1,2 1,2 Portraits Of Hip Hop- Ilja Meefout

Hip Hop started as a subculture in the 1970s and originated in the Bronx (New York). Hip Hop idols have often acquired iconic status over the years; it is a culture followed by people all over the world.

Meefout has photographed the biggest Hip Hop artists in the world. He grew up in the Bijlmermeer in the Amsterdam Southeast. His love for Hip Hop – which arose early on by listening to cassette tapes from Eric B & Rakim, NWA and Public Enemy, among others – is evident in his photography. His portraits are often characterized by a quiet simplicity and take “the artist” out of their daily context, which often consists of large entourages and a lot of noise. Snoop Dogg, Lil ’Wayne, Pusha T, Ice Cube, The Beastie Boys, and the Wu-Tang Clan: Mistake captured them all on camera. Due to his intuitive way of working, Meefout is a leading portrait photographer, with a great love for Hip Hop.

Meefout’s first photography book 1,2 1,2 – Portraits of Hip Hop presents an impressive overview of his extensive oeuvre. The book shows the process of Meefout as a photographer, but is also an ode to Hip Hop; tells from his own perspective and in the context of the environment in which Meefout grew up with all her metropolitan and social challenges. That context contributes to Meefout’s imagery: from local to international stars who pose as if they are familiar to him, very familiar and natural, and therefore universal.