Fab 5 Freddy at NYC's Museum of the Moving Image - Friday, May 17
The Museum of the Moving images has been killing it of late with their Spectacle exhibit that dives deep on the roots (and glorious branches) of the music video. Friday, May 17th brings an evening with one of the creators of the hip-hop video world, Fab 5 Freddy.
Freddy was the gatekeeper to the early days of rap and b-boy culture - appearing in Blondie's seminal bohemian-meets-rap video 'Rapture' (he even got name checked!) Freddy went on to direct videos for artists like Boogie Down Productions and Brand Nubian. Even with all that behind the scenes influencing and informing, Freddy is probably most known for his long running gig in front of the camera on Yo! MTV Raps. Starting out when the folks at 1515 Boadway had a, umm, let's say 'delicate' relationship with hip-hop and black music in general - Freddy was a presence on screen who brought the reality of urban music and culture to TV screens urban and suburban. Freddy could talk to Gloria Vanderbilt just the same as he could with grimiest street character - and without him, the hip-hop music video game wouldn't be what is today. See what Freddy has to say for himself in Queens on May 17.
Doug Stern writes music video treatments and tries to stay out of the man from Mars.
