'He wanted people to understand that just from looking at the photographs, that they were brilliant, brilliant individuals,' said Sophia, widow of renowned photographer Chi Modu. Chi Modu took some of the most prized, iconic images, captured during the golden age of Hip Hop. Like, Mobb Deep in 1995
Chi Modu took some of the most prized, iconic images, captured during the golden age of Hip Hop.Chi Modu took some of the most prized, iconic images, captured during the golden age of Hip Hop."He remembers going out to Queensbridge and hanging with their whole crew," said Sophia, Chi Modu's widow."He wanted people to understand that just from looking at the photographs, that they were brilliant, brilliant individuals," Sophia said.Chi took the photo in 1994.
"Even though he always said, 'I can do the regular studio shot, I kind of wanted to really bring the person out so when people are looking at it they feel like they know you,'" Sophia said.Born in Nigeria, he grew up in New Jersey and went to Rutgers where he met Sophia.From his studio in Jersey City, Sophia told Eyewitness News that her husband's work had a profound effect on people.
"He would hear stories of people just struggling in their young life, saying these images just made me keep going," Sophia said."Everyone was like oh that music, that rap music, thing but he thought they were intelligent young men and they needed to be captured appropriately," she said. Sophia is busy cataloging thousands of images her husband took and is committed to protecting his work."As he's looking down on all of this, what do you think he would say?" Eyewitness News asked.
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