Brooklyn’s Finest Photo Installation Honors Hip-Hop Legends At Borough Hall

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso opened Brooklyn’s Finest: Legends in Focus, a photo installation celebrating the borough’s pivotal role in Hip-Hop history on Wednesday evening.

The exhibit highlights legendary photographers whose work captured Brooklyn’s music and culture, including Jamel Shabazz, whose images have defined the borough’s artistic identity.

The installation features Shabazz’s iconic 1998 photoshoot, The Greatest Day in Hip-Hop History, which brought together one of the largest gatherings of artists ever photographed in a single frame.

Portraits by Barron Claiborne, including his acclaimed image of The Notorious B.I.G., anchor the exhibit alongside photographs of Jay-Z, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Lil’ Kim, Foxy Brown, Busta Rhymes, Rakim, M.O.P., Big Daddy Kane and Fab 5 Freddy.

Jonathan Rheingold, co-founder of XXL and RESPECT. magazines and president of iD8 Studios, curated the installation.

“As a proud Brooklyn native, it’s an honor to curate and contribute to this installation at Brooklyn Borough Hall during Black History Month,” Rheingold said. “Photography has been essential to how this history has been documented, preserved, and shared with the world.”

The opening night reception featured a rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” performed by A Song for Life.

Reynoso presented Fab 5 Freddy and Jamel Shabazz with Proclamations honoring their artistic contributions.

Datwon Thomas, former editor-in-chief of VIBE, moderated discussions with industry veterans including Kierna Mayo, Sheena Lester, Larry “The Blackspot” Hester, and Tony Gervino. Straw Hatz performed a dance tribute to Hip-Hop, while DJ Specialist provided live beats throughout the evening.

“This Black History Month, we honor the Brooklynites who’ve played an important role elevating Hip-Hop into a global cultural force —from lyricists and producers to journalists, street artists, and the listeners who fuel this movement,” Reynoso said. “Many of the photos depict artists in their own communities, offering a window into a creative moment in Brooklyn that was distinctly, proudly, Black. All Brooklynites should check out this special tribute.”

Shabazz reflected on his decades-long career photographing Brooklyn’s neighborhoods, tracing back to 1975 when he first picked up a camera to document friends and peers in Red Hook and East Flatbush.

Over the years, he captured the borough’s streets during a time of cultural transformation, chronicling early Hip-Hop gatherings, street fashion, and everyday life.His work includes intimate portraits of emerging artists and community figures, often emphasizing resilience and creativity amid urban challenges.

Shabazz’s photographs have appeared in books, exhibitions, and publications worldwide, helping preserve the visual history of Brooklyn’s Black and Latino communities while cementing his role as one of Hip-Hop culture’s foremost documentarians.

“Having the ability to freeze time and motion fascinated me. I never imagined my path as a photographer would allow me to preserve a time that is long gone,” he said.

Brooklyn’s Finest: Legends in Focus will remain on display at Brooklyn Borough Hall through the end of February. The building is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The installation features contributions from photographers and cultural documentarians including Jamel Shabazz, Barron Claiborne, Johanna Fiore, Mike Schreiber, Sarah A. Friedman, Matthew Salacuse, Lisa Leone, Justin Jay, Jonathan Rheingold, and Mfon Essien.