Contributors:

• IMAGES: JOSEPH IRONMONGER

ICYMI, last night saw the second instalment of our event series, Inside Job, in partnership with THE FACE. This time around, we were celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip-hop as we explored visual worldbuilding within music, joined by a panel of top-of-their-game creatives…

On the panel was photographer and filmmaker, Gabriel Moses, presenter, DJ and photographer, Normski and writer and podcaster, Yemi Abiade and Irene Agbontaen, cultural curator and founder of TTYA joined as a host. From insider tips on how to succeed in the industry to the future of hip-hop, the conversation was on fire.

Inside Job is a brand-new series of URL and IRL events spotlighting rising industry voices at the intersection of fashion, culture, art and music. Designed to share knowledge and remove barriers to entry within the creative industries, the series will provide a new generation of fashion creatives and entrepreneurs with the tangible advice they need to level up on their own creative journey.

First on the agenda? A discussion of different paths into creative industries. It goes without saying that creative industries, be it art, fashion or music, can be some of the trickiest arenas to break into. But our panellists had some advice for young creatives.

As far as Gabriel Moses is concerned? It’s all about trusting the process. He told the audience to trust the journey and, that confidence is your journey. Find your eye, cultivate your perspective and be unapologetically yourself. The world is your gallery, and it’s time to show your eye to the world. Normski was quick to agree, telling the audience that you have to be passionate about what you love. But top of his list when it comes to success? You have to honour your community. Your family and friends are your first fans, so you need to be there to hold up your team and your community. You need to think global and act local.

A party in the Bronx on the 11th of August 1973, is widely considered to be the birthplace of hip-hop. And 50 years on, its influence is felt everywhere. From its infancy at block parties in the ‘70s to its explosion in the ‘90s, hip-hop has been defining fashion for decades. Irene Agbontaen said it best at the panel: “Hip-hop is popular culture”.

Its influence is, truly, infinite. As Irene Agbontaen explained, you see the aesthetic of hip-hop everywhere, just look at the oversized, baggy styles that are a fixture of the fashion world today, which were originally popularized by the likes of Aaliyah. Since the beginning, hip-hop has been pioneering the relationship between fashion and music. Normski points out that the Run D.M.C track My Adidas, was the first time that an artist had ever talked about a sneaker on a song. Just look at artists like Boyz II Men and TLC, who inspired the fashion scene with everything from Timberlands and dungarees to bucket hats and tracksuits. Hip-hop has been shaping fashion, style and self-expression since the beginning.

The genre’s ability to change, shape and influence culture is infinite. According to Yemi, “hip-hop made me see nuance and opened up difference perspectives”. From fashion to art and beyond, hip-hop is a pathway to infinite sources of inspiration. And it’s always pushed boundaries. For Normski, hip-hop was the start of representation. He describes first hearing hip-hop music and feeling like “my music was here”. He told the audience that “hip-hop is a culture that encompasses every element of life”.

And when it came to discussing visual identity, Gabriel Moses had some advice for the audience. He explained that when he creates, it’s about telling stories, defining and creating a name, and starting a conversation. Connecting, bonding and showing your style. It’s about being a brand in and of yourself, and all the pieces matter; from the tone and colour you use in your images to the community you create and the food you have at your sets (Moses always orders Caribbean food to shoots). He told the audience that he focuses on figuring out what a Gabriel Moses image looks like, and everything else looks after itself.

The panel also discussed making mistakes and the importance of learning from them. Irene Agbontaen told the audience that the biggest mistake is not knowing your superpower, while Gabriel Moses said you need to avoid being blasé. Get to your place and protect it, take what’s in your head and make it real. The most important thing to Normski? Knowing how to recover from a mistake. He went on to tell the audience: “Life is a learning curve.” For him, it’s all about taking risks, he explained: “if you’re not taking risks, you’ve not living”.

As the panel came to a close, there was one more topic the panellists couldn’t wait to discuss: the future of hip-hop. Irene Agbontaen explained that right now, we’re in an era of watching artists take control of their brand, their business and their artistry. As hip-hop continues to evolve, it’s only going to get bigger. Yemi told the audience that “hip-hop is a living organism”. From vibes to aesthetics to lyricism, there’s a lot to be excited about and “the future is bright”. Hip-hop’s appeal is eternal, because, as Yemi put is “passion doesn’t have any concept of time”. While Norsmki told the audience that: “for everyone sitting in this room right now, this is the future of hip-hop”.