Ernie Paniccioli " The Godfather of Hip Hop Photography"

With the skill of many years of experience this man navigates around the unsound foundation of the Industry of Hip Hop and Entertainment, plucking out the coal and making diamonds. Who do I speak of "Ernie Paniccioli" or as I like to call him "Uncle Ernie". He is not my blood uncle, but he is my teacher of the spirit which makes him family!

Ernie, brings topic's to the forefront of whatever he is doing, putting the "Truth" up on the table and then telling his children, look can you see what I have set out before you....these topic's are sometimes unsettling sometimes raw and unforgiving but always true.  Before I took the journey of writing about this accomplished  Photographer/ Artist / Public Speaker, Elder and close friend of mine; I had to clear my heart of all the anger I had, I purged myself because I wanted to write something light and fun...but how can I when the man himself is heavy and full of wisdom!  The anger I had was toward a system that had almost forgotten about this pioneer whose photo's have been published in some of Hip Hop's top 80's/ 90's publications and the years have not slowed this man down...if you look up relevant you will see Ernie Panicciolis' picture, For real! 

I say this because some of the same people who Ernie made famous with his Photographic genius, now reluctantly show him respect! Here we have a man who has a long list of famous personages who have been brought to him with managers saying things like " Ernie’s' the man, his photo's will make you famous" if you wonder how I know this I heard it first hand, I spent many days and nights in this man's studio learning to be the woman I am today...and just when I think I got it all worked out, I read a post by him on "FB" and say...err dang! Should I even begin to tell you who this man has photographed...I will only give you some because this is a blog not a book, but if I could I would write a book about this pioneer.

The list:  Grand Master Flash, Afrika Bambaattaa, Slick Rick, KRS One, Michael Jackson, Salt n Peppa, Lauren Hill, LL Kool J, Queen Latifa, Mc Lyte, Briteny Spears, Tupac Shakur, Lil' Kim, Mary J Blige, Public Enemy, Miles Davis, The Notorious B.I.G, like I said I could go on but this is a blog not a book..Speaking of books, on October 22, 2002 Ernie had a book published by Harper Collins " Who Shot Ya!"201 pages of the who, what, when, and where of the Hip Hop', Arts and Entertainment Industry, if you do not have a copy of this book and you call yourself a Hip Hop aficionado..Shame on you!

Paniccioli is also an accomplished Public Speaker, and Artist- His topics' range from Photography to Political climate, to Lack of self awareness of our people and the distasteful media that is being created around the “new world order" of lies in the Hip Hop and Entertainment Industry!  

Spend some time looking at this mans' Photography and his Books: http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?type=Print+Products&keyWords=Ernie+Paniccioli&x=9&y=11&sitesearch=lulu.com&q=

Four Decades of Artwork- 1967-present

Series of Dreams- 1967-1974

Ernie Paniccioli 4 Decades of Color Artwork- 1962-2007

Rap and Soul Head Shots

Deeper

Rap and Soul Vol.2