Photos by Cognito.

ARCHIVIST. DOCUMENTARIAN.

HIP HOP HISTORIAN.

PHOTOGRAPHER

For more than thirty years, Cognito has contributed immensely to the propagation of Hip Hop culture— from concert promoter to FatBeats record store operator to touring the world as a member of the underground group massinfluence. Most consistently, Cognito is known for documenting legendary hip hop artists such as Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), De La Soul, Talib Kweli, MF DOOM and Kanye West on both still and video media. He filmed MF DOOM for the Gorillaz live DVD, documentaries on both Talib Kweli and Goodie Mob, a music video for rock diva Nikka Costa, and presented a collection of his photographs captured while on tour with Mos Def in a well received gallery show at Los Angeles’ HVW8 Gallery (February 2010). His work has been featured as cover and editorial photos in national magazines Spin, Frank 151 & XXL.