They say a picture is worth a thousand words and thus invaluable is the eye of the artist who captures it. One such artist is Lisa Leone, whose talent for recognizing moments of historical significance caught the golden age of hip-hop through her lens.
Leone’s work has provided us with an imprint, a time capsule of culture in the throes of birth, which is phenomenal.
Who Is Lisa Leone?
Lisa Leone is a Bronx native who spent her time taking in hip-hop as it crawled from its infancy. While others were scrambling to be a part of the narrative through lyrical expression, she took her lens and documented it all.
This was not unorthodox for Leone. Photography was a passion and an early pursuit that stemmed from her observatory skills. As Euronews Culture notes,
“Leone was a self-proclaimed “b-girl” who developed a passion for photography at an early age.”
And that passion put her in the right places at the right time. Lisa Leone didn’t miss an opportunity. Her insight and eye for dopeness led Leone to catch on camera such icons as Lauryn Hill, Snoop Dogg, and Biggie in the artists’ early years when they were grinding, trying to make their mark.
Dopeness Overload
Like most creatives, Leone’s talent extended well beyond holding the camera. Leone also delved into writing, producing, and directing.
Leone’s mind was a creative birthing room directed towards telling stories with significant impacts through various visual mediums. As Euronews further notes, It was her gift that led to a collaborative partnership with the likes of Spike Lee and Stanley Kubrick.
Leone: Uniqueness Personified
Passion always extends from authenticity. Leone had an authentic purpose. She readily admits luck was on her side in affording her opportunities, few others would have.
As most know, luck is only part of the measure that makes one great. True luck is when preparedness meets opportunity. Lisa Leone was ready. When asked about her most memorable moments, she recalls witnessing Nas as he lay down “Illimatic.” And she was moved. She notes,
“Being in the session with Nas was like watching history being made.”
Of course, being the astute and talented observer, Leone caught the moment. But that was only one of such. Her experiences are vast, and there were many more memorable moments.
In Lisa’s interview, she cites working with other greats, such as Big Daddy Kane. And because of her, those moments will never be erased.
Behind The Artistry
Like all photographers, Lisa Leone has a process, and she refined it. But processes are extensions of time spent perfecting a gift, which comes from loving what you do.
Although Leone admits her temperament to be one of shyness, Snoop Dogg recognized her greatness almost immediately. He saw that not only did Leone have talent, but some had something leading her to push beyond her temperament.
According to Leone, upon showing the Dogg Father stills she captured, he was blown away. And this is what he said to the budding young talent
“I don’t know how you captured these images; you must have hip-hop in your veins or something.”
Of that, it is clear.
Flowers Where Flowers Are Due
History occurs moment by moment. Words or pictures are the only things we have of substance to remember those moments. Thus, we owe much gratitude to talents such as Leone, who were born to see the world in a certain way and use that gift to record that.
Because of Lisa Leone, there is no denying from which we came, and no one can put a price tag on that. So, our hats go off to Leone for her invaluable contribution to hip-hop.
Written by Renae Richardson
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