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Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, appears to have added a titanium structure to his teeth, another massive trick from the controversial producer and recording artist who is about to release another album.
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On Wednesday, Ye posted a photo on his Instagram Stories that showed his mouth open with what looked like titanium covered by another material. A second photo showed the character Jaws from the James Bond films “The Spy Who Loved Me” and “Moonraker,” who had metal teeth.
“The technical term is fixed prosthetics. They are solid and permanent. This goes far beyond veneers or grilles. “It's completely different than anything that's ever been done before,” said a person close to Ye, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on Ye's behalf. “It’s experimental dentistry, to say the least.
“All in all, he didn’t have his teeth removed,” the person said.
The procedure, which created a denture-like structure unique to Ye's teeth, cost $850,000, according to the person.
The prosthetics were designed by Ye and a team of dentists and plastic surgeons, the person close to Ye said. Thomas Connelly, a Beverly Hills-based dentist who has designed custom dental art for entertainers and athletes, made the model to fit Ye.
“It was a pleasure to work on every step of the process,” Connelly told the Chron. “His vision for creating unique art extends beyond dental advancements.”
Many on social media wondered if Ye even had his teeth removed, and some headlines suggested that Ye had his teeth replaced. Dental technician Naoki Hayashi, who reportedly worked on the new prosthesis, posted a photo on his Instagram story of an article noting that the teeth were removed and replaced with dentures. “Kanye West!!! New Fashion!!” Hayashi wrote.
Ye has changed the design of his teeth in the past. He told Ellen DeGeneres in 2010 that he had the bottom row of his teeth replaced with diamonds and gold implants.
“They really are my real teeth. I replaced my bottom row of teeth,” he said. “I just think there are certain things rock stars should do.”
The latest stunt comes as Ye once again prepares to release a collaboration album with Ty Dolla $ign titled “Vultures,” which was originally scheduled to arrive in January but has since been pushed back to February. Ye made headlines in December after he apologized in Hebrew for a series of anti-Semitic slurs in 2022.
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