Hip-hop’s biggest names come to Braam
JOBURG – Hip hop photographer is honoured at Thirteen.
You can see Snoop Dogg, Drake, Kanye West and all the other hip-hop favourites in Braamfontein in November.
In a long line of outstanding music partnerships including Hennessy Artistry Sessions from Hennessy South Africa, the cognac brand now brings one of the most published and most respected photographers in hip-hop culture, Jonathan Mannion, to Johannesburg in an exhibition titled Beyond the Covers.
From 2 to 5 November, exclusive prints of hip-hop’s biggest names including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Drake, Nas, Lauryn Hill, P Diddy, Usher, Outkast, Snoop Dogg, Nicki Minaj and Kendrick Lamar, this one-of-a-kind exhibition will pay tribute to hip-hop culture at Thirteen in Braamfontein.
Born and raised in Cleveland, hip-hop’s finest cameraman has captured some of the most iconic portraits to ever come out of hip-hop culture.
“My goal was to photograph all of the up-and-coming rap superstars of the time. No one had done it before,” the noted photographer and film director, Jonathan Mannion explained his artistic approach.
“My work is very intimate. Through my photos, I want people to feel like they are sharing a genuine moment in the lives of the international superstars I shoot.”
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Mannion didn’t study photography, but psychology and art – an interesting combination that illustrates his different insight of the business. Some of his photoshoots begin with a warm and patient process by engaging in in-depth conversations with each of his subjects or listening to an artist’s album. The final product is a medium format portrait born out of a genuine connection.
Through his unique encounters, Mannion has, over the past 20 years, captured the development of hip-hop culture – initially confidential and underground – and has since become a global phenomenon. He has produced more than 300 album covers for some of the biggest names in the hip-hop music industry. Through the Beyond the Covers exhibition, the portrait photographer gives a behind the scenes look at hip-hop artists and icons of their generation’s previously unseen images from his photoshoots.
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The exhibition is a selection of some of his favourites; images he would have chosen for iconic magazine and album covers if given the call.
The photography extraordinaire will also bring a wealth of knowledge with him that he will impart through a series of workshops during his stay in South Africa.
Details: @HennessySA on Facebook and Instagram; #HennessyxJMannion on social media
