Yo! The Early Days of Hip Hop 1982-84, Sophie Bramly
"Hip hop, you're the love of my life" (1)
When I received this book I was as giddy as a small child who had eaten nothing but blue Smarties and double espressos for breakfast on Christmas Day. This book combines my everlasting love affair with original OG hip hop with photography. I have loved hip hop since my younger sister first played Planet Rock by Afrika Bambaataa to me in 1985. It completely blew my mind, and was a world away from the pop, New Romantic and reggae I had been listening to. I was hooked. My love has remained constant since then. The fusion of hip hop and photography, is, therefore, made for me.
For those unacquainted with Sophie Bramly, allow me to introduce her remarkable credentials. Bramly, a Tunisian-born French photographer, television producer, director, and author, has graced the pages of prestigious publications such as Elle and Paris Match. Her work has been exhibited in Centre Pompidou, alongside photographic legends like Man Ray, Cindy Sherman and Edward Steichen. During a trip to New York, 22 year-old Bramly was introduced to rappers, breakdancers and graffiti artists at a party. Beguiled by what she witnessed, Bramly began a remarkable four-year journey documenting the burgeoning hip hop movement. With her new found knowledge of the scene, Bramly developed and hosted the Yo! television show for MTV Europe. Such was the power and influence of this show that hip-hop rapidly became mainstream; hip-hop inspired fashion was readily available in high street stores throughout the UK and radio stations nationwide were playing hip-hop lite pop songs. Bramly was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2017 in acknowledgement of her contribution to French arts and culture. Bramly, then, is very much a Big Deal when it comes to photography and hip hop.
All these photos speak for a time that is so special, is never coming back and changed the world. It's pretty much this experience that changed everything for ever. What makes it amazing, is that you hear stories about superheroes that changed the world, and that was us."
Grand Mixer D. St
The soft-back book contains a treasure trove of 300 pages of photographs of many names you may know in the world of hip hop and graffiti art, like Run DMC, Fab Five Freddy, and Grandmaster Flash, alongside some lesser known, but no less important names, like D.ST, Lady Pink, and Zephyr. The book is divided into two parts: "New York" and "France." In New York, Madonna performs Holiday in the Danceteria, the historic nightclub that was the centre of New York underground nightlife, watched by Crazy Legs from The Rock Steady Crew. Afrika Bambaaataa, dazzling in gold-embroidered robes and headpiece, basks in adulation from the crowd. A dancer auditions at The Roxy, displaying his gag-inducing ability to rotate his knee so his foot turns 180 degrees. Ick. There are images of the artists, many of whom were young and still at the family home, honing their graffiti or mixing skills in their bedrooms. In Paris, DJ Sidney Duteil breakdances in a deserted Place de la Concorde, the Obélisques de Louxor just visible behind his legs. A double page spread shows the smiling faces of a crowd dancing away in Grange Aux Belles.
Bramly's essay documents her return to France in 1984 and the beginning of her television career, which led to the birth of Yo! in Europe. Additional commentary comes from Arthur Baker, Mister Freeze and Slick Rick, among others. Some of the photographs are placed across the double page spread, but the editor's meticulous attention to detail ensures there is minimal disruption to the viewing experience.
Sophie Bramly occupied a unique space in both French and American hip hop, bearing witness to the birth of a cultural phenomenon where marginalised Black youths took control of their own artistic destiny. Though rap has since become a dominant force in mainstream music, it still retains its potent essence. Prominent brands like Gap and Nike have harnessed the indomitable influence of hip hop in their television commercials, whilst hip hop, rap, and graffiti art continue to be vital components of Black street culture.
I love Yo! The Early Days… because it transports me back to a specific time and place. I can remember the joy of heading out to clubs where the music that I loved was guaranteed to be played all night, not just for 10 minutes at the end of the evening whilst people collected their things from the cloakroom. The DJs, pirate radio hosts and record shop owners I knew clued me in to the hottest white label imported records that I absolutely, definitely had to buy. I wore my shell suit with pride: how else was I going to dance freely for hours?
Bramly's book stands as an enduring testament to the immeasurable contribution of these ground-breaking artists to the world of arts and culture, ensuring that their remarkable legacy will never fade into obscurity.
Bonus: An Apple Music playlist of some important hip-hop tracks from the 1980s
Bonus Bonus: the following four photographs are by me.
The subtitle refers to two tracks which are a love letter too hip-hop. First, Love Of My Life (An Ode To Hip Hop), by Erykah Badu, featuring Common (YouTube link) and another Act Too (The Love Of My Life), by The Roots (YouTube link)
Thanks for reading my love letter to hip-hop.
elle
Elle, you just kicked me down that rabbit hole of good times. They was a phase in my past, when I loved HipHop! I just listened to some of the old songs on YT! Thank you for that. PS: Is there a link to the playlist you mentioned?