About Ricky Powell

Ricky Powell (1961–2021) was a legendary New York City photographer whose work captured the energy, grit, and charisma of the city’s streets, music, and pop culture. Known as the “Unofficial Photographer of the New York City Hip-Hop Scene,” Powell documented iconic figures—from Madonna and Jean-Michel Basquiat to the Beastie Boys and Run-DMC—with an unfiltered, intimate eye. His early photographs offer a raw, unforgettable window into 1980s and ’90s NYC, blending humor, humanity, and streetwise authenticity.