Jonathan Mannion
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Mannion is a photographer and film director. With English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...

 and American ancestry, he was raised in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

. His father and mother are both well known Midwest artists. His mother is from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 and his father from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

.

College

Mannion studied at Kenyon College
Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college in Gambier, Ohio, founded in 1824 by Bishop Philander Chase of The Episcopal Church, in parallel with the Bexley Hall seminary. It is the oldest private college in Ohio...

 in Ohio. He graduated with honors, and soon recognized that he had cinematic and creative urges that he couldn't ignore any longer. It was at that point, in 1996, that he moved from Cleveland to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

.

New York and Richard Avedon

From his first days in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

, he was driven and relentless. His favorite music, hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

, was created in the Bronx only a mile or two from his first apartment. He understood the buzz of the city, and it in turn inspired him in many ways.

Mannion worked for a year with photographer Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon was an American photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century."-Photography career:Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish Russian...

  in his Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

 studio. Avedon had always been a major influence to Mannion as a young art student, so it was an experience that changed his perspectives radically. His influence in Mannion's work is very apparent, even a decade later. Mannion went on to work with photographers Ben Watts
Ben Watts
Benjamin Oliver Anthony "Ben" Watts is an English photographer based in New York, whose work has been seen in various international fashion magazines, such as Elle, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair and Condé Nast Traveller. He is the brother of actress Naomi Watts...

 and Marc Hom
Marc Hom
Marc Hom is a Danish fashion photographer whose work consists of celebrity, portrait, fashion, and advertising photography.-Biography:Marc Hom was born in 1967 in Copenhagen, Denmark...

.

Jay Z, Hip Hop and Beyond

In 1996, Mannion was commissioned, in his first major record company contract, to take photos of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...

 rapper Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

 for the Reasonable Doubt
Reasonable Doubt
Reasonable Doubt is the debut album of American rapper Jay-Z, released June 25, 1996 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States and on Northwestside Records in the United Kingdom. The album features production by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and guest appearances from Memphis Bleek,...

 album. Mannion has gone on from that first assignment to photograph ten years of hip hop performers: Aaliyah
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...

, Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...

, Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...

, Busta Rhymes
Busta Rhymes
Trevor Tahiem Smith, Jr., better known by his stage name Busta Rhymes ,Smith is an American rapper, producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the alias Busta Rhymes after NFL wide receiver George "Buster" Rhymes...

 , Lil Wayne
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...

 and others.

Album photography by Mannion

  • Jay-Z
    Jay-Z
    Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

     - Reasonable Doubt
    Reasonable Doubt
    Reasonable Doubt is the debut album of American rapper Jay-Z, released June 25, 1996 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States and on Northwestside Records in the United Kingdom. The album features production by DJ Premier, Ski, Knobody and Clark Kent, and guest appearances from Memphis Bleek,...

    (1996); In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
    In My Lifetime, Vol. 1
    In My Lifetime, Vol. 1 is the second studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released November 4, 1997 on Roc-A-Fella Records. Despite mixed criticism towards its more mainstream-oriented sound and lyrical substance, the album debuted at number 3 on the U.S...

    (1997); Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
    Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life
    Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life is the third studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released on September 29, 1998, on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. The album propelled Jay-Z into superstar status and cemented him as a household name in the post Biggie/Tupac era of hip hop. This album also...

    (1998); Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
    Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter
    Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter is the fourth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released December 28, 1999 on Roc-A-Fella Records. It exhibits a return to the street-oriented sound of his debut album, Reasonable Doubt...

    (1999)
  • Chamillionaire
    Chamillionaire
    Hakeem Seriki , better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment. Chamillionaire is also the founder and an original member of The Color Changin' Click...

     - Ultimate Victory
    Ultimate Victory
    -Track listing:-Chart position:-Bonus DVD:Chamillionaire released his Bonus DVD to Ultimate Victory. This DVD is only in exclusive double-pack in BET Edition available at Wal-Mart.DVD features are:...

    (2007)
  • Aaliyah
    Aaliyah
    Aaliyah Dana Haughton , who performed under the mononym Aaliyah , was an American R&B recording artist, actress and model. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. At the age of 10, she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside...

     - Aaliyah
    Aaliyah (album)
    Aaliyah is the self-titled third and final studio album by American R&B singer Aaliyah, released by Blackground and Virgin Records on July 17, 2001, in the United States...

    (2001)
  • Nas
    Nas
    Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...

     - God's Son
    God's Son
    God's Son is the sixth studio album by American rapper Nas, released December 13, 2002 on Columbia-imprint Ill Will Records. Production for the album took place during 2001 to 2002 and was handled by several hip hop producers, including Salaam Remi, Chucky Thompson, Ron Browz, and The Alchemist...

    (2002)
  • DMX
    DMX (rapper)
    Earl Simmons , better known by his stage name DMX, is a multiplatinum American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's...

     - "Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
    Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood
    Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood is the second album released in 1998 by rapper DMX. It entered the charts at number one with an impressive 670,000 units shipped in the first week. The album eventually went 3x Multi-Platinum in the US. DMX released his debut album It's Dark and Hell Is Hot in...

    "
  • Eminem
    Eminem
    Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...

     - "The Eminem Show
    The Eminem Show
    The Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Eminem, released in 2002. It was the best-selling album of 2002 in the United States, with sales of 7.6 million copies. At the Grammy Awards of 2003 it was nominated for Album of the Year and became Eminem's third LP in four years to...

    "
  • Fabolous
    Fabolous
    John David Jackson , better known by his stage name Fabolous, is an American rapper of African American and Dominican descent. He grew up in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Part of his early popularity arose from his hit single "Can't Deny It" in 2001, from his debut...

     - "From Nothin' To Somethin'
    From Nothin' to Somethin'
    -Credits:* Chris Athens – mastering* Ashaunna Ayars – marketing* David Brown – engineer* Shari Bryant – marketing* Miguel Bustamante – mixing assistant* Don Cannon – producer, engineer* Jermaine Dupri – producer, mixing* Aaron Heick – saxophon...

    "
  • Lil Mama
    Lil Mama
    Niatia Jessica Kirkland professionally known as Lil Mama, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, musician, and dancer.-Early life:...

     - "VYP: Voice of the Young People"
  • Trina
    Trina
    Katrina Laverne Taylor , better known by her stage name Trina, is an American rapper, songwriter and model from Miami, Florida. Trina first gained notoriety in 1998 with her appearance on Trick Daddy's second studio album www.thug.com to the single "Nann Nigga"...

     - "Still da Baddest
    Still da Baddest
    Still Da Baddest is the fourth studio album by American rapper Trina. It was released on April 1, 2008.- Singles :According to Trina, "Wish I Never Met You" was to be released as the album's lead official single. For unknown reasons it was replaced in October 2008 by "Single Again"...

    "
  • Lil Wayne
    Lil Wayne
    Dwayne Michael Carter, Jr. , better known by his stage name Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.'z, with B.G.. In 1997, Lil Wayne joined the group Hot Boys, which also included...

     - "Rebirth
    Rebirth (Lil Wayne album)
    Rebirth is the seventh studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released February 2, 2010, on Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment and Universal Motown. Originally set to be released in early 2009 before several delays, the album was produced primarily by Cool & Dre, DJ Infamous, DJ...

    "
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