According to Artnet News, Yasiin Bey is launching a new Hip-Hop inspired art gallery in the Port Morris neighborhood of the South Bronx, in New York.  Yasiin Bey and advertising executive Free Richardson have announced the opening of an art gallery next month dubbed, The Compound. The idea for the gallery emerged out of another Bronx-based space called The Compound, a studio and workshop facility that Richardson opened in 2008. The move reportedly comes in an attempt to keep Hip-Hop and art of all kinds in an area known for its rich history in the grander art community.

“The gallery will serve as a space for all mediums of art,” Yasiin Bey said. “Free will run day-to-day operations alongside staff and I will bring in curatorial and special projects.”

“For me everything is art. What often happens is that certain artists don’t get a fair chance, and a lot of galleries don’t accept certain artists. The whole blue-chip world isn’t fair because certain artists that are just as good will never be accepted,” Richardson adds.

The first show at The Compound will feature the work of Jonathan Mannion, a career photographer in Hip-Hop who has photographed genre icons including The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, OutKast, Lauryn Hill, and of course Yasiin Bey himself.

Outkast by Jonathan Mannion courtesy of The Compound

There is no doubt that the launch of The Compound is Bey’s attempt to combat the issue of gentrification that many Bronx natives have been combating and stemming from the Brooklyn natives interview on The Ed Lover Podcast last weekend (Jul 13), where he spoke about childhood trips to the Bronx and affirming his love for the culture.

Details for the new gallery’s exhibition schedule are still being finalized.

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The post Yasiin Bey To Open An Art Gallery In the South Bronx appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed. Photo Credit: Eric Salvary/Get Fit Radio TV

Photographer, Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed checked in with Scoop B Radio podcast’s Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson. Press Play Below To Listen!

If you read articles on the internet then you’ve seen his work. Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed has photographed the latest and greatest.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama, Dwyane Wade, Jay-Z, Fabolous, DJ Khaled, P.Diddy and many more have been photographed under the keen lens of Calligrafist.

His photography is a bridge between fashion, lifestyle, hip hop and culture.

He’s everywhere!  Literally!

Homeboy’s work has appeared in reputable publications such as Billboard, ESPN, Bleacher Report, HBO, CBS Sports, Complex, Catch Restaurant, Reebok, Nike, Adidas, New York Fashion Week, DJ USA, Hot 97, Power 105.1, S.O.B.’s, Tidal, BET, VIBE, Mass Appeal, The Shade Room, Hype Beast, The Source Magazine, REVOLT, RESPECT Magazine, Bleu Magazine and Elliot Wilson and Brian ‘B.Dot” Miller’s Rap Radar.

All of that said…guess what? He’s not comfortable! 

“The kind of person that I am, I just want to do more,” Calligraist told RESPECT Magazine today by phone.

“This is just the beginning.” 

Forever Uptown… it’s a Harlem Thing. | #CalligrafistChronicles | www.CalligrafistPhotography.com

A post shared by Ismail اسما عيل Calligrafist™ (@calligrafist) on Dec 15, 2017 at 7:12pm PST

Harlem, NY bred and globally influenced, Calligrafist actually didn’t aspire to be a photographer. In fact, he fell in love with the art of graffiti and calligraphy; hence the nickname, ‘Calligrafist.’

A man of faith, the devout Muslim is college educated at Jamia Madinatul Uloom University in Trinidad & Tobago, where he studied Quranic Studies and Arabic reading and writing.

Calligrafist acknowledges seasoned hip hop photographers like Johnny Nunez and Jonathan Mannion  who have undoubtedly paved the way for on-the rise photographers such as himself. Calligrafist emphasizes that he’s glad to sit at the table with them and eat, while also gaining their respect for his skin in the game. “It’s genuinely cool to have intimate conversations with them,” he said.

“It’s more humbling that I am able to have direct access to people that I look up to like them and someone like Lenny S., DJ Clark Kent, Emory Jones, that have a name in the industry, people that have a place in the culture, for people to acknowledge me for more my work; that’s an honor. That’s more humbling. But it moves me to want to do more.”

For more information on Calligrafist and his photographic/art movement, visit www.calligrafistphotography.com and scroll up and press play to listen to our chat on Scoop B Radio! 

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The post Scoop B: Photographer Ismail “Calligrafist” Sayeed is a rising star who has stayed true to both his Islamic faith & his craft appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

One of our favorite photographers in the game, Jonathan Mannion, recently sat down with Ebro for an interview at Hot 97. He touches on his early classics covers for Jay Z, Eminem, DMX and others. He also discusses his new work with AKOO. Check it out below.

The post Video: Jonathan Mannion Discusses Photography with Hot 97 appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Photos by Emanuel Wallace

On Thursday evening, Cuyahoga Community College’s Center for Creative Arts played host to Young Guru, Aalias (producer of “The Monster“) and Jonathan Mannion (photographer and frequent RESPECT. collaborator) The three participated in a panel discussion on the past, present and future of hip-hop, specifically the importance of building connections, learning how to apply your talents and remaining motivated in the field.

The post Photo Of The Day: Young Guru, Aalias and Jonathan Mannion in Cleveland appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

At RESPECT. we love Jonathan Mannion. Check out the clip he directed for Trinidad James’ “Females Welcomed,” the latest release from James’ Don’t Be S.A.F.E.. The video was filmed in Trinidad & Tobago. Enjoy.

The post New Video: Trinidad James – “Females Welcomed” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

There are hip-hop photographers, and then there’s Jonathan Mannion. He’s the man behind some of rap’s most iconic images, and his hard work and prestige have landed his album covers in art galleries. Words won’t do his story justice; just holla at Google Images for a better picture.

Some of his work is running in RESPECT.’s current issue in full-spread glory, so we caught up with Mannion last week to hear the story behind the shot. He’d just missed his flight out of Austin, Texas, where he was in town for South by Southwest, and we had a good chunk of time to talk festival life, Weezy, and Trinidad James’s new video. Read on below.

Last time we talked you were prepping for your Skillshare class on portrait photography. How did it go?

I found it really rewarding to just let people into my process. Like, if you haven’t been on the street, you just don’t know. … In a portrait kind of a situation, which this class focused on, you realize that you’re not the only entity in the room that has a say about what is or isn’t going to happen. So how do you deal with challenging talent or talent situations? Like, how do you motivate somebody who doesn’t want to be there? So, it’s sort of speaking to the psychology of that as well, the psychology of the shoot, which I find fascinating as a psychology major and somebody that really loves what motivates people and what makes people tick and makes them who they are and unique and inspired and sad and happy. I love that, and I think it’s why my pictures go to a deeper level.

Tell me about SXSW. What are you up to while you’re down there?

Really, this is my first SXSW, and I’m amazed after, what, it’s 11 years or something like that? This is my first one. But I’ve been to Austin before. I worked a bunch with Lance Armstrong down here, who’s a good friend, a great dude. So I’ve had a chance to experience Austin as a city, but I think this was an amazing time, like the vibration of the city, the energy was all positive. This young generation is out in full force, man, whether it’s supporting their people or performing and really showcasing their talent. I think there’s a new spirit in the music game and I think this has sort of reinforced that perspective that was building for me.

I saw everybody perform and it was amazing: I saw Trinidad James at a bunch of different venues—I just directed a video for him in Trinidad for “Females Welcomed,” which was crazy—so it was nice to see him in a different aspect and to also be able to download both of our experiences, like, “Wow, that was really special, what we made.” For him to reinforce that here, to say thank you face to face—you leave a job, and it sort of comes to life, and maybe you hear from ‘em maybe you don’t—this was a moment to have a download, like, “Ah! We killed it!”

I was wondering—since you’ve got your Lil Wayne pics that are running in RESPECT. right now—he had that health scare a few days ago, and one of the first things I thought of was, “What is the reaction at SXSW?” Could you tell me about that moment? How did you find out?

I was at the Fader Fort, and Trae tha Truth came out with T.I. and Yo Gotti, and T.I. said a quick comment, and there’s so much happening that you kind of zone in and out of listening to performances, but he’s like, “Keep thinking about Lil Wayne,” or something very quickly. Like, “Wait, did he just say something about Wayne?” I didn’t really process it entirely. Then Usher came out, and he said, “Wayne is in a bad way right now, let’s keep him in our prayers.”

Obviously, this guy is massively important and has such major impact, and his story is so valuable of how patient somebody has to be despite probably having this talent as a 17-, 18-year-old kid, whenever he started when I shot him way back when. It’s a story of triumph, but it’s also a reminder that we’re all touchable, like something can happen at any moment, and to really value this time and be focused. I know I’m back in the gym, man, you know what I mean? And there’s been a lot of little wake-up calls, like, “Let’s look at the signs, let’s build ourselves up, let’s get better.” And certainly, we all support each other, but it should be all the time. It shouldn’t be just in a moment of potential crisis.

I went to another performance afterwards at a Def Jam event and [I] was on stage, and T.I. had stepped backstage and had a little guest appearance as well, and he was like, “I talked to my boy Wayne. He’s doing good. Everything’s okay. He’s fine. He’s gonna be fine.” So, there was even people monitoring. Granted, these guys are running literally from stage to stage to stage to stage because so much is happening. There was still a moment that these legends and OGs like T.I. took in order to keep us all informed so that the rumor mill doesn’t perpetuate itself. It was a great moment of unity. Certainly there’s always support for the legends. Anybody a part of this industry man is a valuable contribution as long as their heart’s in the right place. From writers to photographers to sound people—they’re the guys who drive the speakers—you know what I mean? We’re all part of a unified vision, and I think it just needs to continue to strengthen.

No doubt. You might be the photographer who’s taken the most pictures of Wayne. To prepare for this interview I was going through your portfolio of pictures of [him]. Since that XXL shoot with the Hot Boys and Cash Money, all the way up to Rebirth, you can visually see the narrative of Lil Wayne’s career. What sort of story do you read out of viewing all of your pictures of Lil Wayne in that linear fashion?

I think it’s a story that I think is, again, a valuable and needed one right now. Speaking to him about different moments in time, when we have had a chance to kind of sit down and talk—and the man has been so busy that that’s few and far between—we have our dialogue on set, and there’s definitely a mutual respect. There’s not too much that Wayne couldn’t ask of me that won’t be achieved, somebody that has shown me that kind of loyalty and consistency.

It’s funny, they had to do a VH1 “Behind the Music” special and one of the people from VH1 said, “We asked Wayne the other day if there was a writer that had been around that we could get your progress…” and he goes, “Nah, there’s no writer, man. It’s just my crewm and the only other person that’s seen the whole movement is Jonathan Mannion.” Which is a great compliment—that I have a featured role in his life movie, that he knows that I made a significant contribution. That was really important for me, as I hold him in such high esteem and high regard and value his talents and perspective, and for that to be sort of at least returned at a level was like, “Wow, this is dope.”

He’s at a point where he can have whatever he wants. Now, it’s a moment of legacy, and I think that he realizes that, and it’s nice to see a different moment happening. Like the whole skate movement and the whole TRUKFIT situation— he’s now moving into a whole other arena where he’s deciding who he is. To have keys to P-Rod’s skate park to go at any time to practice his craft… I find it really fascinating for people that can kind of just change gears and say, “Wow, this feels great to me, I’m about to do that,” and still be generating and creating great music. It’s nice to see him not just accepting a role that has been put on him but to define who he is and who he’s inspired by. There’s so many stories that you can weave in and out of Wayne’s journey but ultimately: patience, dedication, skill, talent, craft, and really understanding who you are as a person.

Tell me about that DEWeezy shoot—‘cause he’s wearing his TRUKFIT, he’s got the skateboard in the picture—how did it go down?

A good friend, Derek Jackson, who I’ve worked with for many, many years at the GLU Agency, gave me a call, and he’s like, “Man, we’re working with Wayne and it’s only you, your relationship with him. We need to pull out something that’s richer, that’s defining this new moment. We got him to get behind Mountain Dew. We feel like it’s a great fit with his new energy.” Mountain Dew’s supported X Games and that kind of stuff. They’re always high energy, left of center, counterculture supporters. They’re majorly influential in that world. It just felt like a good fit for us all.

We went down to Miami, and [I was] basically given free reign to kind of do whatever I felt was right for him. We shot in an old warehouse, and it ended up being sort of used for the commercial as well. He had his skateboard at all times, and he was cruising around in good spirits, came in ready to work, as always—consummate professional—and he was on his skateboard, and we had a wide shot established. I’m a big skate fan from day one, like, Christian Hosoi, Powell Peralta, the whole Z-Boys, that was my world when it was happening, back in the ‘80s. I was there. I knew that [Wayne] was setting up for something, and I didn’t know what it was ‘cause I’ve never seen him skate or do a trick or anything before in my life. He went to the side of the set and just started to roll in, and I knew he was positioning his feet to pop this ollie off. I was ready, and he hit it and nailed it, and he rolls off, and he goes, “Did you get it?” And I’m like, “I’m Jonathan Mannion, of course I got it! What are you talking about? Who do you think is standing in front of you?” He started laughing … and I handed him my camera, and I was like, “Come on, man, come see this, come here. We brought it up on the monitor, and it was a perfectly captured ollie of him catching major air. I probably saw him more excited than I’ve seen him; he literally sprinted around the entire studio because it looked so great. He was like, “Aw, man, that’s the coolest shit ever!”

It was interesting to see in that one moment—his dedication to his craft, his dedication to being better, how he celebrates those little victories within that moment was really cool to see.

Both of y’all on the first take.

It was the only of its kind during the day, which is why it was the defining moment of the entire shoot, ‘cause he pans in front of cameras and pulls faces and wears fly shit all the time. This was a moment of him doing his thing. Skaters are an odd crew in a way because they are so authentic to what they do—judgmental isn’t really the right word, but discerning about the people that are held of the highest regard within that culture. It is a lifestyle, and if they know that you don’t lead it and you’re trying to come and front, you know what I mean? Like, they’ve been very protective of their brand for many years as sort of skate culture. They want the realest of the real, the truest to form of lifestyle, and it has been interesting to see how they have sort of absorbed [Wayne] and have accepted him. I still think there’s a way to go, but this was a moment for me, like, “Wow, he really believes in this.” And really, I think his lifestyle—that rock star, hot white spotlight that he’s in all the time—is sort of the same sentiment but on a grand scale of what that skater world is like: it’s my vision, I’m doing what I want, and that’s the way it’s going to be.

Was that the last time you shot him?

It is the last time I shot him, yup.

To wrap up, what you working on right now? When is that Trinidad James video dropping?

Oh man. I hope. It’s burning a hole in my iPhone. We shot it in Trinidad during Carnival, and, my treatment essentially was to present a feeling of what it feels like to be in Trinidad during that time, and just how the volume switch gets turned up. There was a lot of references to traditional Carnival characters woven into the essence of Trinidad James and his movement. I feel like it’s a brilliant elevation from where we were. Motion Family obviously set up a bar pretty high as far as a presentation of who he was, and I actually showed them [the “Females Welcomed” video] on the street at SXSW, and they kept on coming up like, “Oh dude, I woke up thinking about that video man. We’re so happy for you.” It’s interesting to see that there is real support because I only had positive things to say about their “All Gold Everything” video that they did. They killed it! You gotta set the bar high man! I came with my A-game.

I’m looking forward to it.

Wait for the fire, that’s all I’ve got to say.

The post Interview: Jonathan Mannion Talks SXSW, DEWeezy & the Last Time He Shot Lil Wayne appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Jonathan Mannion is perhaps hip-hop’s most well-known photographer, and for good reason: he’s responsible for some of the most iconic images of your favorite rappers. Just type his name into Google Images — trust me, you’re already hip. Always humble, Mannion has teamed up with Skillshare, a free online education platform, for a beginner’s class on portrait photography, going down tomorrow, January 21. Whether you’re just starting out or already a seasoned vet, it can’t hurt to learn some tricks from a master of the craft, who will be playing professor over the next two weeks.

In this class, Jonathan will guide students through the process of successful portrait photography, including lighting techniques, proper camera settings, effective compositions, working with the subject in order to elicit the intended emotions, taking the shot, and making selections. While taking part in the class, students from all over the world will create their own portrait photos and have the chance to share their projects in the online classroom and receive feedback from both Jonathan and fellow peers.

To get a taste of what Mannion has in store, we asked him about the most important advice he’s received throughout his career, from Reasonable Doubt to Jesus Piece. Below, check out his five insightful responses, and be sure to visit Skillshare to find out more and sign up. It’s free, dummy!

1. Don’t be a clown.

When I worked for [Richard] Avedon, there was a moment that everybody wasn’t quite in high gear. We were shooting a Versace campaign. I was assisting  I was the low man on the totem pole. And I remember Avedon sitting down all of us — it really wasn’t geared towards me, but I absorbed the message fully — he goes, “You guys are a bunch of clowns. If you don’t get your stuff together and get on track today, we’re gonna have a big problem.” Because a lot of being a photographer is really, you’re the center of this wheel that’s spinning, and you have to keep it all spinning. And there’s many elements: there’s styling — you have to inspire them and cater to ego because they need to feel they’re important — the makeup, and hair, and this, and guidance, and crew, and then managing clients.

The one piece of the puzzle I think that should be the tightest is your assisting crew. The people that support you to allow you to do what you do at the highest level should be an unconscious presence. You shouldn’t have to wonder whether they have your back — they just absolutely have to. And I remember that in a way kind of like rattling me. It made me understand how much it meant to [Avedon] even at this age, in his seventies, when he was rocking, that this was so important, and if you guys can’t support me then I’m screwed. It was like, C’mon man, I need you guys. Don’t be a clown. Take this seriously. While we work in an industry that’s often considered playtime and glamorous from the outside looking in, there’s real heart to this. And if you don’t have that heart and you don’t have that passion, skip it man. There’s some incredible jobs that you can just float on through. I was like, “Whoa, this dude is serious. Alright. Let me go triple time.” And I was already hungry, so in a way, it was geared towards the top four assistants that were working on that particular day, but I certainly never missed a beat after that. Ever. The fake it till you make it, I don’t believe it. Know what the f@%k you’re doing. And then do it.

2. Go the extra mile.

I worked with Steven Klein. He had taken a picture in 1986. He walked in one day with a Polaroid, and he said, “I wanna make this picture today. This is what I want it to feel like.” It was a Polaroid that was outdated, and it weathered over time. It felt like this old crazy Kodachrome, and he goes, “I want this.” And I said, “No problem. Gimme two hours and I’ll have it for you.” In that moment, I was just so confident that I could do it because I knew my abilities, and it was a moment of transition for a couple of reasons. Why am I not doing this for myself if I feel like I can do that and I can do anything? Oh, okay, no, but this guy’s brilliant, okay, now I know why. I have more to learn and I’m being placed in this situation for that reason.

Draw influence from other work that you’ve done or work that you’ve seen, but never make it exactly the same. I made sure that I advanced on that idea, and I came back with a Polaroid right next to that one, and he’s like, “This is so great.” And it was a moment of real understanding, of like, Oh man, I got a warrior. This kid knows what he’s doing. So some of [the original Polaroid] was used as reference, but advance upon it. Don’t carbon copy it, advance on it. But also, take big chances, just try and improve whatever it is even if it’s your own bar of measurement. I think I can do it like that, but let me try and be better than that. Go the extra mile.

People say that there’s nothing new on the planet. It’s like, everything’s been done, everything’s been shot. I don’t believe it. There are unique moments that are never the same. History never repeats itself, only themes. Every moment is a brand new moment. You’re never gonna get Nas when he dropped “Ether” in the club for God’s Son. Okay, I have that incredible moment. It’s never gonna be that again. It’ll be something else. But people grow, I grow, my eye changes, he changes, and it applies to everybody.

3. Don’t fall in love with your own work.

I guess I’m learning that I learn by example. And it’s not direct, like, I remember my granddad said, “Walk with a big stick.” It was never really that kind of advice. Especially in an industry where it’s all about bravado, and how great you are, how much you have — be humble. It’s much easier for people to get behind you and believe in what you’re doing if you’re like, Wow, I’m just trying hard, man. That’s it. And the people that have said that in my career, sort of, Man, I love what you’re doing man, I’m a big fan of your work. “Ah, man, I’m trying.” People who have said that are the ones who are really achieving it. Keep trying and be humble. Humility is a major trait that people can take advantage of, and that’s to be expected, and they have to sleep at night, but I think that that as a golden rule has served me well.

Once you believe that you’re the best, and your pictures, like, there’s nothing better than the pictures that you’re creating — when you fall in love with your work — then it’s a problem. Because then you’re just believing your own hype. Don’t fall in love with your work. Because there’s always room for improvement, and I think real artists always want what’s next. It’s never like, Wow, that’s the greatest picture I ever took! It might be true for that moment, but you have to do it again as a professional.

4. F@%k ’em if they can’t take a joke.

I try and take things a little bit light. I just say loosely, “Ah, f@%k ’em if they can’t take a joke.” It’s kind of a fun way of, Wait, what did he say? It’s totally irreverent, but it keeps me light. It’s not like, F@%k them! It doesn’t have that aggression. I was just kidding when I said it, whatever I wanted in that moment. I’m just joking, man! Just take it easy. F@%k ’em if they can’t take a joke. You just gotta keep going sometimes. That one works for me and sort of keeps me calm. It’s not a serious attack. I am non-aggressive and certainly very grateful for everybody that supports me on any level. Whether you’ve given me a job, whether you just support, whether you Tweet, you like a picture, whatever — I’m honored to have a voice that means something. And there are definitely moments when people reach out, and that takes balls too, to say, “Your shit is dope, man.” Like, thank you. I can keep going. I’m doing okay. These little checks and balances. Don’t take it too seriously — it’s all gonna be alright.

5. Go walk around the block and get a chocolate milkshake.

There’s a guy, his name is Gino Sullivan. And he always calls, and it’s like, you know the people who have that uncanny ability to call you in the moment that you’re about to jump off a cliff? And he literally picks up the phone and he’s like, “What’s the situation? Is it critical — is it a critical situation over there?” He’s like, “Ah, man, just walk around the block. Go get a chocolate milkshake.” Remove yourself from your surroundings and just go get some air. Just separate yourself, and then come back to it, and attack, and have a new perspective. Go get a chocolate milkshake. Go walk around the block and get a chocolate milkshake.

The post Jonathan Mannion’s Top 5 Pieces of Advice for Aspiring Photographers appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.