The Art Of Hip Hop Brings Smithsonian’s Eyejammie Collection To Miami In A Vibrant, Immersive Celebration

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On The Table Read Magazine, “the best entertainment eBook magazine UK“, dive into hip-hop’s vibrant history with The Art of Hip Hop in Miami, showcasing rare Smithsonian photos, immersive exhibits, and Rakim’s iconic 1986 Mercedes

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The Art Of Hip Hop

Miami’s Wynwood Arts District will pulse with the raw energy of hip-hop culture started on March 22, 2025, as The Art of Hip Hop unveils a groundbreaking exhibition featuring the Smithsonian’s Eyejammie Hip-Hop Photo Collection. Presented in partnership with Monster Energy, this immersive showcase brings rare photographs, iconic ephemera, and a fresh approach to cultural storytelling that’s as Instagram-worthy as it is educational.

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Michael Benabib, Rakim & His Benzeeto, 1988. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. on The Table Read Magazine — Michael Benabib, Rakim & His Benzeeto, 1988. Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

The Eyejammie Collection traces its roots to the 1980s, when Bill Adler, then director of publicity at Def Jam Recordings, collaborated with photographers capturing hip-hop’s explosive rise. “Something about the culture’s astonishing vitality and visual appeal began catching the eyes of these photographers in the Seventies, even before anybody began making rap records,” Adler recalls. Those images, he notes, were instrumental in propelling hip-hop’s global influence. In 2003, Adler founded the Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery to celebrate this photography, and in 2015, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture acquired 400 of its prints by 59 photographers.

Now, The Art of Hip Hop reintroduces these works in a dynamic format curated by Alan Ket, featuring never-before-exhibited images in Miami (with the exception of Janette Beckman’s work). The exhibition spotlights vintage portraits of hip-hop legends like Run-DMC, Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg, Slick Rick, Eazy E, Pitbull, and Sylvia Robinson, alongside reggae pioneers like Lee “Scratch” Perry, whose influence shaped the genre. Photographers such as Michael Benabib, Harry Allen, Adrian Boot, and Ricky Powell bring these icons to life, their lenses capturing the grit and glamour of a transformative era.

Interactive Exhibition

What sets this exhibition apart is its immersive, interactive approach. Visitors can explore rare ephemera, including a white 1986 Koenig Widebody Mercedes 560 SEC, on loan from The Bunker, Miami’s hurricane-proof automotive storage facility. The car evokes rapper Rakim’s iconic “Benzeeto,” immortalized in a 1988 Michael Benabib photoshoot on New York’s Bleeker Street.

This Miami stop follows successful pop-ups in Austin, Texas, and Seoul, Korea, each tailored to resonate with local audiences while honoring hip-hop’s universal legacy. Monster Energy’s steadfast support for music, art, and culture makes this exhibition possible, ensuring the story of hip-hop’s visual history reaches new generations.

From the grainy intensity of early rap portraits to the sleek curves of a vintage Mercedes, The Art of Hip Hop bridges past and present, inviting visitors to experience a culture that’s as vital today as it was in its infancy. Don’t miss this chance to step into hip-hop’s vibrant history in Wynwood, where every snapshot tells a story.