Dear East Harlem, I wanted to personally communicate that we will be returning to in-person meetings going forward. Unfortunately, we only received confirmation yesterday that the Mayor is no longer extending the Emergency Orders, which permitted us to meet virtually. Although this notice came later than we hoped, we are thankful for our relationships with…
NYC Mayor Eric Adams today unveiled ‘Pathways to an Inclusive Economy’ — a blueprint for making significant improvements in talent development, job training, and employment services from Harlem to Hollis. The blueprint, developed by the Future of Workers Task Force and established by Mayor Adams in Executive Order 22 last summer, is already being delivered on through FutureReadyNYC — a historic…
Visually documenting hip hop’s history is a task Jamel Shabazz took on as the genre began flourishing globally during the 1980s. As a social historian, he knew the importance of doing so early on prior to Corporate America getting its claws involved. Growing up in Brooklyn’s Red Hook Projects during the 1960s and ’70s, he was greatly influenced by the Black Power and Civil Rights Movements prevalent then.
“With the gift comes the responsibility to do some good,” he notes. “I picked up the camera and acquired knowledge-of-self around the same time. Doing work that’s meaningful is important. Having knowledge-o-self gave me a sense of direction and my camera was my compass, making sure our history is preserved.”
Inspired by his father, who was also a photographer, he began shooting at age 15. “He laid down the foundation and possessed a vast library of these incredible books that gave me a gateway to the world,” he explains. “Album covers introduced me to another aspect of photography.”
He recalled witnessing urban creativity in the 700s, being influenced by Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poets, and various magazines. “The photographs helped me develop a love for photography.”
While in the military in the early ’80s, he became aware of the Black Arts Movement. “It helped me understand the importance art and culture held in uplifting people. I want to inspire others.”
He mentions photographer Leonard Freed’s book “Black in White America” as an early inspiration, before explaining his process.
“What took place before the photo was the conversations about life, then we move forward,” he explains. “It was about my journey, it’s about engagement, it was about offering enlightenment.”
Going down memory lane: “The Supreme Team was the first time I heard hip hop on the radio, early ’80s. Melle Mel’s ‘The Message’ stood out.”
Due to his interest in Black socializing, he parlayed that into his work. “KRS’ ‘Self Destruction’ video, that’s when I saw the true power of hip hop. Also, Dr. Dre’s ‘We’re All in the Same Gang.’ They all came together to address the problems in our community.”
Shabazz recalled a late ’80s event in Chicago as his initial hip hop assignment, capturing Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Big Daddy Kane, and MC Shan, and also credits an 1988 homeless drive at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. “That’s really the first time I saw artists use their platform to address social issues.”
His photos have appeared in popular journals like The Source, Trace, One World, and Vibe
“It was really the hip hop publications that gave me my foundation and helped me build an international fan base,” Jamel contends.
One of his highlights is when Dave Chapelle asked him personally to document his 2004 “Block Party.” “It was one of my greatest musical moments,” he says before mentioning LL, Guru, Yasim Bey and The Roots, among his favorites. “There’s so many.”
Along with “Back In The Day”, and “A Time Before Crack,” he has 10 other books and has been featured in several documentaries.
“Photographers are very conscious people because we see things. As artists we must use our position to make the world a better place. We need the voice of these young rappers addressing social issues. We need the consciousness to come back into the music.”
Currently Shabazz has two exhibitions: “Albums” at the Gordon Parks Foundation in Pleasantville, NY, running through July, and “Faces and Places” at the Brooklyn Museum til Sept. 22
Impressive ancient Greek temples, Baroque architecture, pristine nature reserves, fabulous beaches, bustling outdoor markets, a rich and varied cuisine… Sicily has something for every type of traveler. Studded with a staggering array of archaeological treasures and ringed by idyllic beaches, this Italian island astounds with its abundance of experiences. Here are ten tips to make sure…
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks. The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez today announced a historic expansion of technology-career pipelines for New York City students, including through major commitments from tech giant Google. DOE and CUNY will partner…
Altina Schinasi Miranda, August 4, 1907 – August 19, 1999, an American heiress, sculptor, filmmaker, entrepreneur, window dresser, designer, and best known for designing the Harlequin eyeglass or Cat-Eye frames. Altina Schinasi Miranda was the youngest child born to the Schinasi family. She was born at the Schinasi residence at 351 Riverside Drive at 107th Street in…
Celebrate disability inclusion at the 21st annual Achilles Hope & Possibility® 4M Presented by TD Bank. On Sunday, nearly 7,000 runners and walkers of all abilities will participate in our Achilles Hope & Possibility 4M Presented by TD Bank. Race celebrates diversity and disability inclusion. One of those athletes is Puspa Poarangan, a longtime Harlem resident, who has…
Black and white photography has many fans. They claim it is the only real art form, forgetting about other kinds of art. One of them we want to talk about today. Color photography is not something you can do well without practice. Contrast plays a very big role in this type. It’s very difficult to…
Staking cryptocurrencies might seem like the realm of tech wizards, entangled in the mystical world of blockchains and nodes. Yet, the reality is far from this perception. An exciting world of passive income awaits those brave enough to step into the crypto realm, and you don’t need to be a Silicon Valley prodigy to be…
As part of Juneteenth weekend, the Harlem Festival of Culture (HFC) hosted the 2nd Annual Black Independence Awards (BIA) on June 17 at Harlem Parish.
HFC designed the Awards to spotlight the leaders, entrepreneurs, artists and creators whose contributions have proven to be cultural, social and economic drivers for the Harlem community.
BIA precedes the inaugural Harlem Festival of Culture taking place July 28 to 30.
Helmed by award-winning journalist and host Selena Hill, BIA featured several awards categories highlighting different areas of focus. This year’s Special Awards recipients include: hip hop legend, cultural icon and entrepreneur Cam’ron (The Legacy Leader Award); Social Justice Leader, Author and Movement Strategist Tamika Mallory (The Champion Award) and the leadership team behind the signature annual celebration of the community – Harlem Week (The Vanguard Award).
Contributed photos
Rachel Noerdlinger
Yvonne McNair and Cam’ron
Sharon Mallory and Tamika Mallory
Sherifa Gayle
In addition to the Special Awards honorees, winners were selected across six additional categories. Nominees in these categories spanned across industries and areas of practice to recognize individuals, businesses and leaders who are making an invaluable impact in the Harlem community and who are not always recognized for their contributions.
The Flex Your Style Award Presented by Shark Beauty: Felicia Michelle Strong
Social Impact Award: Rachel Noerdlinger
Cultural Heritage Award: Lee Lee’s Baked Goods
Maverick Award: Harlem Hops
Visionary Award: Denny Moe’s
Entrepreneurial Award: Black N Ugly
Prior to presenting the Entrepreneurial Award, President & CEO, National Urban League Marc Morialspoke to the attendees about the renowned organization’s historic plans to remain in New York City with one of the largest and most significant building projects in Harlem in 50 years Originally founded in Harlem, NUL’s The Urban League Empowerment Center, located on 125th Street Between Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Boulevard and Lenox Avenue – will include headquarters, New York’s first civil rights museum and the National Urban League Conference Center for Race, Equity and Justice. Morial also detailed how integral it was for NUL to ensure that affordable housing was a key piece of the project.
Harlem Festival of Culture Co-Founder Yvonne McNair, who presented the Award to Cam’ron, first gave the audience a preview of what people can expect at the upcoming Festival which will feature a diverse roster of artists including FERG, Teyana Taylor, Cam’ron, Wyclef Jean, Muni Long, Bell Biv DeVoe and many more.
Award-winning violinist Mapy AKA The Violin Queen had attendees on their feet a special surprise musical tribute to Cam’ron performing some of his greatest hits.
