HIP HOP — Living A Dream @ Saatchi Gallery, London
Hopes, dreams and fears in candid photographs, celebrating the rise of hip-hop culture and music. And celebrating the photography of photographers Jamel Shabazz, Joseph Rodriguez, and Gregory Bojorquez. Some of it is truly dreamy, sunlit and beautiful and sometimes the stuff of nightmares as young men swagger, posing with guns.
At times it’s a celebration of earning power too — the jewellery, the visible flashed cash, the larger and larger cars. But, in this exhibition, it’s about people. their dignity, and a cultural movement.
I’m here for the suave beauty of ‘Representing’:
I’m also here fore the strength and beauty, the winsomeness of Missy Elliott. Literally creativity in action, a woman planning her future, thinking, considering and dreaming. Looking ahead to the next step in her journey. As well as causing us to reflect, that although urban cultures can be seen as negative and objectifying of women, it doesn’t always have to be that way.
The incredible dance moves! The strength and poise. The fierce joy! The celebration of mastery.
The many many cool hats!
And less about the money, gold teeth and bling, though style and image is so much a part of it. But if you can get a suit which matches your room decor — why not? A room too where time is quite literally money. The domino clock!
Be warned though, this exhibition will make you cry too. These young men striking a pose had me in tears. It’s when you see how young they are, the guns, and the contrasting prayerful tattoo. The hardness (maybe faked for the lens), the bravado, the cheekiness, the boyishness, lives which could be lost (or cause others to lose theirs). The potential and the choices. But that juxtaposition of blow you away poses and prayerful, uplifted hands really got me. As Bob Dylan says:
“You’re gonna have to serve somebody
Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody”. Well, who’s it gonna be?
Another image which made me cry was an incredibly power of portrait of women, bereaved and impacted by the loss of family members, loved ones, neighbours, community in gang violence. Wearily but resolutely, courageously, they met the camera’s gaze and gathered to pray against all the evil and pain and loss.
Learn more about Jamel Shabazz’s philosophy of the dignity of people, of capturing love, of black joy, here.
The images are very much not the author’s own, being the work of Jamel Shabazz, Joseph Rodriguez, and Gregory Bojorque and presented here only to represent a powerful — and free! — exhibition — Hip Hop: Living The Dream @ The Saatchi Gallery, London. September 2025.
The author has tried as far as possible to credit the photographers. The author apologises for not being able to credit three of the images from the exhibition.
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