MPOZI TOLBERT | Set of four prints: "The Roots Jam Shot; Questlove record shopping; Lauryn Hill; Q-Tip, ca 1993-96.

MPOZI TOLBERT

COLLECTION OF FOUR EARLY IMAGES: "THE ROOTS" JAM SHOT, CA 1993; AHMIR "QUESTLOVE" THOMPSON RECORD SHOPPING, CA 1996; LAURYN HILL, CA 1996; Q-TIP, CA 1996. 

Four digital pigment prints, each 11 x 17 in.

A COLLECTION OF FOUR UNSEEN IMAGES TAKEN BY MPOZI TOLBERT, THE BRILLIANT PHOTOGRAPHER WHO DOCUMENTED THE RISE OF HIP HOP SUPERGROUP THE ROOTS 

Tolbert, who worked as a photographer for the Indianapolis Star, took the first recorded photos ever of The Roots (when they were still known as The Square Roots), and continued to photograph them as they shot to fame, bringing him into the heart of the Hip Hop world. He passed away at the young age of 34 in 2006, from an unknown heart condition. He always knew how to capture the true heart of his subject, and even in his short time, left an indelible mark on Hip Hop culture. 

This collection includes a print of one of the very first recorded photos of The Roots, during a jam session in Philadelphia in 1993. 

REFERENCE:

"Photographer Tolbert Left a Lasting Impression" Obituary, NPR: https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5629480 

"Hip Hop Community Mourns the Death of Photographer Mpozi Tolbert": https://allhiphop.com/news/hip-hop-community-mourns-the-death-of-photographer-mpozi-tolbert-YeM30FdB8UqoymtCTQFIGg 

PROVENANCE:

The Estate of Mpozi Tolbert