LIVE: Ricky Powell Solo Exhibit, NYC

A lot could be said about photographer Ricky Powell, but that’s why over 100+ people crammed into Ms.Lily’s Variety, the new gallery space adjacent to the Jamaican eatery in West Village on a rainy night. Powell, the former unofficial Def Jam house photographer and “Fourth Beastie Boy” is widely known in the hip-hop, pop culture, street culture photography circles. The crew at TheGoodLife! obviously know just how dope Ricky Powell is-- they curated the solo exhibition, which showcased images from Powell’s 30+ years as a photographer; having shot a plethora of Hip-Hop greats, actresses and sports figures. As a budding photographer with one group exhibition under my belt, the one thing I really liked about the exhibition were the items from Powell’s personal collection. I felt it really put a personal touch on the exhibition. Aside from being a legendary photographer, Powell is also a basketball fanatic/collector of sorts, he showed off some basketball memorabilia –including a pair of Suede Puma Clyde’s signed by Walt Fraizer.

Powell, who recently turned 50, over the weekend, was being the gracious host between catching up with old friends, telling stories in his unconventional yet charismatic way and snapping photos of the new cool kids on the scene all the while keeping tabs on all the pretty ladies in the room. All in all, Powell is an integral part of street photography and the team over at TheGoodLife! did an excellent job putting on a fresh event showcasing the Rickster!