Ricky Powell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ricky Powell
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Powell at the opening of Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop in New York City, 2020
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| Born | November 20, 1961 New York City, U.S.
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| Died | February 1, 2021 (aged 59) Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Photographer |
| Years active | 1985–2021 |
Ricky Powell (November 20, 1961 – February 1, 2021) was an American photographer. He was famous for capturing moments in popular culture, especially hip hop, punk rock, graffiti, and pop art. His photos appeared in many well-known magazines and newspapers like The New York Times, Rolling Stone, and VIBE.
Powell took candid pictures of artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, and Madonna. He also photographed many other famous people and everyday individuals. His work was featured in several books and shown in art galleries around the world. He even toured with the hip-hop group Beastie Boys, taking photos of their concerts and sometimes appearing in their music videos.
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Early Life and Education
Ricky Powell was born on November 20, 1961, in Brooklyn, New York City. His mother, Ruth Powell, was a school teacher. As a child, Ricky sometimes went with his mother to downtown clubs.
He grew up in Greenwich Village, a lively neighborhood in New York City. For two years, from 1973 to 1975, he lived in the Upper West Side. Powell went to PS 41, where he was classmates with Rachael Horovitz. Rachael is the sister of Adam Horovitz, who later became Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys.
Powell studied at LaGuardia Community College, earning a degree in Liberal Arts. He then went on to Hunter College, where he received a degree in Physical Education.
Career Highlights
After college, Powell started selling a lemon ice drink called Frozade on the streets of New York City. During this time, he began photography as a fun activity, taking pictures of his friends and family. He decided to become a serious photographer in 1985 after a breakup. This is when he started photographing artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol on the streets of New York City.
Photographing the Beastie Boys
In 1986, Powell left his job to join the Beastie Boys on their tour with Run-DMC. The photos he took during this tour became very popular, and Powell became well-known. People even called him the unofficial "fourth Beastie Boy."
He continued to tour with the group as their main photographer for many years. He joined them on their Licensed to Ill tour in 1987 and later on their Check Your Head tour in 1992. He also joined them for Lollapalooza in 1994. Powell is even mentioned by name in the Beastie Boys' song "Car Thief" from their Paul's Boutique album.
After more than ten years with the group, Powell stopped touring with them in 1995. The Beastie Boys were changing their style and becoming more mature. Powell later explained in a documentary that the group grew up, while he preferred to stay true to his original, playful self. Even after they stopped working together, Powell kept a good relationship with the Beastie Boys. He even photographed them for Interview magazine in 2011.
Television Appearances
From 1990 to 1996, Ricky Powell hosted his own public-access television show called Rappin' With the Rickster. On the show, he interviewed many famous people from the music and art worlds. Some of his guests included Russell Simmons, Doug E Fresh, Harold Hunter, Kool Keith, and Laurence Fishburne.
Powell became a well-known figure in New York City's downtown party scene. He was connected to many artists, including Sonic Youth, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Sofia Coppola. His show offered a unique look into the art and music of that time. It featured honest footage, spontaneous interviews, and Powell's own view of New York City. He saw the show as a "time capsule" of growing up in Manhattan's music scene during that era. A DVD of Rappin' With the Rickster was released in 2010.
Published Books
Ricky Powell published several books featuring his photography. His first book, The Rap Photography of Ricky Powell! (1998), looked back at ten years of his photos of rap and hip-hop artists. It included 88 photographs, with 53 in color.
His second book, The Rickford Files: Classic New York Photographs (2000), showed what he called "the real New York." This meant going beyond the tourist spots like Times Square and showing the true character of places like Greenwich Village.
Frozade Moments: Classic Street Photography of Ricky Powell (2004) was a book of postcards. It featured honest photos of celebrities, local personalities, and everyday people. This book gave a unique look at New York City life. Some of the famous people featured included Madonna, Jam Master Jay, Andy Warhol, and Flavor Flav.
Public Access: Ricky Powell Photographs 1985–2005 (2005) covered two decades of his work. It showed the early days of hip-hop and featured actors, musicians, and artists who inspired him. This included Method Man, Slick Rick, Run-DMC, Keith Haring, and Cindy Crawford. The book also included graffiti art by other artists. Powell aimed to bring a feeling of nostalgia for New York City in his work.
He was also the main subject of the book Ricky Powell: The Individualist (2017). This book, written by Bill Adler and Nemo Librizzi, explored Powell's work as a street photographer. It showed how he captured the connections between hip-hop, pop art, graffiti, and punk rock. The book included portraits of Beastie Boys, Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Andy Warhol, and many others.
Documentary Film
In 2020, a documentary film about Ricky Powell was released. It was called Ricky Powell: The Individualist. The film explored his career and his life among celebrities. It was directed by Josh Swade.
Art Exhibitions
Powell's photographs were shown in many solo and group art exhibitions both in the United States and internationally. His show Frozade Moments, 1985–2003 was displayed at Bill Adler's Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery in New York City in 2003.
His exhibition Public Access: Ricky Powell Photographs 1985–2005 was shown in Paris, New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. His photos and unique street style were also exhibited at Brave Art in Whistler in 2006. The Ricky Powell Art Funk Explosion! was shown at Sacred Gallery New York City in 2010. He also helped curate an exhibition called Frank Chapter 43: Bug Out!, which featured his photos and interviews with street artists.
Group Exhibitions
Powell's hip-hop images were part of the photography book Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop. His work, along with other artists, was also featured in large traveling group exhibitions based on this book. These shows were held at places like The Annenberg Space for Photography in Los Angeles and the International Center of Photography in New York.
Powell believed that there was a special "chemical connection" between a photographer and the photo they take. Later in his life, he often preferred to photograph everyday people in his Greenwich Village neighborhood rather than just famous hip-hop stars or downtown artists.
Death
Ricky Powell passed away on February 1, 2021, at the age of 59. His manager confirmed that he died from heart failure.
