Catch a 'Contact High' at The Annenberg Space of Photography
I'm a sucker for old school, boom bap, new york style hip-hop. I adore A Tribe Called Quest, worship the Wu-Tang Clan and live for some DMX. My dad raised me on Tupac, DJ Quick, and N.W.A. Hip-Hop and rap have always the root of my love for music and led me to chase a career in the industry. So you can imagine my excitement when The Annenberg Space of Photography announced their latest exhibition, 'CONTACT HIGH: A Visual History of Hip-Hop.' An intimate look at some of the most prominent photographers during the golden age of Hip-Hop and beyond. A collection of contact sheets that travel through the evolution of style, attitude, and power of rap.
The gallery greets you with negative slides on the main screen, with pictures of rappers like slick rick, Easy E, Run DMC, and much more. Old Nas and Wu-Tang Clan cassettes are displayed next to a Zulu Nation medallion. A life-sized contact sheet of Big L's cover for Lifestylez ov da Poor & Dangerous, standing on a set of steps in harlem sits beside the display case. As you move through the hallway, Biggie's infamous Rolling Stone photos are hung next to the actual crown he wore. Contact sheets of Lauryn Hill, Erykah Badu, and Eve reveal intimate moments between artists and photographers. Brings back the nostalgia of shooting with film and reminding how much use to go into the rollout of an artist.
The most powerful photo in the collection is a 1998 panoramic picture by Gordon Parks of almost every rapper during the golden era. Appropriately titled, 'A Great Day in Hip Hop.' As you move through the gallery the photos improve quality, the artists develop and the walls lead you to the short film in their circle theater. In the next room, a makeshift record store is playing The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick on vinyl and selling the Contact High book.
If you love hip-hop in any capacity you do not want to miss this exhibition. The gallery is free and open from April 26-Aug 19th. We recently attended a panel with notable photographers in the music industry including Estevan Oriol, Jorje Peniche and much more. Don't forget to validate your parking on the way out and sign up for the email list to get notified of any future events.
