Awareness Post - Jamal Shabazz

Jamal Shabazz is a contemporary American photographer known for his street photography documenting everyday life in New York City, especially in Brooklyn during the rise of hip-hop culture in the 1980s. He was born in 1960 in Brooklyn, New York, where he continues to live and work. Shabazz primarily works with photography, especially street portraiture and documentary photography that focuses on community, identity, and urban life. His official website is www.jamalshabazz.com, where many examples of his work and projects can be viewed.

Shabazz’s photographs have been widely exhibited in galleries and museums. His work has been shown at places such as the International Center of Photography in New York and the Brooklyn Museum. He has also worked with galleries including Steven Kasher Gallery in New York and The Bishop Gallery in Brooklyn. Over the years, he has published several photography books that document his work and the communities he photographed. Some of his most well-known books include Back in the Days (2001), A Time Before Crack (2005), and Sights in the City: New York Street Photographs (2017).

Jamel Shabazz, Rude Boy, East Flatbush, Brooklyn, 1982

Jamal Shabazz began photographing people in the early 1980s when he was still very young. He would walk around Brooklyn and photograph people he met on the streets, often asking them to pose for portraits. Many of his subjects were teenagers, friends, couples, or local residents. His work became important because it documented the fashion, style, and culture of hip-hop at the time. Instead of focusing on negative stereotypes about the city, Shabazz’s photographs show confidence, pride, and a strong sense of community. Because of this, his images are considered important historical records of New York City culture.

One photograph by Jamal Shabazz is “Fly Guys, Brooklyn, NY” (1982), gelatin silver print. This photograph shows two young men posing confidently in their stylish clothing. I like this image because it captures the style and personality of the people in the photo. Their poses make them look proud and self-assured, which reflects the importance of fashion and identity in hip-hop culture during that time. The photograph feels both natural and carefully composed because the subjects are aware of the camera and actively presenting themselves. I overall like this guy because how how dynamic he makes these pictures, and I just love seeing poses being eccentric.