Famed Photographer Ernie Paniccioli’s Hip-Hop Photobook, Exhibit

Photographer Ernie Paniccioli will release "Who Shot Ya," on October 23rd. The book chronicles hip-hop via photos over the past three decades and features 200 full color photos from various points in hip-hop history. Paniccioli, who has shot everyone in the game from Afrika Bambaata to X-Clan told AllHipHop.com ""With this book, I want to […]

Photographer Ernie Paniccioli will release "Who

Shot Ya," on October 23rd. The book chronicles hip-hop via photos over

the past three decades and features 200 full color photos from various points

in hip-hop history.

Paniccioli, who has shot everyone in the game

from Afrika Bambaata to X-Clan told AllHipHop.com ""With this book,

I want to take people back to the time when energy, pride, culture, rawness

and street ruled hip-hop, not money, not huge multinational corporations."

The book, which contains text by journalist/activist/writer

Kevin Powell, is being published by Amistad/Harper and according to Paniccioli

is the first real visual look at hip-hop from an insiders point of view. "’Who

Shot Ya?’ will put a face on these hidden talents and nearly forgotten pioneers.

This book will tell the story of my life from being homeless at 13 in the streets

of Brooklyn and how I bore witness to the birth of hip-hop and how hip-hop saved

me from the streets."

Paniccioli said that the book will differ from

the type of photographs you may see in your favorite rap magazines. "I’d

shoot in a park, a bus stop, a train station, a project hallway for a couple

of hours and my work would be used as posters, album covers and magazine spreads…Now

a photo shoot includes dozens of people, assistants, stylists, makeup and hair

people, art directors, reps from the label, a caterer, reps from the magazine,

props, lights, huge, expensive studios, then after the shoot, dozens of hours

of Photoshop, retouching and approval from many, many people. The result is

a highly polished, artificial, over produced, glossy, safe set of images, far

removed from the streets, hip hop or rap."

In addition to the book Paniccioli will be open

what he calls the "largest one man hip-hop photo show in history. Titled

"101 Shots To Ya Dome," the exhibit is taking place in New York City

at the Urban Experience Gallery, across from the South Street Seaport at 85

south Street. Photos from my book "Who Shot Ya" will be displayed

along with never before seen hip-hop classic. I’ve been doing this for all of

my adult life, since the 70’s, it is about time I get props for my art, my love,

my photography, my documentation and my labor to globally advance the art of

hip-hop photography. For more info: 212-514-5700.