Ernie Paniccioli facts for kids

Ernie Paniccioli (born February 26, 1947) is a famous American photographer. He is known for capturing the exciting world of hip hop culture. Ernie lives in Jersey City, New Jersey. In 2014, he was honored by being added to the Hip Hop Hall of Fame.

Ernie is a Cree Native American. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His journey into hip hop photography started in the 1970s. Back then, he took pictures of graffiti art in New York while working for the telephone company.

He became the main photographer for Word Up! Magazine starting in 1987. His amazing photos have also been featured in many other big magazines. These include The New York Times, Life, Rolling Stone, Spin, Ebony, and The Source.

A hip hop writer named Kevin Powell encouraged Ernie to create a book. In 2002, his first book, Who Shot Ya? : Three Decades of Hip-Hop Photography, was published. Later, in 2018, he released Hip-Hop at the End of the World: The Photography of Brother Ernie. Ernie gave his huge collection of photos to Cornell University's Hip Hop Collection in 2012. These photos became available for everyone to see online in August 2020.

Ernie's Early Life

Ernie Paniccioli grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He left home when he was a teenager. He spent some time in Greenwich Village, a famous neighborhood in New York City. There, he learned a lot about art from the singer Richie Havens. Ernie also served in the Navy for six years. After that, he came back to New York. He got married and had a child.

Where Ernie's Photos Have Been Shown

Ernie Paniccioli's photographs have been displayed in many art shows. These shows help people see the history of hip hop through his lens. His work has been featured in museums and galleries across the country.

For example, his photos were part of "Hip Hop: A History in Photographs" in New York City. They were also shown at "Roots, Rhymes, and Rage: The Hip Hop Story" at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. The Brooklyn Museum of Art also hosted an exhibition called "Hip Hop Nation: Roots, Rhymes, and Rage". These shows often featured many of his iconic images.