@babylonfalling / babylonfalling.tumblr.com

original scans from my collection of magazines, newspapers, and print ephemera

Live from the 41st side of 12th Street the photographer known as RISE, aka Dark Brother, takes us on a journey into Queensbridge through three decades of hip-hop history to reveal a layered portrait of a man and his neighborhood both past and present.

*Featuring never-before-seen photos of Mobb Deep, Big Twins, Big Noyd, Infamous Mobb, CNN, Nas, Cormega, AZ, and more.

I was on ‘b’ camera and did interviews alongside Alexander Richter who shot, edited, and quarterbacked the project. Original music by The Doppelgangaz. Design by Darrell Krum. 

New Year’s day. Tune in!

Who Gives a **** about a God-Damn Grammy?!, The Source (1989)

We all know that this year the Grammy awards finally gave rap the recognition it deserves by awarding it a Grammy. But, as the Fresh Prince put it, what the rappers did not know was that they "gave us the diploma and did not let us walk down the aisle."

The Grammys decided to present the rap award off camera, disrespecting our legitimate and powerful art form. To protest this decision, all the rap nominees (with one notable exception) boycotted the Grammy ceremony. In its place, Yo! MTV Raps, with host Fab Five Freddy, threw a party at LA's Cat & Fiddle on Grammy night. The turn out they got was incredible.

Ice-T and the whole Rhyme Syndicate posse showed up, along with Slick Rick, Kid 'n' Play, Def Jef, Eazy-E, 7A3, the Boys, a few surprise guests, and four of the five nominees: Salt-n-Pepa, JJ Fad, Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, and Kool Moe Dee (LL was busy working on his upcoming double album). The party was definitely the hippest place to be on Grammy night in LA.

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