Rumors Surrounding Juelz Santana's Front Teeth Have Followed Him for Years

One of the most anticipated Verzuz rap battles of all time, The Diplomats vs. The Lox, finally took place on August 3, 2021, and many were shocked by its outcome. With veteran rappers Juelz Santana, Cam'ron, Freeky Zeeky, and Jim Jones pitted against fellow New York natives Jadakiss, Sheek Louch, and Styles P, many were shocked when the fairly unanimous decision came down and The Lox walked away from it all victorious.

Both The Diplomats and The Lox have impacted the sonic landscape of New York hip hop as well as the genre as a whole, and seeing them face off was a defining moment for an entire generation of fans of their music. These artists have further proven their prowess and staying power, and nobody embodies changing with the times and remaining relevant as well as Juelz Santana.

In a career that has spanned decades and the adoration of millions, Juelz has become a kingpin among the longest-standing stars of hip hop. As a result, both his public and private lives have been the subject of much scrutiny.

Oddly enough, one of the biggest rumors that has followed Juelz for years actually has nothing to do with his music, but rather with his dental health. So, what exactly happened to Juelz's teeth? Here's what we know.

Longtime fans of Juelz and The Diplomats (endearingly referred to as Dipset) are likely already familiar with the rumors that Juelz has had problems with his front teeth, but the exact reasoning behind why seems to have something to do with prior drug use.

To break down the rumor a bit more, it's important that we trace its origins, which seems to have begun with the release of The Diplomats' 2018 music video for "Sauce Boyz."

Keen-eyed viewers of the music video noticed that there was something up with Juelz's two front teeth, specifically, that they simply weren't there. This immediately led to plenty of speculation on social media among fans who wondered what had happened to the rapper's pearly whites in the time since they had seen him last (prior to his 2018 incarceration on weapons charges).

It wasn't just fans who took to the internet to question what had happened to Juelz's teeth, however. Even big names such as fellow rapper 50 Cent got in on the joke, posting a since-deleted meme showing himself on Google, searching, "What happened to Juelz Santana teeth?"

It didn't take long for Juelz to clap back, clearly fed up with the hate he was getting, by posting an image to Instagram showing off a fresh set of replacement front teeth with the caption, "Next.."

Nonetheless, Juelz seemingly wasn't happy with the response the internet gave to his progress post (or with 50 Cent's response in particular, who called his veneers "chiclets teeth"), so he took to the Season 9 premiere of Love and Hip Hop: New York to clear the air surrounding the situation once and for all.

In the episode, Juelz got candid about the true reason behind why his front teeth were missing, attributing the loss to prolonged drug use.

Although he never specified the exact substance that brought about the serious tooth decay, many fans and even medical professionals have speculated that it was due to methamphetamine usage, which tends to impact teeth and gums more profoundly than other hard drugs.

Juelz has since worked through the rumors (and the slight lisp he had after the teeth replacement) and has retained the respect and adoration he commands over fans worldwide to this day.