Celebrated British photographer
Janette Beckman
has a career and body of work that most people could only ever dream
of. Beginning her career during the rise of the punk scene in the 70's
she comprehensively documented the movement whilst working for The Face
and Melody Maker, then making the move to New York, where she became
entangled in the rising movement of hip hop.
During her time in
New York, she became the prominent underground Hip Hop photographer, shooting
pioneering artists such as Africa Bambaataa, Grandmaster Flash and the
Furious Five, Salt’n’Pepa,
Run-DMC, Stetsasonic, Slick
Rick, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B. and Rakim, EPMD, NWA, Ice-T, 2
Live Crew, Ultramagnetic MCs, Beastie
Boys, Rick Rubin among many, many more. Those iconic images have
finally been compiled and published in her book
The Breaks: Stylin’ and Profilin’ 1982–1990, but in the meantime you can view some samples from the book to the right of this post.