamonds produced are •The De Beers Group is a Johannesburg-based diamond mining and •Grills are a major fashion trend for grills small imperfect diamonds suitable trading corporation. In the 1980s, the firm had a near de facto monopoly that appeals to status and wealth. only for industrial-grade use. on the world's diamond trade (80% share). However, that share has •Major producers of Gold are South Africa, been reduced to 60% due to discoveries outside of De Beers' control •Most advertising of grills is in Canada, the United States, and Australia. such as in Russia and Canada. through the Internet. •Gold is currently valued at USD $647.00 Effects of •The rapper Paul Wall is the Blood •De Beers has actively promoted diamonds as being symbolic of eternity per ounce Gold Nuggets largest manufacturer of high Diamonds and love, and therefore the ideal jewel for an engagement or wedding ring. quality grills. Johnny Dang, Paul Wall, and Nelly Dirty Gold Silver Diamonds •Like Blood or Conflict Diamonds, •Silver is used as a •Their famously successful advertising campaigns have included •Johnny Dang is the leading manufacturer of the more •Self advertisements the mining and sale of gold in cheaper alternative to a Blood (Conflict) Diamonds measures such as: showing diamonds as wedding gifts in popular African countries has resulted in gold grill. romance films publishing stories in magazines and newspapers which pricier grills. •Diamonds mined in a war zone and sold, •Ads in the back of Hip-Hop magazines conflict, destruction, and abuse of would emphasize the romantic value of diamonds and associate them usually clandestinely, in order to finance human rights. •Major producers of with celebrities employing fashion designers and other trendsetters to an insurgent or invading army's war •Urban clothing stores Silver are Canada, promote the trend on radio and, later, television enlisting the British efforts. •The retailers, which are the Zale Mexico, Peru, Australia Royal Family to directly promote diamonds sponsoring the 2007 •Local businesses Corp., the Signet Group (Kay and the United States. Formula 1 car for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro •The United Nations has prohibited the Jewelers), Tiffany & Co., export of conflict diamonds, arguing that Helzberg Diamonds, Fortunoff, •Silver is currently •Grills appear the most in rap videos. their trade finances combatants, who may Cartier, Piaget, and Van Cleef & valued at USD $5.00 Adhesives at one time or another be fighting for or Arpels, are being praised by the per ounce. •Dental Cement •Rappers love to flaunt their affluence by purchasing Dirty Gold Logo against a government, but it is civilians No Dirty Gold campaign. •Permanent grills are adhered to the teeth with dental expensive jewelry and flashy cars. who bear the brunt of violence and cement, using the same procedure one uses when mutilations. capping teeth. •Grills are adorned with various •Grills symbolize a certain type of lifestyle. jewels, however diamonds are the •Example: UNITA rebels in Angola and to •Silicone Casting Bar •Grills project a sign of wealth, the ‘thug life’, or black most commonly used gems. the Revolutionary United Front rebels in •Pull out grills are held in the mouth by a silicone XXL Magazine culture. Sierra Leone, who states they were casting bar, which snap into place. DeBeers a.k.a. •Diamonds are the hardest known financed by the government of Liberia •These Casting Bars come with “one size fits all” grills. natural material and is the most Element 6 Effects of Blood Diamonds also through diamond sales. •The silicone casting bar, after being submerged in hot expensive of the two best known Silver Nugget water, molds to the shape of the teeth ensuring a Consumption forms of carbon, whose hardness “perfect fit”. and high dispersion of light make it Blood Diamonds •Men aren’t the only ones who wear grills useful for industrial applications and Platinum nugget •The diamond industry website, www.diamondfacts.org, claims that 99% of •I.e. Venus and Serena Williams, Brooke jewelry. diamonds are not conflict by the U.N. definition. The U.S. Government •Younger generations are the Hogan, Paris Hilton, and Britney Spears all have Accountability Office reported in September 2006 that conflict diamonds are largest consumers of grills, grills. •About 49% of diamonds originate Platinum still entering the United States. who are the main supporters from central and southern Africa, •Platinum, a rare element, is the of the Hip-Hop culture. •Before the ‘pullout’ became popular, having a although significant sources of the most expensive material used to •Conflict diamonds may also be becoming less traceable. A recent book, permanent grill was as common as getting a tattoo. mineral have been discovered in make grills. "Blood from Stones," links Al-Qaeda to diamonds. The terrorist group is likely Canada, India, Russia, Brazil, and using the diamonds in place of cash, which thanks to stronger legislation on Australia. They are generally mined •Major producers of Platinum are seizing terrorist associated bank accounts are not as viable. from volcanic pipes, which are deep South Africa, Colombia, certain in the Earth where the high pressure western states of the United States, •The media attention on conflict diamonds, has lead to a number of attempts and temperature enables the and Ontario, Canada. to promote an ethical alternative to conflict diamonds. Canada and its formation of the crystals. diamond manufacturers are promoting their domestically-produced diamonds •Platinum is currently valued at USD as conflict-free, as are synthetic diamond manufacturers such as Adia Effects of Blood Diamonds At home Grill kit $1154.00 per ounce. Diamonds, Gemesis and Apollo Diamond. Brooke Hogan.