Back in the Days

Back in the Days assembles street photography taken by Jamel Shabazz throughout New York City between 1980-1989. Shabazz captured candid and posed portraits of urban youth culture, fashion, and daily life across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. The photographs document b-boys, graffiti artists, breakdancers, and other pioneers of early hip-hop culture in their neighborhoods and hangout spots. Shabazz's images preserve the distinctive styles of the era - from Puma suits and Kangol hats to sheepskin coats and shell-toe Adidas. Beyond fashion and music, the collection records a pivotal period of cultural transformation in New York City's communities of color. The photographs reveal themes of identity, pride, and self-expression during a time of social and economic challenges.

Readers value this book as a photo documentary of 1980s New York hip-hop culture, street fashion, and everyday life in Black and Latino communities. Many note the authenticity of candid portraits showing b-boys, graffiti artists, and neighborhood characters. Likes: - Raw, unfiltered glimpse into an era before commercial hip-hop - High quality photo reproduction - Personal stories behind the images - Documents fashion trends and style evolution Dislikes: - Limited text/context for photos - Some readers wanted more technical photo details - Price point considered high by some Ratings: Goodreads: 4.44/5 (90 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (89 ratings) Notable reader comments: "These photos capture the pride and style of an era before hip-hop went mainstream" - Goodreads reviewer "The book preserves an important cultural moment, but needs more historical background" - Amazon reviewer "Every page shows the mutual respect between photographer and subject" - LibraryThing user

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📖 Jamel Shabazz began photographing New York City street life at age 15 with his father's Pentax camera, documenting the birth of hip-hop culture in the late 1970s and early '80s. 🎭 Many of the photographs in "Back in the Days" were taken while Shabazz worked as a correction officer at Rikers Island, where he would often photograph people in their neighborhoods during his commute. 👗 The book captures the distinctive fashion trends of the era, including Kangol hats, Adidas tracksuits, and sheepskin coats, which became iconic symbols of early hip-hop style. 🗽 The images primarily focus on Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Lower East Side communities during a period of significant social and economic challenges in New York City. 📸 Before publishing "Back in the Days" in 2001, Shabazz kept most of these photographs in personal photo albums, sharing them only with friends and family for nearly two decades.