Chi Modu: The Man Behind Hip-Hop's Most Iconic Photos
·
·
For anyone familiar with the golden era of 1990s hip-hop, certain images are instantly recognizable: The Notorious B.I.G., commanding and calm with the Twin Towers in the background. Tupac Shakur, arms raised, eyes shut, smoke curling upward. Eazy-E, posed like a king atop his lowrider. These iconic moments, along with countless others, were captured by Chi Modu—a photographer who brought the soul of hip-hop to life through his lens.
Born in Nigeria in 1966 and raised in New Jersey, he developed his passion for photography during college. A gifted storyteller, he combined his education in agribusiness economics with a certificate in photojournalism from the International Center of Photography, ultimately finding his calling in documenting hip-hop culture.
Modu joined The Source magazine in the early 1990s, just as hip-hop was transitioning from a grassroots movement to a global force. For many artists, Modu was the first professional photographer they encountered, and his approach was grounded in trust and collaboration.
“My mission was always to ensure that someone from the hip-hop community was documenting it,” Modu said in an interview. His focus on authenticity gave rise to some of the most defining images of the era, from album covers like Mobb Deep’s The Infamous… to promotional campaigns like Bad Boy Records’ iconic “B.I.G. Mack.”
Chi Modu’s work went beyond traditional photojournalism. In the 2010s, he spearheaded public art projects like the “Uncategorized” billboard series, bringing his hip-hop photography to audiences around the world. This initiative reflected his belief that art should be accessible to everyone, not just confined to galleries.
Modu also retained the rights to his work, ensuring his photographs would remain under his control. Through collaborations with brands and exhibitions, he introduced his iconic images to new generations.
Chi Modu passed away from cancer in 2021, at the age of 54.
©HI - All images © Chi Modu
All images are copyrighted by Chi Modu. Rights are owned and controlled by the estate of Chi Modu
Comments
maria — 1 hour ago
INSTEAD OF BITCOIN INVESTMENT SCAM WHY DON’T YOU CONTACT MR OSCAR FOR A REAL BLANK ATM CARD
oscarwhitehackersworld@gmail.com
My name is Maria Thomson I’m from Ohio United State,this is so real and wonderful, at first i thought is a scam , because have been scam by several people claiming they can help me invest my money in bitcoin trading , that is how i lost my $25,000 last week on investment , but with the help of Mr Oscar White Blank ATM Card oscarwhitehackersworld@gmail.com , i was able to withdraw $50,000 from ATM machine without trace more than the money i lost last week , indeed Mr Oscar your Blank ATM card is real and genuine , i will keep telling people about you as i promise to do , if you are in any financial problem to pay up bills and start up a new life , kindly contact Mr Oscar white on how you can obtain his Blank ATM card , he does not charge big , trust him and contact him today through email email..oscarwhitehackersworld@gmail.com WhatsApp +1 (361) 232-2602
maria — 1 hour ago
INSTEAD OF BITCOIN INVESTMENT SCAM WHY DON’T YOU CONTACT MR OSCAR FOR A REAL BLANK ATM CARD
oscarwhitehackersworld@gmail.com
My name is Maria Thomson I’m from Ohio United State,this is so real and wonderful, at first i thought is a scam , because have been scam by several people claiming they can help me invest my money in bitcoin trading , that is how i lost my $25,000 last week on investment , but with the help of Mr Oscar White Blank ATM Card oscarwhitehackersworld@gmail.com , i was able to withdraw $50,000 from ATM machine without trace more than the money i lost last week , indeed Mr Oscar your Blank ATM card is real and genuine , i will keep telling people about you as i promise to do , if you are in any financial problem to pay up bills and start up a new life , kindly contact Mr Oscar white on how you can obtain his Blank ATM card , he does not charge big , trust him and contact him today through email email..oscarwhitehackersworld@gmail.com WhatsApp +1 (361) 232-2602
Dr Greg — 7 days ago
JOIN THE ILLUMINATI666 BROTHERHOOD?!!!
contact us on +2349017887682 or illumnatib53@gmail.com
Are you a business man, or woman,are you a pastor
or an artist,, do you want to be famous or you want
to be rich or powerful, it is better you become a
member of Illuminati and make your dream come
true . this is the chance for you now to become a
member of the temple KINGDOM and get what you
seek from us.if you are ready to become a member
of Illuminati and realize your dream then-: whatsapp
us or email
illumnatib53@gmail.com
fill in the following as well-:
NAME………………..
NEXT OF KIN……………….
ADDRESS……………..
MARITAL STATUS………….
COUNTRY………
STATE………………
OCCUPATION…………….
MOBILE LINE…………
A NEW MEMBER WILL GIVEN THE SUM OF
120MILLION DOLLARS, A CAR AND A HOUSE IN ANY
PART OF THE WORLD. NOTE: WE ARE NOT FORCING
ANYBODY FOR THIS. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED
PLEASE DON’T APPLY
Dr Greg — 8 days ago
JOIN THE ILLUMINATI666 BROTHERHOOD?!!!
contact us on +2349017887682 or illumnatib53@gmail.com
Are you a business man, or woman,are you a pastor
or an artist,, do you want to be famous or you want
to be rich or powerful, it is better you become a
member of Illuminati and make your dream come
true . this is the chance for you now to become a
member of the temple KINGDOM and get what you
seek from us.if you are ready to become a member
of Illuminati and realize your dream then-: whatsapp
us or email
illumnatib53@gmail.com
fill in the following as well-:
NAME………………..
NEXT OF KIN……………….
ADDRESS……………..
MARITAL STATUS………….
COUNTRY………
STATE………………
OCCUPATION…………….
MOBILE LINE…………
A NEW MEMBER WILL GIVEN THE SUM OF
120MILLION DOLLARS, A CAR AND A HOUSE IN ANY
PART OF THE WORLD. NOTE: WE ARE NOT FORCING
ANYBODY FOR THIS. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED
PLEASE DON’T APPLY
Dr Greg — 8 days ago
JOIN THE ILLUMINATI666 BROTHERHOOD?!!!
contact us on +2349017887682 or illumnatib53@gmail.com
Are you a business man, or woman,are you a pastor
or an artist,, do you want to be famous or you want
to be rich or powerful, it is better you become a
member of Illuminati and make your dream come
true . this is the chance for you now to become a
member of the temple KINGDOM and get what you
seek from us.if you are ready to become a member
of Illuminati and realize your dream then-: whatsapp
us or email
illumnatib53@gmail.com
fill in the following as well-:
NAME………………..
NEXT OF KIN……………….
ADDRESS……………..
MARITAL STATUS………….
COUNTRY………
STATE………………
OCCUPATION…………….
MOBILE LINE…………
A NEW MEMBER WILL GIVEN THE SUM OF
120MILLION DOLLARS, A CAR AND A HOUSE IN ANY
PART OF THE WORLD. NOTE: WE ARE NOT FORCING
ANYBODY FOR THIS. IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED
PLEASE DON’T APPLY
evelyn murphy — 9 days ago
I know an organization who have private investigators for hire who can help you get into your spouse’s phones,emails remotely from your phone they can also help you with your
credit score * clearing of criminal record reecovery of stolen cryptocurrency *increasing of school grades and any thing that has to do with hacking etc You can confirm for yourself from their email or whatsapp lineethicalhackers009@gmail.com Whatsapp No: +14106350697 so you can also give your testimony
HAILEY GARCIA — 10 days ago
My name is Hailey Garcia and I am from New Jersey. My herpes virus turned to war after 2 years of living with it. I have tried different medical procedures to cure my herpes but to no avail. Most people think herpes is only a minor skin irritation of which herpes has long term effects on health and passes through the bloodstream and can be easily contracted through sexual intercourse. I knew I had herpes from the first day I started feeling itchy in my pubic area and the pain was very unbearable. I couldn’t stand it anymore. After 2 years of trying other means to get rid of it, I had to contact Doctor AGBON to help me with a permanent cure. I saw his email and whats-app number from a testimony I read online from a lady who was also helped by him in curing infertility problems, I had faith and contacted him. He assured me of his work and I ordered his herbal medicine. Within 5 days, I didn’t feel any pain anymore and within 2 weeks, my skin was all cleared and smooth. I am very grateful to you sir and I write this testimony as others have done to bring those having faith to you sir. If you have herpes or other similar disease and you want it cured, kindly contact Doctor AGBON, WhatsApp Number :+2349058797761
Email: dragboherbalhome@gmail.com WebSite: https://dragbonherbalhome.wixsite.com/my-site-3
FrankWilliam — 10 days ago
HOW I WON THE LOTTERY WITH Drherry LOTTERY SPELL AND MY LIFE CHANGED: I’m a 31-year-old from California and I just won $25 million in the lottery. Life was really hard before this and I was constantly struggling to pay my bills. While searching online for ways to turn things around, I came across stories of people saying that Drherry helped them win the lottery. I was curious and decided to give it a try. I reached out to him and he responded quickly. He told me what was needed to cast a lottery spell. After the spell was done, he gave me numbers to play. I used OLG’s Never Miss a Draw subscription and a few days later, I got a call saying I had won $25 million. I was completely shocked and overwhelmed with emotion. I never believed something like this could happen to me. I am truly grateful to Drherry for this incredible blessing. You can contact him via WhatsApp: +12023654871 or email: DrHerry189@gmail.com