“if among the many emotions you feel while viewing these photos, cool comes to mind.” 

this is the work of Jamel Shabazz. he was born in Brooklyn in the 60s. Jamel’s artistic eye was inherited from his father who was a u.s. navy photographer. by the age of 15, Jamel began his journey into creativity. he permeated into the heart of classic afro-modern style. 

Jamel documented the history and culture of African Americans and urban fashion. this portfolio is named ‘back in the days’ which captures the experiences of young men and women in Brooklyn during the 80’s. these are the people Shabazz grew up with, they are the faces of his past and names them ‘the most stylishly innovative and consistently advanced generation since the rock ‘n roll era.’ 

the style on display in this work represents a sense of rebelliousness and confidence. it was a style that oozed Vigor and personality. ‘cool’ came in the form of the clothes, from kangol to monikers, but the real lived encounters visualised through these images tells a story of pride and excellence. something way cooler. 

Shabazz excellently captures the energy and attitude of a new generation of superstars. 

he talks of a ‘soundtrack’ to these photographs while viewing them. the likes of James brown, Kool and the gang, Gil Scott-heron and so on. you can only imagine the sweet symphonies of these geniuses pouring from the gigantic boom boxes as people command and discover their space. 

what i love about this collection is you can tell Jamel isn’t just interested in the analytics behind a photo, he is part of this community and loves every single person he documents. he clearly has a charm which allured the subject, wanting them to be part of his and others history. 

what do you feel? i feel a generation wanting to cement their place in the world, a moment to stand out from the rest. those captured reflect the hopes, dreams, wishes and the timelines of people. 

jamel uses the streets as his cloth. he uses the nature, spirit and core of humans at this time to create something which is visually stunning and bold. these are just some of my favourites. 

the essence of Brooklyn’s soul lives on.

 - Max  Persad