In 1986, Ricky Powell was selling Frozade lemon ices on the streets of New York City, he never imagined he’d become a legendary hip-hop photographer. But that year, Powell ditched the cart and joined opening act the Beastie Boys on Run DMC’s “Raising Hell” tour across America. He eventually became the Beastie Boys’ photographer of choice, capturing the trio (Adam Horovitz, Adam Yauch and Mike Diamond) on the “Licensed to Ill” and “Check Your Head” tours, and even earned a shout-out on the track “Car Thief” off Paul’s Boutique: “Homeboy throw in the towel / Your girl got dicked by Ricky Powell.”
Outside of the Beasties, he hosted a cult public-access TV show, Rappin’ with the Rickster, and has released a number of books of his mostly NYC-set photographs, including environmental portraits of ‘80s and ‘90s street icons like Eazy-E, Method Man, Eric B. & Rakim, Slick Rick, Keith Haring, Flavor Flav, and Laurence Fishburne. A new documentary exploring Powell’s eventful life, Ricky Powell: The Individualist, premiered at We Are One: A Global Film Festival.
Here, check out an exclusive series of Powell’s photos of the Beastie Boys:
Ad Rock, Mike Tyson – 1986 at Roxy’s NYC.
Ricky Powell
BBs Early Concert 1986 – 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C.
Ricky Powell
BBs and Doze Green – 1986.
Ricky Powell
Ad-Rock Jumping Crowd – 1987, Together Forever Tour.
Ricky Powell
MCA Smiling on Stage – 1987 Licensed to Ill Tour in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Ricky Powell
Ricky Shoots BBs – 1988, Los Angeles (Ricky Powell, Beastie Boys)
Ricky Powell
BBs Shoot Paul’s Boutique, 1988 – Los Angeles, California.
Ricky Powell
Ricky Shoots the BBs (Ricky Powell, Beastie Boys)
Ricky Powell
Beasties in Suits – 1989. Brooklyn, NYC.
Ricky Powell
BBs, Winter 1993 – New York City.
Ricky Powell
Beasties Pre-Show Hands in – 1994 Lollapalooza, Kansas City, Missouri.
Ricky Powell
BBs Palm Trees – 1994 San Diego, California, on Lollapalooza Tour.
Ricky Powell