The Other Side of Hip-Hop: The Sixth Element, which recently won "Best Documentary" in NYC's Big Apple Film Festival, follows Ernie Paniccioli, "the dean of hip hop photography," through his journey from a little boy on the streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, to a highly regarded, iconic hip-hop photographer. The independent documentary, written and directed by Dion Michael Ashman, touches upon everything from Paniccioli's service in Vietnam, to his recent school-talks where he spreads his simple message: be a good person to yourself and those around you.
Brother Ernie (as most refer to him) began documenting urban culture in the late 1970s and early '80s, initially drawn to graffiti he saw around his neighborhood. Eventually, he made connections with those cats hanging out in the streets; coincidentally, his friends would grow up to become the epitome of hip-hop, and Ernie inadvertently documented the very first steps of what would become a worldwide culture, snapping pics of the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Kool Herc, Run-DMC, 2Pac, and the Notorious B.I.G., to name a few. Over a swift soundtrack produced by Kangol of UTFO, the film goes back in time through Brother Ernie's lens, offering shout-outs and remembrances from such powerful artists as Chuck D of Public Enemy, Ed Lover, Queen Latifah, and Africa Bambaataa, who tell how important Brother Ernie is to hip hop.
Personal testimony is just the icing on the cake of Ernie's photo archive, many of which are reproduced here from his book with Kevin Powell, Who Shot Ya? Three Decades of Hip Hop Photography. His images transcend time, depicting the days of fat-lace Adidas shell toes, b-boys on cardboard boxes, oversized boomboxes.
But as hip hop grew up into a flamboyant, lavish, commercial industry, Brother Ernie transformed himself - from a boy to a man. Far from just a savvy artist with an eye for street scenes, Brother Ernie stresses the importance of family as the foundation to being a strong man. As a young boy, he often sacrificed his own well being out of love for his siblings, promising himself he would always be there for his family. Brother Ernie's kindness would become a quality as important as his talent in his eventual success - the trust he inspired helped his subjects to open up more, revealing personal sides that celebrities are often reluctant to reveal - which added a deeper dimension to his photographs. It's this way, through his talent and his great generosity, that Ernie has blessed us all with his gifted vision, capturing the hip hop movement from the start.
Brother Ernie with Wild Style director Charlie Ahearn. Photo by David Corvino.
Director Dion Michael Ashman, hip hop photographer Harry Allen, director Charlie Ahearn, Brother Ernie. Photo by David Corvino.
Immortal Technique, Brother Ernie, Dallas Penn. Photo by David Corvino.
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