Hip Hop at the End of the World: The Photography of Brother Ernie Hardcover – September 25, 2018

This is one of my favorite photography books focused on hip hop. Features tons of artists I love and the photographer has a unique style and clearly lived an interesting life. Would love to read a bio of this photographer to get some more background on some of these photo shoots

When I was reading "The Source" and buying hip-hop cassettes in college in the early '90s, I never thought I would get to know Ernie Paniciolli, the man who shot iconic photos of so many of my favorite "rappers" in magazines and on album/CD/cassette covers. Full disclosure: I do know him, and I'm honored to call him a friend. But that's neither here nor there. These images, a couple from the late 1970s, the rest spanning the 1980s through Yasiin Bey (formerly Mos Def)'s last concert in 2016, present an amazing tableau of hip-hop history. There are vivid photos of artists both legendary (Grandmaster Flash, MC Lyte, Rakim, Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante, Public Enemy, Brand Nubian, Nas) and less-remembered but no-less gifted (the criminally under-rated KMD). Along with many of the photos come captions describing the circumstances under which they were taken; on pgs. 110-113, learn why Sean "Puffy" Combs has "the biggest balls in hip-hop". There's a photo of Tupac taken a week before the first time he was shot. Shots of Ice Cube strangling the Statue of Liberty (he had a rather different persona before the "Are we There Yet?" series), Redman with Ronald McDonald in a chokehold. Ernie's photos include figures in no way associated with hip-hop - the Dali Lama, Yoko Ono, Boy George - and in this book you'll find hip-hop legends sharing the lens with music legends such as Isaac Hayes, Quincy Jones and Bootsy Collins. For a book so dominated by images - bright, colorful photos that have the power to transport the reader back to a time when New York City did not look like a sterile assemblage of identical glass towers - this one includes equally impressive text. It begins with an interview by Ian Luna in which we learn much about the circumstances which made Ernie Paniciolli who he is today and how he found his way into photography; it concludes with a wonderful poem by Jessica Care Moore in which she implores Ernie "never to quit/Even when we betray our own portraits" (as some of the MCs depicted in this book have done). Ernie's previous collection of hip-hop photography, , "Who Shot Ya?", is one of the books most "permanently-borrowed" from the New York City library where I work, and is now out of print. Here's hoping "Hip-Hop at the End of the World" remains in print forever, as it deserves.

For all the real music lovers

Came as described

I saw this book on Instagram and had to get it. Talk about memories.. looking at the pictures all the sudden I was back in junior high with all my "Right on" posters with LL and Whodini and Mc Lyte and Run DMC on my bedroom wall and playing my tape deck a little too loud while listening to Eric B and Rakim and Gang Starr, De La Soul... my dad trying to figure out why he's singing "I left my wallet in El Segundo" lol . Listening to "Deep cover" with Snoop and Dre , Biggie and Pac in the El Co in college with..... This book brought back a lot of good memories...💚 Thank you Ernie for sharing your story and your pictures... Great book to take you back in time and put a smile on your face while looking at all the Dope Pictures..

This Handsome hardcover Book is The quintessential reference and visual compilation of the Origins, Beauty and Scope of what is known as Hip Hop Culture. At 3 pounds and over 300 pages, Not only is it Physically Impressive but its contents captivate the inmagination in a way that transcends the mere aesthetics of photography.Yes All of The Legends are in this Book in gorgeous detail, But none of the images feel contrived for the sake of Art, They exude Realness and Compelling in its Naturality. They connect emotively with the Reader, Eage page a testament to the times our Hearts hold dear.You see the faces, the places, the fashion, the spirit that Birthed and elevated Hip Hop, This Book invokes a Sea of Refreshing memories, Many of them Personal. So This Book is not merely a Masterful exhibit, It is more like a Family Photo Album Where as You feel a Deep shared sense of connection.Trust me, As You turn the pages in this Book you will find yourself gasping " Wow Remember That " or " Remember those Jackets " or " Phife, God Rest his Soul " or " Look at Cousin Rakim, Latifah, Nas, etc "This Book is worth every penny, It is a Enriching experience. It is Heart warming, It is Affirmimg as well as a urgent reminder that thru Unity, Love, Creative Expression and Culture , We can Still have " Hip Hop At The End Of The World "

I enjoyed this book immensely, being a child of hip Hop (born before 1973 when Kool Herc threw his Party) and being from Brooklyn which at that time seeemed light years away from the Bronx but was still an urban landscape always being defined. I grew up listening to Hip Hop and completely understood that it was an untapped and unique force of nature.Mr. Paniccioli was Hip Hop’s chronicler from the beginning. When I dabbled in photography when I was younger, I was told that a photograph can be far deeper that what is shown even if the picture was taken in the simplest of settings. Many of the photos were taken when the subjects were young themselves and just learning about what was around them. There are also pictures of artists that are no longer with us for various reasons. You could feel Mr. P’s sadness when he described some of those artists (particularly Aaliyah). For those of us like myself who are in the age range of many of the Artists shown, this book is a needed acknowledgement of what Hip Hop is and evolved to be. For the younger generation who doesn’t know anything about the Blood, Sweat and Tears that was spilled so y’all could do what y’all think you are doing, all y’all need to read this book and others like it.

Fits so well on my table