Meet The Female Photographer Who Captured The Golden Age Of Hip-Hop

Euronews Culture spoke with Lisa Leone, a photographer and filmmaker, who began her career shooting for some of the most influential names in hip-hop.

Not many can claim they were in the studio for the recording sessions of Nas’ landmark 1994 album, ‘Illmatic’.

However, for Lisa Leone, it was just another day in her extraordinary life as a photographer on the vibrant streets of New York City, at a time when hip-hop culture was blossoming.

Hailing from the Bronx, the self-proclaimed “b-girl” developed a passion for photography from an early age and went on to capture some of the most influential figures in hip-hop, including Lauryn Hill, the legendary Notorious B.I.G, a young Snoop Dogg on the set of his debut music video and the pioneering father of hip-hop, Grandmaster Flash, among many other names.

Beyond the realm of photography, Leone’s talents extend to various aspects of filmmaking, including writing, producing and directing.

Her creative prowess led to collaborations with esteemed visionaries like Spike Lee on his groundbreaking 1989 film Do the Right Thing, and later with the legendary Stanley Kubrick, on his final masterpiece, Eyes Wide Shut.

In this interview, Euronews Culture delves deep into Leone’s contribution to the world of hip-hop as the genre celebrates its 50th anniversary.