- 696
- 10
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2005
For you to understand how fortunate of an experience this was, I should only have to tell you that Jonathan Mannion is the Michael Jordan of hip-hop photography. We entered the building of his studio soaked and tired from rushing over, having went to the wrong address at first. At the door, an old white-haired man with glasses greeted us with a voice as high-pitched as Justin Bieber, pre-Usher. I'm convinced he is an elf. We crammed into this rickety elevator with old, brass cross-gated doors up to Mannion's studio, and was welcomed by a wall of fame on film. Mannion stores every single photograph he's taken, of just about every big name in the industry you could think of, on several racks near the front of his studio.
The legendary portfolio. He has documented decades of defining hip-hop moments, shot a majority of Jay-Z’s album covers, relentlessly stuck with his vision, and is genuinely one of the most passionate people in the industry. This guy has contributed and sacrificed more for the culture than some of your favorite rappers, so pay homage.
As I closed my eyes to sleep on the Chinatown bus I thought, "Man, I hope I get to see the crusty toes of ODB in some heels, on this trip."
Happy belated birthday BIG.
"Big Boi from Outkast is a superstar dude. One of the greatest that we’ll experience, his vibe, his focus, his loyalty. I find that loyalty is a really important trait in me as a person, and I respond to people who remain loyal to me."- Mannion
Mos Def in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn for the cover of Fader.
A young Mannion having fun and goofing around.
Still having fun and still goofing around.
More to come from Jonathan Mannion and The SHHO.
