DAILYSESSION

By Nickj – Lifelounge

Ricky Powell has lived the 20 years we all wish we had. He’s known the people we only get to see in the movies or read about in books. Our imaginations are his reality. From Cindy Crawford in the bathroom to Andy Warhol on the streets of Brooklyn, the born and bred New Yorker captures lives lived and lost.

Quitting his job at the Frozen Lemonade stall back in 1985, the iconic hip-hop/street photographer took his Minolta AF down a path of immeasurable proportions where celebrity and downright debauchery make him wonder today how he made it out alive.

Dubbed the ‘fourth member of the Beastie Boys’, Powell became their unofficial photographer during the late ’80s and early ’90s. He quickly gained notoriety for his uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time and for the photos that followed shortly thereafter.

His nonchalance shouldn’t be confused with irreverence but with his Jersey drawl, his ‘home-boy’ slouch and his womanising ways, he certainly isn’t a bashful fella.

Jasmine Phull takes a seat on the balcony of The Cullen hotel to talk about the ‘seven hustles’ with Ricky Powell – the self-proclaimed ‘Lazy Hustler’.

Jasmine: What’s that?
Ricky: That’s a transistor radio, baby. It’s my lifeline.

J: Do you listen to a specific radio station?
R: I just flip it around. Wherever I go I have a transistor. I need a soundtrack wherever I go.

J: It’s very ’70s. So this won’t be too much of integration. In fact, I think you may just come out of this alive.
R: You can ask me whatever you want.

J: Ok. Let’s talk about the influence of music. During the late ’80s and ’90s you were really ingrained in the music culture and your photos only highlight that. Describe the impact that the ‘evolution’ of the music industry has had on you and your work over the past 15 years?
R: To me, contemporary music just blows. Culture has just gotten toy. Generally speaking. You gotta look for the good stuff. The shit that’s force-fed from the media is weak. Terrible.

J: So has the focus of your work changed?
R: Yea. I don’t go out to clubs anymore. A lot of cornballs have replaced a lot of cool people. I kinda feel resentful about that. Not just cause they’re new people but cause they got a wack sense of self-entitlement. They have no substance. The neighbourhood that I live in, Greenwich Village, is full of that. A lot of the original people are gone and the people that have replaced them are ‘new jacks’ who think they’re cool because of the clothes they’re wearing.  [Read More]