Customer Reviews

Who Shot Ya?: Three Decades of HipHop Photography

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Who Shot Ya? is a highly comprehensive presentation of the diachronic development and birth of hip hop culture. Kevin Powell manages to share this most important history in a clear accurate language that will benefit both young and old, especially those who believe that hip hop culture began during the age of music and television videos and those who are not quite certain if hip hop is a culture at all. Additionally, Ernie Paniccioli provides a brilliant, inspiring, photohistory that brings his subjects to life at your very finger tips. Together, Powell and Paniccioli provide a dual approach addressing a much needed historical and pictorial revision that will serve to guide many in their quests for knowledge and truth. Most importantly, Powell and Paniccioli share the tremendous impact that hip hop culture has had on the nation and the world. We are blessed by this text.
Ronnie Hopkins, Ph.D.
Dean of the School of Honors
Associate Professor of English
Benedict College
1600 Harden Street
Columbia SC 29204
803.253.5413

Let me just say that the book is great! It's a conversation piece, photo journal, nostalgia, and more importantly, our musical & cultural history, all roled up into one. "Who Shot Ya?" is very engaging as well as entertaining. Not just for young Hip Hop fans but for those interested in seeing an important time of our history come to life.

There are so many never seen before pictures of artist such as Queen Latifa, MC Lyte, Busta, Lauren Hill....the list goes on and on. Even some of the artist were surprised when they saw some old school photos of themselves.

The love and respect that both Ernie and Kevin have for HipHop culture is felt on every page.

This would make a nice gift. Check it out.

Ernie Paniccioli has given Hip-Hop fans a treasure of photographs of nearly everyone who has been involved with Hip-Hop. His collections feature Old School Stars such as Grandmaster Flash and goes up to current stars such as Mystikal, Nelly, Nas , JayZ ,Common, and Talib Kweli. It will bring back memories of how some stars looked back in the dayz (Mary J. Blige in her classic ghetto fabulous style of jeans, boots and baseball cap). In addition, it will give a glimpse back in time at forgotten groups and rappers(Ultramagnetic MCs, KidnPlay, Jungle Brothers, Roxanne Shante etc.) The only slight I have with this book is that it did not have a picture of my old schoolmate DJ Scott La Rock (You will see KRS-One in a picture over a mural featuring Scott's name). A must buy for all Hip-Hop fans.

Other than being truly dope, there's not much to say about Ernie Pannicioli's phenomenal book, Who Shot Ya? These pages truly capture the heart and soul of Hip Hop culture and those responsible for it. No pansy Photoshop touch-ups or cookie cutter material here, baby! Who Shot Ya delivers, bringing us chock-full-of-flavor in every page. Pannicioli immortalizes a lot of his subjects in their natural state; albeit, at times too raw for it's viewer. Ernie is the consumate documentor of urban/Hip Hop culture and Who Shot Ya? represents a visual tour into this man's unique body of work. Along with books like: Subway Art, Hip Hop (out of print) and Back In The Days, Who Shot Ya? is as invaluable as the culture that inspired it. --James "Koe" Rodriguez

Ernie Paniccioli and his photography are essential to anybody interested in Hip Hop, Pop Culture, and Resiliency of marginalized peoples....I highly recommend you buy it for any book collection.