Roots of HipHop

This project aims to tell the story of marginalised people through the culture of hip-hop and photography. Hip-hop is one of the world’s most important cultural and philosophical movements that has risen over the last 50 years. Rap began in the late 70’s in the Bronx can now be found in communities throughout the world, providing people everywhere with a common set of values and culture to face adversity. I treat hip-hop primarily as the expression of our youth who are confronted with significant challenges characterised by poverty, racism, and forms of oppression. This project is a collaboration between photographer and subject. Together we create text that describes the individuals experience and incorporate it into the photographs by writing directly onto the prints. The first chapter of the work was made in Paterson, New Jersey and a subsequent chapter has commenced in Hong Kong.