Photographer Chi Modu, Who Snapped Iconic Pics of Biggie and Tupac, Dead at 54
By Dan ClarendonMay 23 2021, (*54*) 11:59 a.m. ET
Photographer Chi Modu, who captured images of one of the vital biggest names in rap and hip-hop, has died. His explanation for death has now not been showed, but a former coworker tweeted that Chi may have died of stomach most cancers.
Posts on Chi’s social media accounts announced his passing on Saturday, May 22, 2021. “Our hearts are damaged … We proceed the battle,” the Twitter and Instagram posts learn. “The family requests privacy at this time.”
The acclaimed photographer used to be 54 years outdated.
Chi snapped more than 30 quilt pictures for ‘The Source’ magazine.
According to NJ.com, Chi used to be born in Nigeria however grew up in New Jersey, attending Lawrenceville School in Lawrence Township, N.J., and learning economics at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.
Chi advanced a keenness for photography during his time at Rutgers and went on to check photojournalism at the International Center of Photography in New York City. After a stint at the Amsterdam News, Chi were given a job snapping footage of track stars for The Source in the Nineties, and his pictures graced more than 30 problems with the magazine.
Chi advanced a keenness for images during his time at Rutgers and went on to check photojournalism at the International Center of Photography in New York City. After a stint at the Amsterdam News, Chi were given a role snapping footage of tune stars for The Source in the 1990s, and his photographs graced more than 30 problems with the magazine.
“It used to be right here that Chi developed relationships with the largest icons of the hip hop movement, together with Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, and LL Cool J, most of whom were not yet well-known,” the photographer’s online bio reads. “Chi was once ready to seize the musicians in candid, unexpected moments, due to his disarming method and unique perspective.”
He’s the artist at the back of iconic pictures of Biggie and Tupac.
One of Chi’s best-known images is a portrait of The Notorious B.I.G. in entrance of the World Trade Center in 1996, a photograph that sold at auction for $30,240 last year, in keeping with The New York Times.
Chi additionally took a famous photograph of Tupac smoking, a candid image captured during photograph shoot break. His portraits of Tupac and Biggie assist immortalize the rappers, who have been murdered inside months of each other in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Chi later accrued his photos of Tupac for the 2016 pictures e book Tupac Shakur: Uncategorized.
Chi’s pictures of both Biggie and Tupac, in addition to his photos of Snoop Dogg and Method Man, had been one of the vital highlights of his 2013 Uncategorized show off, which featured enlarged variations of his footage on the aspects of New York City structures.
As if all that weren’t impressive sufficient, Chi’s work additionally seems on album covers for Snoop, Method Man, Mobb Deep, and Mad Lion, and his pictures have appeared in The New York Times and the London newspaper The Times, in keeping with his bio.
Celebrities and associates are mourning Chi Modu's demise.
On Twitter, The Source founding editor Jonathan Schecter paid tribute to his past due colleague. “Rest peacefully Chi, your heat middle and your artistic presents will thrive on this sphere ceaselessly,” Jonathan tweeted on Saturday. “Love you, brother.”
The following day, rapper Pharoahe Monch tweeted, “Rest easy to legendary photographer Chi Modu. His iconic photographs are ingrained in my memory perpetually. To me, his photos spoke volumes about feel, and capturing the human behind those better than lifestyles personas.”
In 2019, when Coveteur requested Chi how he sought after to be remembered, he stated, “I need to be known as any individual that may glance at one thing and bring the truth out with out injecting their viewpoint into it. For me, that’s crucial. As lengthy as I do this and I do my activity smartly, then other folks take note me.”
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