"ruck" was always in the back…."uptown" was always in the front…i met both men at the same time in the bronx river project in the south bronx, but uptown usually did most of the talking…he is more the showman, ruck the perfect sidekick…
but on june 14, it is ruck who will be on center stage….the star…..the reluctant star because his lifelong buddy uptown is in jail (see earlier story)……"razor ruckus" will perform at my exhibit at the Powerhouse Arena solo…..pictures of nelly, snoop dogg, l.l. cool j, kanye west, and ice cube will be on the wall….but ruck will be the star….the real story of my hip hop work revolves around ruckus and uptown…two unknowns from the bronx..
ruck is the father of two daughters, litte deja photographed here with ruck on the 18th floor of his bronx projects…this little girl, his oldest, was not even born when i met ruck…
ruck came over to my loft yesterday….he brought some hand written lyrics on crumpled paper which will serve as "living proof" text…ruck is pretty quiet in person, but what he has to say comes out in his rhymes…
it suddenly dawned on ruckus just yesterday , when he saw the invitations and the layout on the wall, that he was going to be in the same book as the famous super-stars listed above….there are more pictures of ruck in the book than of snoop dogg….to see the look in ruck’s eyes at this realization was worth all the sweat or whatever that i put into this project or any project beyond anything i could ever describe….i can only say that it was one of the most poignant moments i can ever remember between me and someone i had photographed ..
i have had show openings before and perhaps i will have a show opening again…but, not like this one…never…this opening is not for me…..it is for ruck…..this will be ‘his night" of all nights in his life…..and i will be there for him…..
Wow. Just wow. I love the intense personal connection between you and your subjects, and am even more grateful for the experience shared.
Keep ’em coming…
Sometimes people ask me why do i want to photograph. Why do i shoot even when i’m out for a family trip, or a walk with my girl. That’s why: because i want to share what i see with everyone, so many wonderful things (and sometimes so many strange ones) hidden from everyone’s blinded eyes — blinded by traffic, bills, broken hearts. I’m always opressed by the feeling that no one will notice these strange, wonderful, bright shiny things. Only if i point with my camera and say: “Hey, folks, look what’s around you. Look what we’re missing.”
Congratulations, David.
Powerful thing David. Looking forward to your show.
will try my best to make it.. what a great story David.
have you seen the flick ‘freestyle’? great stuff.
Hey David. This site looks fantastic. I was browsing through some of your work..particularly the photos done in Latin America, and I must say that I have never seen such pictures that really capture the essence of the natives. Great work… and I’m really excited about the hip-hop show thats coming up. I’m really going to try my best to be there. I can’t wait to meet ruck and hear his story.
-Teacher friend from Morir Sonando :)
Dave, you don’t know how happy that made me to read that…I’m stoked for Ruck. Good luck!
Dave, This is a great column. Insightful, funny, caring, and intimate. Keep this column going.
Best, Bill Luster, Louisville, KY