Chi Modu remembered for iconic pictures from golden age of Hip Hop
NEW YORK (WABC) -- Chi Modu took some of the most prized, iconic images, captured during the golden age of Hip Hop.
Like, Mobb Deep in 1995.
"He remembers going out to Queensbridge and hanging with their whole crew," said Sophia, Chi Modu's widow.
Sophia's late husband was renowned photographer Chi Modu.
"He wanted people to understand that just from looking at the photographs, that they were brilliant, brilliant individuals," Sophia said.
He took photos of legendary artists like Tupac.
Chi took the photo in 1994. It was an outtake but would be one of his and the industry's most acclaimed photos.
"Even though he always said, 'I can do the regular studio shot, I kind of wanted to really bring the person out so when people are looking at it they feel like they know you,'" Sophia said.
In the 1990's, Chi worked closely with the Source Magazine.
Born in Nigeria, he grew up in New Jersey and went to Rutgers where he met Sophia.
He would later perfect his craft at Manhattan's International Center of Photography.
From his studio in Jersey City, Sophia told Eyewitness News that her husband's work had a profound effect on people.
"He would hear stories of people just struggling in their young life, saying these images just made me keep going," Sophia said.
A picture of Biggie in front of the Twin Towers was one of his proudest works.
"Everyone was like oh that music, that rap music, thing but he thought they were intelligent young men and they needed to be captured appropriately," she said.
Sophia is busy cataloging thousands of images her husband took and is committed to protecting his work.
In 2021, Chi died from cancer. He was just 54 years old.
"As he's looking down on all of this, what do you think he would say?" Eyewitness News asked.
"I picked the right one," Sophia said.
ALSO READ | Tour group shares Hip Hop's rich history in New York City with global fans
Watch our half-hour special 'The Bronx and Beyond: 50 years of Hip Hop' airing on Eyewitness News at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, August 11, followed by a one-hour extended look on Channel 7 at 1 p.m. on Sunday, August 13. Both editions will be made available to stream on-demand at ABC7NY.com or our ABC7NY app on Roku, FireTV, Apple TV and Android TV.
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