FREE EVENT! CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HIP HOP "IN YOUR GRILL" – NEVER-BEFORE EXHIBITED HIP HOP PHOTOS FROM 80’S + 90’S

 

IN YOUR GRILL, HIP HOP PHOTO EXHIBIT  by Photographer MICHAEL BENABIB WHEN: Friday, April 14 - Thursday, April 27, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. WHERE: Legacy NYC, 98 Orchard Street, NY, NY NEVER-BEFORE EXHIBITED HIP HOP PHOTOS OF THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G., SNOOP DOG, LL COOL J, ERIC B + RAKIM, TUPAC, BIZMARKIE AND MORE Photography by New York native Michael Benabib who provided photos to teen fanzines Right On, Word-Up, Source, Vibe, Rolling Stone and more; exhibits never seen before images of some of the biggest names in hip-hop Native New Yorker, Celebrity photographer Michael Benabib, proudly of Mexican-American heritage, will exhibit some never-before-seen photos of the biggest Hip Hop stars of the ’80s and ’90s. The In Your Grill Exhibit is Free to the general public, and many rare, never before seen photos are available for purchase.  Michael Benabib has been a photographer his whole life. Born into a creative family and living downtown, Michael was exposed to the visual and cultural diversity of New York, which is evident in his body of work. A foundational moment, circa 1986, Benabib walked past a gathering of aspiring MCs at the original 298 Elizabeth Street storefront office of Rush Management and the original home of Def Jam Recordings. Noticing crowds of people hanging around the offices, his curiosity led him to the doors that began his career as a celebrity hip-hop photographer. Benabib asked to shoot some of the artists; it was this pivotal moment that Benabib’s dream of becoming a photographer was his career path—he shot a series of photos over several days while walking to work at a nearby photo studio. Now, over 35 years later, a few of those shots are some of the earliest Hip Hop images and is presented at this exhibit. That the artists and record company managers relied on his savvy photography skills and trusted him to be around the artists, perfecting their vision of their imagery. Over the years, fanzine teen magazines hired Benabib on celebrity assignments. Publicists and record companies also hired him to shoot major album covers. He was essential, giving Michael and these talented musicians the creative opportunities to develop their artistry together. Some photographs are exhibited at the Smithsonian, MOMA, The Metropolitan, Museum of Art, and the International Center of Photography. It is Michael’s pleasure to share this extensive collection depicting the rise of Hip Hop at Legacy NYC. About Michael Benabib: Michael Benabib is an American portrait photographer, known for his portraits of David Bowie, Tupac Shakur, Sean Combs, and Keith Richards among others. Notable portrait photography of public figures include Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz and Loretta Lynch. His work has appeared in publications including Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, Rolling Stone, Vibe, ESPN magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, NPR[8] and Newsweek. His work was included to photography collections on display by The Smithsonian and MoMa. For more information www.michaelbenabib.com