Photograph of Biz Markie, NYC, 1989: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Two color photographic prints of Biz Markie, one signed by the photographer.

He is wearing a black sweatshirt and several gold chain necklaces. He is wearing a watch on his proper left wrist. He has a goatee and he is looking up with his eyes partially closed. His chin is resting in his proper left hand.

2015.132.72.1 has a white border around the image. It is thinner on the two sides and thicker on the top and bottom. It is signed in black ink on the bottom proper left side under the image. The back of the photograph has light grey text repeated upside down in diagonal lines. There is an inscription by Bill Adler on the bottom, handwritten in blue ink. 2015.132.72.2 has a thin black border around the image with a white border around it. The white border is thickest on the bottom. There is a small yellow stain at the top. The back of the photograph has light grey text repeated in diagonal lines. There are tears at the top and on the sides from where tape used to be. There is a yellow post-it note at the top on the right side.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1989; printed 2003
• Photograph by: Michael Benabib, American, born 1962
• Subject of: Biz Markie, American, born 1964
• Type: portraits
• Type: inkjet prints
• Medium: ink on paper
• Dimensions: H x W (2015.132.72.1 Sheet): 16 15/16 × 11 in. (43.1 × 27.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (2015.132.72.1 Image): 12 9/16 × 9 3/8 in. (31.9 × 23.8 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (2015.132.72.2 Sheet): 16 5/16 × 11 in. (41.5 × 27.9 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (2015.132.72.2 Image): 13 × 8 11/16 in. (33 × 22.1 cm)
• Place captured: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Hip-hop (Music)
• Topic: Musicians
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Rappers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2015.132.72.1-.2
• 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: © Michael Benabib Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.