Now on view in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, The Art of Hip Hop takes an immersive and interactive deep dive into photography documenting the rise of hip hop music and culture. A collaborative project with Monster Energy, this exhibition contains selections from The Smithsonian’s Eyejammie Hip-Hop Photo Collection. The new show includes works from the Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery established by Bill Adler, who served as director of publicity at Def Jam Records from 1984 to 1990.

“Something about the culture’s astonishing vitality and visual appeal began catching the eyes of these photographers in the Seventies, even before anybody began making rap records,” said Adler. “And the quality of those images ultimately played a huge role in the promotion of hip-hop globally.”

Among the exhibition’s noteworthy photographs are vintage portraits of hip-hop icons Sylvia Robinson, Run-DMC, Flavor Flav, Bun B, Cypress Hill, Eazy E, Dondi White, Slick Rick, T.I., Pitbull, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg and David Banner. Also on view are images of many of the reggae artists whose work was influential to hip-hoppers, including Lee “Scratch” Perry.

“We need to teach the next generation about history in a way they want to learn it – in an environment that authentically conveys important cultural information that also looks cool on their TikTok page,” said Allison Freidin, co-founder, The Art of Hip Hop.

The collection displays work by celebrated photographers including Harry Allen, Janette Beckman, Michael Benabib, Adrian Boot, Julia Beverly, Brian Cross, Al Pereira, Sebastian Piras, Ricky Powell, Peter Rickards, Jack Thompson and Val Wilmer. The exhibition also includes a white 1986 Koenig Widebody Mercedes 560 SEC, meant to evoke rapper Rakim’s famous “Benzeeto.”