By Kurt Howard

When it comes to hip hop culture it is hard to keep all the hip hop jewelry terms apart. But don't worry because I am going to straighten it all out for you.

Bling - Bling is the term that is used to describe expensive jewelry and also, to describe a lifestyle built around excessive spending. The term bling was first made mainstream by rapper B.G., whos 1999 album contained a song title 'Bling Bling". The track described the lavish lifestyle in which BG and his rap counterparts lived. The term bling has also been used lately as a sarcastic term to describe the seeming vicarious hip hop culture.

Grills - Grill (Grillz) is a term used to refer to a cosmetic dental apparatus featuring gold, platinum, or silver caps which is worn over the teeth. Grills are often fitted with diamond inlays and other precious stones. Grills are often a way to show off ones wealth and success. The term grills has been around for years but came to prominence with the 2005 single by rapper Nelly titled "Grillz". Rapper Paul Wall made the term grillz even more mainstream with his major label debut "The People's Champ". Throughout the album Paul Wall makes numerous references to his own grill and the fact that he owns a business which manufactures grills.

Ice - The term ice (also commonly used as "Iced Out") refers to any type flashy jewelry. It is commonly used in the same regard as bling but is heavily related to jewelry. Iced is often used when talking about a person's jewelry which is covered with diamonds, platinum, other sparkly and valuable materials.

I hope this article helped you understand how to properly use the terms, ice, grills, and bling. Now that you know the proper definitions you can start using them in your daily conversations!