Yo! The Early Days Of Hip Hop 1982-84

Yo! The Early Days of Hip-Hop 1982-84 is a new book published by Soul Jazz Books/Records featuring 300+ pages of stunning photographs documenting the rise of hip-hop in the early 1980s, by French photographer Sophie Bramly. With an introduction by Bill Adler and additional text by Fab Five Freddy, Grand Mixer D.St, Rahiem of The Furious Five, Arthur Baker , Zephyr, Muhamad of The Magnificent Force, Lady Pink , Mister Freeze of The Rock Steady Crew, Patti Astor & Slick Rick. Sophie Bramly lived in New York during this period and became firmly embedded in the emergent scene. The book features many stunning, intimate images of a star-studded roll call of legendary hip-hop figures, all of whom were only just getting known or in their ascendency. These include Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmixer D.ST, Jazzy Jay, Red Alert, Grandmaster Melle Mel, Kurtis Blow, Lisa Lee, the Fat Boys, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys and more. Bramly knew that hip-hop was becoming a cultural force rather than just a musical fashion, and spent many hours photographing the four essential elements of this new world: emcees, deejays, graffiti artists and breakdancers. Legendary graffiti artists are captured at work and play, such as Keith Haring, Dondi, Futura, Phase One, Zephyr and Lady Pink, and breakdancers including members of Magnificent Force, Dynamic Breakers and the Rock Steady Crew. Sophie Bramly is a French photographer who moved to NYC in 1982 aged 22 and for two years documented the burgeoning hip-hop scene. She returned to France in 1984, bringing a number of US hip-hop artists to Europe, and in 1987 moved to London to host/produce MTV’s first ever hip-hop show, Yo! MTV Raps. She lives in Paris and her work is featured extensively at the exhibition Hip-Hop 360 at the prestigious Philarmonie de Paris, France/Dec 21–Aug 22