Flavor Flav and Biz Markie at Studio 54, 1990: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black-and-white photograph of Flavor Flav and Biz Markie at Studio 54.

Flavor Flav is on the left side of the image wearing a hat, sunglasses, bowtie, a necklace with a Public Enemy medallion, and a jacket embroidered with [Flavor Flav]. Biz Markie on the right side of the image,his arm around Flavor Flav's shoulders, holding the Public Enemy medallion up for the camera to see. Markie wears a necklace with oversized clock medallion and a fur hat. He is smiling wide. An unidentified man is visible behind Flav. Beneath the image is a handwritten inscription reading [FLAVOR FLAV + BIZ MARKIE! / STUDIO 54 1990] along with the photographer's signature [Ricky Powell / '03].

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1990; printed 2003
• Photograph by: Ricky Powell, American, 1961 - 2021
• Subject of: Flavor Flav, American, born 1959
• Subject of: Biz Markie, American, born 1964
• Subject of: Studio 54, American, 1977 - 1986
• Subject of: Public Enemy, American, founded 1982
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 11 15/16 × 13 15/16 in. (30.3 × 35.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 8 × 12 in. (20.3 × 30.5 cm)
• Place captured: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Nightlife
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Rappers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2015.132.342
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Ricky Powell Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.