Trip date: 16-23 November 2024
Used camera: samsung s22
even if you have zero interest (which I hope is not the case), the different sorts of writings on walls will catch your attention in NYC, some people find it disgusting, others tend to like what they’re seeing. Graffiti art was born here, in the 1970s, around the same time Hip-Hop was born. It is actually one of the elements of Hip-Hop. My interest in this kind of art has been growing since I was young, maybe because I liked how you can say things and express yourself without having to shout or do something that would look stupid. Also, as a huge Hip-Hop fan, I have a great appreciation for Graffiti art, as it is a significant element of the culture. So I must admit that I was more focused on seeing Hip-Hop related street art.
Let’s start with a couple of huge murals, legendary Hip-Hop trio RUN-DMC and young/adult Michael Jackson.
Location: East Village, East Side of Lower Manhattan
After a walk along the high line, we stumble upon this mural paying tribute to Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Keith Haring and of course Jean Michel Basquiat.
Location: Chelsea, West Side of Manhattan
After a walk down in Chinatown, I went back to the Lower East Side of Manhattan to get a cream cheese bagel from Katz’s.
Here is a Beastie Boys Mural on the same location pictured in their 2nd album “Paul’s Boutique”, it’s likely that the shop itself doesn’t exist anymore.
Location: Lower East Side of Manhattan
No sleep til’ Brooklyn
On my way to Human Head record store, there was an overwhelming number of Graffiti art. The last one shows some of the originators of Hip-Hop, including DJ Kool Herc, the father and creator of Hip-Hop.
Location: South Williamsburg / North Bushwick, Brooklyn
Time is illmatic
The next day I took the F train to visit the place where the greatest Hip-Hop album of all time, Illmatic was made; The Queensbridge Houses, or simply Queensbrige. This is the place where Nas has lived and emerged from, as well as many other 80s/90s Hip-Hop icons (e.g Mobb Deep, MC Shan, Marley Marl etc.). You can see the houses on the background of Illmatic album cover.
Location: Queensbridge, Queens
A Tribe Called Quest, represent, represent
Can’t visit NYC without paying homage to my favorite Hip-Hop group of all time, even if it’s raining, I have no excuse.
❝Back in the days on the boulevard of Linden
We used to kick routines and the presence was fittin’❞
- A Tribe Called Quest – Check the Rhime
This is where it all started, young Tribe members along with other Native Tongues members like De La Soul and Jungle Brothers used to hang out here & had few of their music videos shot, the building on top of which they filmed “Check The Rhime” is a dry cleaning business called “Nu Clear”.
This mural was painted on the side of “Nu Clear” & this corner on Linden boulevard was dedicated as Malik ‘Phife Dawg’ Taylor Way in memory of Phife Dawg who died in 2016, Rest in peace Phife.
Location: Linden Blvd, St. Albans, Queens
Harlem’s Finest
Harlem is one of the most interesting parts of New York, after a stroll around Manhattan’s upper west side, I took the bus there, where I visited the Apollo Theater and the National Jazz museum. Afterwards I walked up north to visit the Big L mural. People were friendly and told me that the street in front of it was also named after him, you can tell that they are proud of their artists.
Location: Harlem, Upper Manhattan
Few more
