Podcast appearances and mentions of vikki tobak

In this week's episode, the guys sit down with journalist and author Vikki Tobak, fresh off the release of her book ICE COLD, which explores the deep connection between hip-hop and jewelry. Vikki shares insights on her exhibition at the Museum of Natural History, her Detroit upbringing, and how early exposure to hip-hop led her to New York to fully immerse herself in the culture. The conversation dives into the intersection of luxury watch collecting and hip-hop, exploring the artists and jewelers who helped shape this space. Tune in for a deep dive into the cultural impact of watches and jewelry in hip-hop!SUBSCRIBE⁠ to get the latest Wrist Check Pod content ⁠Follow us on instagramChapters00:00 - Intro00:54 - Wrist Check06:21 - Vikki's start in Hip Hop10:42 - Sourcing Stories and pieces for Ice Cold12:27 - Public Enemy's Influence on Vikki14:31 - Jacob and Tito watch influencers17:47 - Hip Hops influence on the industry19:01 - 90's NYC Clubs were the internet24:00 - Uncovering Hip Hops influences in moments25:58 - How have watches evolved in hip hop29:02 - Customization Culture32:24 - Best Era in Hip Hop Jewelry35:05 - Hip Hop and Generational Wealth36:00 - Ice Cold Exhibition at Museum of Natural History40:33 - Rashawn throws a curveball42:42 - Hip Hop Jewelry Becoming Ephemeral 45:16 - Outro

Guest host Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati speaks to Vikki Tobak, Guest Curator of the exhibit ICE COLD: AN EXHIBITION OF HIP-HOP JEWELRY at The American Museum of Natural History VIKKI TOBAK is an author, journalist, and curator.  She is the author of critically acclaimed books CONTACT HIGH: A VISUAL HISTORY OF HIP-HOP (Clarkson Potter/Random House), 2018); ICE COLD: A HIP-HOP JEWELRY HISTORY (Taschen 2022) and The Streets Win (Rizzoli 2023). https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/ice-cold-hip-hop-jewelry  For her feature “What is Philadelphia Reading?” Vanesse talks with Liz Montague, cartoonist, author and illustrators.  She is the first Black Woman to have a cartoon in the New Yorker Magazine. Liz will be at the Free Library of Philadelphia on May 7th at 10:30AM. https://libwww.freelibrary.org/calendar/event/136021

Celebrating 50 years of Hip-Hop music and photography, we are joined by Vikki Tobak and Sue Kwon who were in the middle of the 1990's explosion of Hip-Hop and took intimate and personal photos of future stars when they were starting out. From Biggie and Tupac to Nas, from the street to the studio they … Continue reading "Episode 83: Vikki Tobak & Sue Kwon (Music Photography)" The post Episode 83: Vikki Tobak & Sue Kwon (Music Photography) first appeared on A Photojournalism Podcast for Everyone.

This episode of the B&H Photography Podcast was originally released on November 10, 2017. We revisit it today in honor of Hip-Hop's 50th anniversary, and the holiday of Thanksgiving.  With great thanks to Vikki Tobak and the Contact High Project, we welcome three photographers to our studio who are responsible for some of the most iconic images from the history of hip-hop. Janette Beckman, Eric Johnson, and Danny Hastings join us to tell the stories behind their photos of RUN-DMC, Wu Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, and many others. We also speak about issues important to photographers, from on-set technique, to artistic collaboration and influence, to gear, to networking and, of course, copyright and image licensing. For us, this was a highly anticipated recording, and it did not disappoint. Whether you are a hip-hop fan interested in behind-the-scenes stories or a photographer looking for insight, join podcast host Allan Weitz, founding creative producer John Harris, and sound engineer Jason Tables for this epic chat. Above photograph © Janette Beckman Guests: Janette Beckman, Danny Hastings, Eric Johnson, and Vikki Tobak For more information on our guests and the gear they use, see: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/podcasts/photography/a-history-of-hip-hop-photography-encore-episode-from-november-2017 Stay Connected: Janette Beckman Website: https://janettebeckman.com/ Janette Beckman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janettephoto/ Danny Hastings Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dannyhastings/ Upstairs at Eric's: https://upstairsaterics.org/ Eric Johnson Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/upstairsaterics/ Vikki Tobak Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikkitobak/ Vikki Tobak Contact High Project: https://www.contacthighproject.com/ Contact High Exhibition: https://www.mopop.org/exhibitions-plus-events/exhibitions/contact-high/

Writer, journalist and curator Vikki Tobak is the author of Contact High and Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History. In collaboration with pioneering jewelers, rappers and other industry artists, her work—of provocative essays and poignant photography—documents the creative subculture within hip-hop. “Early jewelers had to understand something about hip-hop, which is that hip-hop loves customization, and they love remixing and . . . having something different from everybody else. That applies to the music . . . the fashion . . . and the jewelry,” Vikki says. Listen to a star-studded For the Love of Jewelers podcast episode filled with stories of iconic designs worn by hip-hop's greats. From Biggie's Jesus piece to Rocafella chains, this episode is one for the books! 

  Show notes and photos here: allthroughalens.com On this episode, we'll be talking to photographer and playwright, Ed Pavez (@edpavez on IG). We'll also be telling you about the many varied styles of mediums of Pacific Northwest photographer Virna Haffer. Oh, and Eric visited the Contact High exhibit! We'll push the button on the answering machine and have a little bit of fun along the way. Eduardo Pavez Goye We were honored to have Ed Pavez as a guest on this episode. Ed is a film photographer, playwrite, musician and traveler. We talked about photography, of course, but also growing up in Chile, protesting, zine making, creative ruts, and whether raisins belong in empanadas. IG: @edpavez YouTube: Ed Pavez Web: eduardopavezgoye.com Here are a few selections of his photographic work:   Virna Haffer     Unless you were from the Puget Sound area in the first half of the 1900s, you probably haven't heard of Virna Haffer. She was a Tacoma, Washington area photographer whose variety in both style and medium should be celebrated far more than it is today.  Virna showed us that we should not be limited by age or even camera. We shouldn't confine ourselves to a single medium or format. She even called into question the importance of having our own specific style. She began with photography from the age of 15, and sixty years later had evolved her work into something entirely new. She was constantly experimenting, changing and allowing her art to express whatever worlds she could imagine. She produced so much variety! Here's a smattering of it…                 Contact High Eric visited the Contact High exhibit at Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture. The exhibit features over 100 contact sheets taken of the hip-hop community.   The show was mostly old school, golden age – Grand Master Flash through Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul, but also covered Missy Elliot, Tupac, Mos Def.  He also picked up the Contact High book by Vikki Tobak, which contains most of the contact sheets (no De La Soul, for example). Plus many more. Usually shows a full page version of the most popular frame from the sheet. While the show was heavier on the golden age, this has a lot more 90s and 00s. Each contact sheet has a blurb by the photographer. They often tell which cameras they were using, but generally talk about the shoot.  Here are some cell phone shots from the museum:                 PATREON Thank you to everyone who supports us! Check out our Patreon for bonus episodes, extended interviews, early drops. Tons of stuff! patreon.com/allthroughalens THE CREDITS OF ENDING www.allthroughalens.com Vania: IG, Flickr, Zines Eric: IG, Flickr, Zines, ECN-2 Kit

You'll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview two guests—Vikki Tobak author of Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History, and Jules Kim, owner and designer of Bijules Jewelry. They discuss how both women came up in the New York City club culture scene, and how it influenced both of their careers. Vikki talks about the early days of hip-hop and how its connection to jewelry began and evolved. Jules notes some jewelry styles that have their origins in African and African American culture, and the beauty of their evolution through time.Show Notes02:30 The hosts introduce their guests, Vikki Tobak and Jules Kim03:05 Vikki shares her background and interest in jewelry and hip-hop07:40 Jules goes into her background15:20 Vikki talks about why the hip-hop world got interested in jewelry19:00 Jules describes grill culture and how it evolved from its humble origins23:45 Vikki's favorite quotes and moments from her bookEpisode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyGuests: Jules Kim, Vikki TobakProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com @jckmagazine, Bijules, Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry HistoryShow RecapThe Intersection of Hip-Hop and JewelryVikki is a longtime journalist and curator. Both of the books she has written so far have been focused on hip-hop. She was an immigrant kid in Detroit, rooted in a city that was founded on music culture. She fell in love with hip-hop as a kid in the 90s, and moved to New York, during an immersive time of music and club culture. She started out working for a record label at age 19, then started writing about this culture.The book tells a different angle to the culture, following this through line that's been a constant throughout Vikki's whole life. When asked when she started researching this topic, she says, “Informally? Since my mom bought me a Nefertiti pendant when I was living in Detroit in the 1980s.” Formally, she started in the beginning of the pandemic. It was challenging at that time because she couldn't visit the diamond district or Canal Street, as she would have wanted to do in person. Jewelry is part of the fabric of hip-hop and club culture. You see it reflected in what people are wearing when you walk down the streets of New York.Musical InfluencesMany musicians contributed to Vikki's book: Slick Rick—known as the don of hip-hop jewelry—wrote the foreword, and LL Cool J contributed an essay about a trip he took to Cote D'Ivoire in 1988 and the African link to hip-hop jewelry; A$AP Ferg, the first hip-hop ambassador for Tiffany. The common thread across these stories is the shared value of success and what we wear on our bodies as being representative of so much more (status, “making it,” being royalty). It's more than conspicuous consumption. Jewelry is a communication.Jules' BackgroundJules grew up in Richmond, Virginia. As soon as she and her twin sister could, they moved to New York. They were both DJing and throwing parties. Jules came to the city as a fashion intern and was fascinated with nightlife and the fast-paced, shared communal experience. Jules thinks of jewelry as a “forever material,” and says, “in that time period, I was living a very ephemeral experience, so everything was fleeting.” She assisted other fashion designers by day, and carting vinyl records to parties across town by night. She recognized that this experience didn't last forever, and she eventually decided she wanted to make something that lasts.She started Bijules in 2002. She wore all her pieces out and sold them at clubs. She was influenced by street fashion and decided to implement the nameplate with graffiti. When asked if she had any training, Jules said no. She went to university on scholarship for flute. She realized formal training wasn't for her. She studied fashion in France, then came back and took a jewelry 101 class. It inspired her to dedicate herself to learning.Downtown CultureVikki talks about the jewelry scene on Canal Street vs. in the diamond district. It's cheaper, more playful. The diamond district was this other world that she didn't have a reason to go to. Hip-hop and club culture is a culture of hustle, which overlaps with jewelry industry. Both are made up of immigrants. Being part of downtown culture was also this way. Vikki describes a “motley crew” that had similar hustle, dreams, and aspirations.Hip-Hop and Jewelry ThenVikki talks about the origins of hip-hop's interest in jewelry. The young people who were to become the future superstars of the genre looked to the street for their styles. The first instance of jewelry on a hip-hop album cover was Kurtis Blow's debut album in 1980, and those chains were very tiny and layered with a few pendants. As hip-hop stepped into its power in the ‘90s and more money started coming into the culture, early styles started coming along. That moment quickly led to artists using platinum, diamonds, and other precious materials in their jewelry. Trends included label pendants—the Roc-A-Fella chain, Death Row pendant, etc. There were many milestones that inform how the jewelry looks and the influence it has on the larger jewelry world.Grill CultureAny other trends that we really owe to the hip-hop world and don't recognize their true origins? Vikki underlines that the styles that have ties to African cultures, which can be seen in Fulani hoop earrings, Ashanti rings, Tuareg rings, etc.Jules answers the question too. Hip-hop is born from African American culture. The grill originally came from a need for dental attention. Fast generations to what it is now: “There's something beautiful about embellishing what you say and how it escapes your mouth,” comments Jules. Jules describes how she partnered with Erica Badu on a project called “Badrool.” Jules' husband took photographs in Senegal. She describes a photo that shows a ritual and jewelry that is connected with it—a type of grill. The “badrool” looks like rose gold falling out of Erica Badu's mouth.Hip-Hop and Jewelry NowWhen asked if she has any favorite parts of her book to note, Vikki references a Biggie quote, “You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far.” Now everyone is dying to work with hip-hop artists. She thinks of this quote and remembers the early days when that was not the case. Jules shares a positive connection someone made as a result of Vikki's book—it speaks to the culture and how committed it is to communicating its style through jewelry. Jules' anecdote shows how the book is actively inspiring new designers.

You'll hear JCK editor-in-chief Victoria Gomelsky and news director Rob Bates interview two guests—Vikki Tobak author of Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History, and Jules Kim, owner and designer of Bijules Jewelry. They discuss how both women came up in the New York City club culture scene, and how it influenced both of their careers. Vikki talks about the early days of hip-hop and how its connection to jewelry began and evolved. Jules notes some jewelry styles that have their origins in African and African American culture, and the beauty of their evolution through time.Show Notes02:30 The hosts introduce their guests, Vikki Tobak and Jules Kim03:05 Vikki shares her background and interest in jewelry and hip-hop07:40 Jules goes into her background15:20 Vikki talks about why the hip-hop world got interested in jewelry19:00 Jules describes grill culture and how it evolved from its humble origins23:45 Vikki's favorite quotes and moments from her bookEpisode CreditsHosts: Rob Bates and Victoria GomelskyGuests: Jules Kim, Vikki TobakProducer and engineer: Natalie ChometPlugs: jckonline.com @jckmagazine, Bijules, Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry HistoryShow RecapThe Intersection of Hip-Hop and JewelryVikki is a longtime journalist and curator. Both of the books she has written so far have been focused on hip-hop. She was an immigrant kid in Detroit, rooted in a city that was founded on music culture. She fell in love with hip-hop as a kid in the 90s, and moved to New York, during an immersive time of music and club culture. She started out working for a record label at age 19, then started writing about this culture.The book tells a different angle to the culture, following this through line that's been a constant throughout Vikki's whole life. When asked when she started researching this topic, she says, “Informally? Since my mom bought me a Nefertiti pendant when I was living in Detroit in the 1980s.” Formally, she started in the beginning of the pandemic. It was challenging at that time because she couldn't visit the diamond district or Canal Street, as she would have wanted to do in person. Jewelry is part of the fabric of hip-hop and club culture. You see it reflected in what people are wearing when you walk down the streets of New York.Musical InfluencesMany musicians contributed to Vikki's book: Slick Rick—known as the don of hip-hop jewelry—wrote the foreword, and LL Cool J contributed an essay about a trip he took to Cote D'Ivoire in 1988 and the African link to hip-hop jewelry; A$AP Ferg, the first hip-hop ambassador for Tiffany. The common thread across these stories is the shared value of success and what we wear on our bodies as being representative of so much more (status, “making it,” being royalty). It's more than conspicuous consumption. Jewelry is a communication.Jules' BackgroundJules grew up in Richmond, Virginia. As soon as she and her twin sister could, they moved to New York. They were both DJing and throwing parties. Jules came to the city as a fashion intern and was fascinated with nightlife and the fast-paced, shared communal experience. Jules thinks of jewelry as a “forever material,” and says, “in that time period, I was living a very ephemeral experience, so everything was fleeting.” She assisted other fashion designers by day, and carting vinyl records to parties across town by night. She recognized that this experience didn't last forever, and she eventually decided she wanted to make something that lasts.She started Bijules in 2002. She wore all her pieces out and sold them at clubs. She was influenced by street fashion and decided to implement the nameplate with graffiti. When asked if she had any training, Jules said no. She went to university on scholarship for flute. She realized formal training wasn't for her. She studied fashion in France, then came back and took a jewelry 101 class. It inspired her to dedicate herself to learning.Downtown CultureVikki talks about the jewelry scene on Canal Street vs. in the diamond district. It's cheaper, more playful. The diamond district was this other world that she didn't have a reason to go to. Hip-hop and club culture is a culture of hustle, which overlaps with jewelry industry. Both are made up of immigrants. Being part of downtown culture was also this way. Vikki describes a “motley crew” that had similar hustle, dreams, and aspirations.Hip-Hop and Jewelry ThenVikki talks about the origins of hip-hop's interest in jewelry. The young people who were to become the future superstars of the genre looked to the street for their styles. The first instance of jewelry on a hip-hop album cover was Kurtis Blow's debut album in 1980, and those chains were very tiny and layered with a few pendants. As hip-hop stepped into its power in the ‘90s and more money started coming into the culture, early styles started coming along. That moment quickly led to artists using platinum, diamonds, and other precious materials in their jewelry. Trends included label pendants—the Roc-A-Fella chain, Death Row pendant, etc. There were many milestones that inform how the jewelry looks and the influence it has on the larger jewelry world.Grill CultureAny other trends that we really owe to the hip-hop world and don't recognize their true origins? Vikki underlines that the styles that have ties to African cultures, which can be seen in Fulani hoop earrings, Ashanti rings, Tuareg rings, etc.Jules answers the question too. Hip-hop is born from African American culture. The grill originally came from a need for dental attention. Fast generations to what it is now: “There's something beautiful about embellishing what you say and how it escapes your mouth,” comments Jules. Jules describes how she partnered with Erica Badu on a project called “Badrool.” Jules' husband took photographs in Senegal. She describes a photo that shows a ritual and jewelry that is connected with it—a type of grill. The “badrool” looks like rose gold falling out of Erica Badu's mouth.Hip-Hop and Jewelry NowWhen asked if she has any favorite parts of her book to note, Vikki references a Biggie quote, “You never thought that hip-hop would take it this far.” Now everyone is dying to work with hip-hop artists. She thinks of this quote and remembers the early days when that was not the case. Jules shares a positive connection someone made as a result of Vikki's book—it speaks to the culture and how committed it is to communicating its style through jewelry. Jules' anecdote shows how the book is actively inspiring new designers.

Vikki Tobak explores the intricate dialogue between culture, adornment, and identity in her latest book, Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History. Show Notes: https://www.newyorksaid.com/vikki-tobak-ice-cold-interview/  

It's ImmaLetYouFinish... #110 and Court & Amy welcome the incredible Vikki Tobak, author of the acclaimed books Contact High and the recently released Ice Cold! It don't get much better than this. ImmaLetYouFinish... is a proud part of the Pantheon Podcast Network.

It's ImmaLetYouFinish... #110 and Court & Amy welcome the incredible Vikki Tobak, author of the acclaimed books Contact High and the recently released Ice Cold! It don't get much better than this. ImmaLetYouFinish... is a proud part of the Pantheon Podcast Network.

Today's guest on The Backstory is Vikki Tobak, a curator, cultural journalist, and producer who specializes in the cultural history of hip-hop. Her recent book, Contact High, traces the impact of hip-hop through the imagery that chronicled it, and has been turned into exhibitions at LA's Annenberg Center of Photography and New York's ICP. She sat down with Sean and Dan to talk about hip-hop jewelry, individualism, and authenticity.

With great thanks to Vikki Tobak and the Contact High Project, we welcome three photographers to our studio who are responsible for some of the most iconic images from the history of hip-hop. Janette Beckman, Eric Johnson, and Danny Hastings join us to tell the stories behind their photos of RUN-DMC, Wu Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, and many others. We also speak about issues important to photographers, from on-set technique, to artistic collaboration and influence, to gear, to networking and, of course, licensing of images. For us, this was a highly anticipated recording and it did not disappoint. Whether you are a hip-hop fan interested in behind-the-scenes stories or a photographer looking for insight, join us for this incredible conversation. Janette Beckman began her career at the dawn of punk rock in the U.K., photographing The Clash, Sex Pistols, and Boy George, as well as three Police album covers. Moving to New York in 1982, she was drawn to the underground hip-hop scene and photographed pioneers such as Run DMC, Slick Rick, Salt’n’Pepa, Grandmaster Flash, and Big Daddy Kane. She has published four books and currently has an exhibition of silkscreen prints at 212 Arts in New York. Eric Johnson has created iconic hip-hop images of Notorious B.I.G, Lauryn Hill, Dipset, Li’l Wayne, and newer artists like G Herbo and Cakes da Killa. His work stretches across music genres to include Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Maxwell and, for the past decade, he has helmed Upstairs at Eric’s, a loft space in Manhattan that is equal parts studio, gallery, disco, lounge, and design studio. Danny Hastings has shot 150 album covers and directed more than 40 music videos. Listed in Complex Magazine as one of the rap photographers every rap fan should know, his most notable album covers include Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Big Pun’s Capital Punishment, Nas’s IA, as well as album art for Raekwon, Eminem, and Jeru the Damaja. Hastings is now directing his second feature film. Vikki Tobak is a journalist, correspondent, and former CNN producer who currently writes and produces for Complex, Mass Appeal, and The FADER. She is the author of Contact High: Hip-Hop Photography + Visual Culture, an upcoming book from Penguin/Random House. Guests: Janette Beckman, Eric Johnson, Danny Hastings, Vikki Tobak

Writer and curator Vikki Tobak discusses her Detroit roots, the genesis of hip-hop, and her new exhibit at the International Center of Photography.  Presented in partnership with ICP. 

The Album: Gang Starr: Hard to Earn (1994) Gang Starr's Hard to Earn dropped in the pivotal year of 1994, arguably the height of the Golden Era as it came alongside everything from Biggie's Ready to Die to Nas's Illmatic to OutKast's Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik. Unlike those other debut albums, this was Gang Starr's fourth LP and by '94, they had established themselves as the (no pun intended) premier rap duo, avatars of a boom bap/braggadocio style that would help define an entire era. For DJ Premier, Hard to Earn marked the beginning of his imperial era, where the telltale sound of a Primo scratch was a mark of quality. Meanwhile, G.U.R.U.'s lyrical craft stepped up another notch (even if it was still "mostly tha voice" that got folks up). Fans will debate whether this was Gang Starr's best album but for Morgan and Oliver, it happened to be their favorite by the group. Aight? Chill. Hard to Earn was the pick of a dynamic duo of guests. First up: Vikki Tobak, author of the astounding new book, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop, quite possibly the best rap photography book ever created. She was in town as part of the new Contact High exhibit at the Annenberg Space for Photography (which is up through August, come catch it!). As part of the exhibit, there's a wonderful documentary video that accompanies, assembled by other other guest: Joseph "Jazzbo" Patel. He and Oliver go back to the '90s when both were young writers at URB Magazine and by the '00s, Patel had moved into video content, becoming one of the most influential behind-the-scenes talents at places like Vice TV, MTV, The Fader and Vevo. (He and Vikki are now working on a docu-series based on Contact High). In tackling this album, the four of us discussed everything from the highs and lows of the jazz-hip-hop era of the early '90s to why we need to bring back answering machine/voicemail skits to how to properly pronounce "DWYCK." More on Vikki Tobak and Joseph Patel Oliver's review of Contact High (Los Angeles Times) WOCA interview with Tobak Patel interviewed on The House List podcast. Tobak's Twitter | Instagram Patel's Twitter | Instagram More on Hard to Earn "A Game Of Two Halves: Gang Starr's Hard To Earn Revisited" (The Quietus) "DJ Premier Talks Gang Starr's 'Hard to Earn' 25 Years Later: 'I Had a Chip on My Shoulder With This Album'" (Billboard) "Gang Starr’s ‘Hard to Earn’ Deserves More Love" (Afro.com) Show Tracklisting (all songs from Hard to Earn unless indicated otherwise): The Planet Gang Starr: Manifest Speak Ya Clout Intro (The First Step) Gang Starr: Jazz Thing Guru: Loungin' Code of the Streets Mass Appeal DWYCK Aiight Chill Tonz 'O' Gunz Coming for Datazz Speak Ya Clout Crooklyn Dodgers: Return of the Crooklyn Dodgers Suckas Need Bodyguards Gang Starr: The ? Remainz The Planet Tonz 'O' Gunz The Planet Mass Appeal Here is the Spotify playlist of as many songs as we can find on there If you're not already subscribed to Heat Rocks in Apple Podcasts, do it here!

We sit down with journalist, author, and producer Vikki Tobak & friends to celebrate her new book, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop, which takes readers on a chronological journey from old-school to alternative Hip Hop and from analog to digital photography. Special guests include industry legends Ernie Paniccioli, Janette Beckman, Danny Hastings and Barron Claiborne.

Konstance sits down with photographer, cinematographer, and artist Barron Claiborne in the LES studio to talk art, history, working in New York and other bull-ish, while celebrating the upcoming exhibition Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop, at The Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles, California. In this historic exhibition, Barron (alongside other world class artists) shares his unedited contact sheets of The Notorious BIG as the King Of New York (KONY) photoshoot for the first time in the book penned by Vikki Tobak. This is a good one, enjoy! @barronclaiborne @bcafricanus https://www.annenbergphotospace.org/exhibits/contact-high/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/konstance-patton/message

Writer, photographer, curator, and storyteller, Vikki Tobak left Detroit for New York City and found herself at the center of the nascent hip-hop scene in 1991. Her new book Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop will change the way you think and talk about the music that shook up America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Cheats Movement on WRIR, Cheats sits down with the former editor of Style Weekly Jason Roop to talk about his Style Weekly cover story titled "The Kids Are Still Waiting." The article is all about the plan, or lack thereof, to fix Richmond Public Schools. Cheats also has a featured interview with Vikki Tobak, author of Contact High: a visual history of hip-hop. Vikki shares about the book, which has been named to several must-read lists of 2018, and her history with hip-hop in the 90s to today. Cheats also provides a little "life update" since he was in the studio alone. This episode is brought to you by 804RVA. As always follow all things Cheats Movement on the blog. #WESEEIT

We're back in Brooklyn, DUMBO to be exact and this time we are kicking it with Vikki Tobak. Vikki is a journalist, producer and the author of Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop. In this episode we talk about growing up in Detroit, her photography moment, working with Gang Starr, working at Paper Magazine, interviewing Diddy when he was on the come up and her journey to Contact High. Show Notes: https://www.newyorksaid.com/vikki-tobak/

This year marks the anniversary of the shooting date of two iconic photographs, taken at the same location, forty years apart. In 1958, Art Kane created the image that has come to be known as “A Great Day in Harlem.” The photo presented fifty-seven of the world’s greatest jazz musicians gathered on a stoop on East 126th Street, in Harlem, New York City. Over time, this photo has become legendary: a movie was made about it, and many recreations have been staged around the world, but none as interesting as the photo that was made by the great Gordon Parks, on September 29, 1998, on the same stoop. On that day, organized by the editors of XXL Magazine, almost two-hundred hip-hop artists gathered to be part of a photograph that was called “The Greatest Day in Hip-Hop.”  With the 20th anniversary of the 1998 photo approaching, on today’s episode of the B&H Photography Podcast we will discuss the making of that image. We speak with two of the people responsible for producing the photo: the editor-in-chief of XXL at the time, Sheena Lester, and writer Michael Gonzales.  We also welcome back journalist and author Vikki Tobak to the show, whose upcoming book, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop, discusses the making of this image and, finally, we are joined by artist Fab 5 Freddy, who was a participant in the photo and shares his recollection of that incredible day in Harlem. Also, in the weeks to come, we hope to publish a bonus episode with Jonathan Kane, son of photographer Art Kane, who will bring his insight to the making of and the legacy of his father’s original photo. Guests: Vikki Tobak, Sheena Lester, Michael Gonzales, Fab 5 Freddy Photograph © Gordon Parks. Courtesy of The Gordon Parks Foundation

With great thanks to Vikki Tobak and the Contact High Project, we welcome three photographers to our studio who are responsible for some of the most iconic images from the history of hip-hop. Janette Beckman, Eric Johnson, and Danny Hastings join us to tell the stories behind their photos of Run-DMC, Wu Tang Clan, Lauryn Hill, and many others. We also speak about issues important to photographers, from on-set technique, to artistic collaboration and influence, to gear, to networking and, of course, licensing of images. For us, this was a highly anticipated recording and it did not disappoint. Whether you are a hip-hop fan interested in behind-the-scenes stories or a photographer looking for insight, join us for this incredible conversation.   Janette Beckman began her career at the dawn of punk rock in the U.K., photographing The Clash, Sex Pistols, and Boy George, as well as three Police album covers. Moving to New York in 1982, she was drawn to the underground hip-hop scene and photographed pioneers such as Run DMC, Slick Rick, Salt’n’Pepa, Grandmaster Flash, and Big Daddy Kane. She has published four books and currently has an exhibition of silkscreen prints at 212 Arts in New York. Eric Johnson has created iconic hip-hop images of Notorious B.I.G, Lauryn Hill, Dipset, Li’l Wayne, and newer artists like G Herbo and Cakes da Killa. His work stretches across music genres to include Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars, and Maxwell and, for the past decade, he has helmed Upstairs at Eric’s, a loft space in Manhattan that is equal parts studio, gallery, disco, lounge, and design studio. Danny Hastings has shot 150 album covers and directed more than 40 music videos. Listed in Complex Magazine as one of the rap photographers every rap fan should know, his most notable album covers include Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Big Pun’s Capital Punishment,  Nas’s IA,  as well as album art for Raekwon, Eminem, and Jeru the Damaja. Hastings is now directing his second feature film. Vikki Tobak is a journalist, correspondent, and former CNN producer who currently writes and produces for Complex, Mass Appeal, and The FADER. She is the author of Contact High: Hip-Hop Photography + Visual Culture, an upcoming book from Penguin/Random House. More from the B&H Photography Podcast Guests: Janette Beckman, Eric Johnson, Danny Hastings, Vikki Tobak