A Time Before Crack

by Jamel Shabazz (Photographer), Charlie Ahearn (Contributor), Terrence Jennings (Contributor)

Once upon a time before crack, inner city communities were blighted by poverty and unemployment — but not by the drug wars that tore families apart, destroying lives with needless violence and mindless addiction. Once upon a time before crack, pride and style were as inseparable as a beatbox and mixtape, or as a pair of shoes and matching purse. Once upon a time before crack, Jamel Shabazz was on the scene, working the streets of New York City, capturing the faces and places of an era that have long since disappeared.

Best known as hip hop’s finest fashion photographer for his blockbuster best-selling monograph, Back in the Days (powerHouse Books, 2001), Shabazz revisited his archive and unearthed an extraordinary collection of never-before-published documentary photographs collected for his third powerHouse Books release, A Time Before Crack, a visual diary of the streets of New York City from the mid-seventies to the mid-eighties, Shabazz’s distinctive photographs reveal the families, the poses, and the players who made this age extraordinary.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction, History, Art

152 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2005

About the author

Jamel Shabazz (1960) is best known for his iconic photographs of New York City during the 1980s. A documentary, fashion, and street photographer, he has authored 12 monographs and contributed to over three dozen other photography related books. His photographs have been exhibited worldwide and his work is housed within the permanent collections of The Whitney Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, The Fashion Institute of Technology, The Art Institute of Chicago and the Getty Museum.

Over the years, Shabazz has instructed young students at the Studio Museum in Harlem’s “Expanding the Walls” project, The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture “Teen Curator’s” program, and the Bronx Museum’s “Teen Council.” He is also the 2018 recipient of the Gordon Parks award for excellence in the arts and humanitarianism and the 2022 awardee of the Gordon Parks Foundation/Steidl book prize. Jamel is also a member of the photo collective Kamoinge, and a board member of En Foco, another photo collective. His goal as an artist is to contribute to the preservation of world history and culture.

Reviews

[Newly Wardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a heartbreaking inspiration. I aspire to create images that provoke a gut reaction because Shabazz goes straight for the heart. I hope he shares more of his images in the future. (I hope he's generous) I mean alot of these pictures could have been taken yesterday judging from the clothes and swag.

[Debi Boyette · Rating 5 out of 5]

epitome of style.

[Damon · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the introduction-

I notices innocent smiles were replaced by arrogant grins. I notices that some people at his lens and posed for photos, even though their soul had already vanished. 1985 was the year that drug trade took a hold on many young lives in NYC...Instead of calling each other brother, many young blacks started calling each other nigga.

This is a book of photos but it takes you just as long to get through it as a nonfiction book. The pictures are beautiful, they are resistant, they remind you of what can be again.

[M.i. · Rating 4 out of 5]

It felt like I was stepping back through time to a period where style and colors looked so amazing. Of course in seeing this I couldn’t help but feel sad knowing this is a precursor to the crack epidemic.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

A photo book of true historical value, composed of candid and impromptu posed photos in the black inner city during the 70s and 80s. The relative innocence and the tonal difference in the pride conveyed here are startling. A time before crack, indeed. These 150 pages of pictures stand as a solid and unique argument against drug legalization.

[Karah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder how many of these people are still living. Such freshness in these photos. These people had already learned something of life but no one seemed in anticipation of the horror that awaited due to crack cocaine.

Thank you to Brother Shabazz for capturing these individuals with his keen eyes.

[Salamah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A colleague of mine introduced me to this photographer Jamel Shabazz. He spent most of his life photographing urban communities and worked to bring this art form to a prominent light. I enjoyed learning a little of his background. He was a correction officer and was a witness to what crack did to the African American communities in New York. Mostly men and women filled the prisons because of this terrible drug. I can recall some of the terribleness of the crack epidemic because I spent some of my middle school years living in Brooklyn. However, this book shows a time before the drug became a staple. This book contains beautiful images of mostly young people who are living life to their fullest. You can tell they are dreaming big, are full of love and are looking forward to great things. I enjoyed looking at the photography and remembering the past.

[Karla Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book while setting up a hip-hop display. I didn't add this book to the display because of the title but the pictures and stories from this book are authentic and historical. Jamel Shabazz was also a victim to the crack epidemic himself cept he recovered and used his gift of photography to capture his community. Shabazz emphasized putting the neighbor back with the hood...very beautiful and sad read.

Part that really got me was when he was working as an emt and had an overdose call and it turned out to be one of his childhood friends. She said should would reach out to him for help but never did and he never saw her again.

**quick read mostly pics

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Da leggere e sfogliare assolutamente! Un documento importante.

[Winter Sophia Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartwarming Memories! Excellent Read!

[Kristen]

I could look at this forever. everyone looks so happy and so proud.