Ricky Powell X PONY Slamdunk Vintage Collaboration

Much has been said of Ricky Powell, all adding to the mystery with his enigma adding to the legend. What we can factually state is that Ricky has photographed some of the best known Rap and Hip Hop artists of all time.

Much has been said of Ricky Powell, all adding to the mystery with his enigma adding to the legend.
What we can factually state is that Ricky has photographed some of the best known Rap and Hip Hop artists of all time. From his time spent as the “fourth Beastie Boy” on tour with Def Jam, shooting the likes of Public Enemy, Run DMC and LL Cool J, his portfolio spans much wider than the rap enclave, with Cindy Crawford, Andy Warhol and Madonna amongst others making up his subjects.

Powell’s career began in 1985, when armed only with an Instamatic camera and his unparalleled wit, he smooth talked his way into many a hot party and became the young upstart, a permanent fixture on New York’s party scene. Rubbing shoulders with the high rollers and lowlifes that made New York truly special, he became known for his outstanding work during the late 1970s and early 80s, allowing him unlimited access to every notable name in the nascent hip-hop scene and opened the door for him to join now legendary tours such as License to Ill in ‘87, Together Forever, Check Your Head in ‘92, and Lollapalooza ’94 with the Beastie Boys and many others on Def Jam’s roster. The images he captured while on the road and back at home, as Def Jam’s official unofficial lensman, are today instantly recognizable and can only be described as iconic.

Ricky has become one of the true characters on the streets of New York. Mention his name, you’ll be greeted with a warming smile and open arms, somehow his legend spreads far and wide, credit to the gregarious nature of the enigmatic photographer. He now has a number of hustles that sees him travel the world with his infamous slideshows, in which Ricky gleefully reminisces about his time documenting New York with an inspirational and entertaining performance. A writer also, Ricky has recently interviewed George Lois for Paper Magazine and is beginning to work on a revamp of his public access TV show ‘Rapping with the Rickster.’ – You can check some of those shows on YouTube, phenomenal viewing. We can’t wait to see if Ricky can pull off some equally high-profile guests for his next series.

On the hunt for Ricky’s photos, you’re never too far from a large credit in one of the best publications going. His work has been published in The New York Times, the New York Post, the Daily News, The Village Voice, Mass Appeal, Time, Wax Poetics, Newsweek, VIBE, The Source, Rolling Stone, Grand Royal and many other publications. Fully certified, it’s magazines and newspapers like these which truly give Ricky the biggest co-sign, not just a scenester, he’s been recognized by the very best out there for his talent.

It’s for all of the above reasons and more, that we’ve collaborated with Ricky Powell. Sharing the same love of Hip Hop, New York, originality and authenticity, the Vintage Slamdunk sneakers, three t-shirts and a sweatband accessory are the result of a candid love affair between the two. Ricky is a creative in every sense. Ricky’s values and authenticity just can’t be knocked. A vegetarian, the Rickster was adamant in his desire to create animal friendly products, and as such we worked on a heavily-treated canvas shoe. In doing so we explored how the shoe could be as robust as leather, and heavy waxed canvas provides the durability of leather without the use of skins.

The legend adorned across all the accessories, footwear and t-Shirts, is ‘The Rickford Institute’, a conceptual university, conjured up by Ricky as a theoretical place embodying Ricky’s DIY ethos. A true NYC legend, a master of his craft, a gregarious cat who can roll into any situation, party and hold his own, this is reflected by a body of work that covers all of the niches, nuances and enclaves of New York City’s state of mind.