Chi Modu

Chi Modu (born 1966) is an American documentary photographer of Nigerian descent, renowned for his photographs of hip-hop artists during the 1990’s, the defining years of the hip hop era.The Guardian: Chi Modu’s best photograph: Tupac Shakur lets his guard downBBC: Chi Modu has photographed hip hop's biggest artistsMedium: Sitting Down with Chi Modu — Hip-Hop’s OG Photography Juggernaut His subjects included Biggie, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg,The Music Network: Why one of hip hop’s most famous photographers, Chi Modu, doesn’t shoot rappers anymoreWWD: Snoop Dogg and Photojournalist Chi Modu on Defining a Hip-Hop Era Mobb Deep, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, the Notorious B.I.G. and Wu-Tang Clan.Coveteur: CHI MODU IS THE MAN BEHIND TUPAC & BIGGIE’S MOST ICONIC PHOTOSHighsNobiety: Chi Modu: The Man Behind the Lens of Some of Hip-Hop’s Most Iconic Moments His photos are especially notable for the personal and intimate camera angles of the famous music artists.The Music Network: Why one of hip hop’s most famous photographers, Chi Modu, doesn’t shoot rappers anymore Pulse: 'Carry the bag' - An interview with legendary photographer, Chi ModuComplex UK: Exclusive: Watch A Short Film On Hip-Hop Photographer Chi Modu's Homecoming Exhibition
==Early life and education==
Chi Modu was born in 1966 in Arondizuogu, Nigeria. In 1969, when he was two and a half years old, his family left Nigeria in the middle of a civil war to seek refuge in the United States. Modu grew up in New Jersey.Paper Magazine: Hip-Hop Documentarian Chi Modu Captures the Truth
After graduating from The Lawrenceville School in 1984, Modu attended Rutgers University, where he studied economics. He graduated with a B.S.degree in economics in 1989. While still an undergraduate student at Rutgers, he developed an interest in photography and cameras and enrolled in the photojournalism and documentary photography program at the International Center of Photography in New York City soon after, where he received a certificate in 1992.Guardian Arts: Meet legendary Nigerian-American hip-hop photographer Chi Modu 
==Photography==
Modu’s photography career began with him shooting for local papers in New York City, including the New York Amsterdam NewsThe Hundreds: A Conversation with Chi Modu, Photographer & Hip-Hop Documentarian and The Source.
===The Source===
According to WWD, Modu began photographing at The Source magazine "during the defining era of hip-hop in the Nineties"..One Tribe Magazine: Chi Modu takes UNCATEGORIZED to Lagos During that period, Modu photographed hip-hop artists including Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, the Notorious B.I.G and Mobb Deep. His work appeared on more than 30 album covers including Snoop’s multi-platinum debut album Doggy Style, Method Man from Wu-Tang Clan’s platinum debut album Tical and Mobb Deep’s classic album The Infamous. Modu worked for the magazine until 1997, and his photographs of celebrities helped define the Source look.
===Photojournalism===
In addition to his hip hop images, Modu has traveled the world, documenting the people in countries ranging from Yemen, Syria, Philippines, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Brazil, Thailand, Korea, Nigeria and more. He also documented sportspeople such as Mike Tyson,Joshua Moore: Chi Modu and sporting events ranging from baseball to car racing.Chi Modu Photo Gallery Among his favorite photographers are Roy DeCarava , André Kertész, and James Van Der Zee.
==Uncategorized==
In 2013, Modu launched a project called "Uncategorized" with the intention to raise awareness about hip-hop artists and music culture of the 1990s. His work began to appear in the form of gigantic images on the buildings of New York City.Uncategorized: Chi Modu exhibitions Eventually, the project became popular and continued in form of exhibitions in many countries. In the summer of 2014, UNCATEGORIZED moved overseas to Finland, where it was the main exhibit at the Pori Art Museum. Later, Modu published a photography book in September 2016 entitled Tupac Shakur: UNCATEGORIZED. Since the book was launched, UNCATEGORIZED has shown up in dramatic new ways in Korea, Thailand, Norway, Brazil, Spain, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, UAE and Nigeria.Toombes: Chi Modu: Uncategorized
==In the media==
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==References==
==External links==
* Chi Modu on instagram
* Chi Modu on twitter
* Why one of hip hop’s most famous photographers, Chi Modu, doesn’t shoot rappers anymore
* CHI MODU IS THE MAN BEHIND TUPAC & BIGGIE’S MOST ICONIC PHOTOS
* Chi Modu - Dedicated
* Chi Modu's Biography - The HistoryMakers
* A Conversation with Chi Modu, Photographer & Hip-Hop Documentarian
* Chi Modu: The Man Behind Some of Hip-Hop's Most Iconic MOMENTS
Category:Living people
Category:1966 births
Category:Rutgers University alumni
Category:American portrait photographers
Category:20th-century American photographers
Category:21st-century American photographers
Category:Photographers from New York City
Category:American portrait photographers
Category:Bachelor's degrees