They say a picture’s worth 1,000 words, and that’s especially true of one of music’s most language-conscious genres: hip-hop. Explore hip-hop throughout the United States, including the cultures that flourished in different regions of the country, in the exhibit “Contact High” at MoPOP on view through January 2024. Contact High explores four decades of photography, from the late 1970s to today, documenting a revolution not just in music, but in politics, race relations, fashion, and culture. Through more than 170 iconic images of hip-hop’s most influential artists (Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Tupac, and more) — including contact sheets that give us a rare glimpse into the creative process of a photo session — Contact High examines the evolution of hip-hop, connecting us with the experiences, identities, and places that have shaped the world’s most popular music genre. See how artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Aaliyah, Wu-Tang Clan, Sir Mix-A-Lot, and so many more defined themselves to the public. In addition to photographs, experience artifacts from MoPOP’s permanent collection such as early rap battle fliers, Tupac Shakur manuscripts, Flavor magazines, and costumes from Sha-Rock, The Notorious B.I.G., and MF DOOM add to our understanding of hip-hop culture. MoPOP is open 10:00am–5:00pm, Thursday-Tuesday (closed Wednesdays). Admission is $27-33; lowest prices are later in the day and on weekdays. Save on advance purchase, prices are higher at the door. Discounts are available (Library pass, EBT/SNAP, etc.): Community Access Program | Museum of Pop Culture (mopop.org). More info: Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop (mopop.org) and Advance Tickets | Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle WA (mopop.org).
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Post expires on Thursday February 1st, 2024
