Photographic print of Run-DMC-JMJ and Rick Rubin: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A black and white photograph of Run-DMC-JMJ with Rick Rubin.

Run-DMC is standing in some steps in front of a building. JMJ is on the proper right side. He is wearing a black coat, black leather pants, a helix chain necklace, and a ring on his proper right hand. He is also wearing a black hair. Rick Rubin is standing in front of him. He has long hair and a beard and mustache. He is wearing a light colored coat with a hood and dark pants. His proper right hand is in front of his face and he appears to be scratching his upper lip. Run is on the proper left side of the steps. He is wearing a dark colored had and a black coat. DMC is in front of him. He is wearing a black shirt, black track pants, and a black coat. He is also wearing a black hat, black glasses with tinted lenses, a helix chain necklace with a shoe on it, and rings on his fingers. There is a camera man in the foreground with his back turned towards the viewer. He is wearing a denim jacket and a headband around his ears. He is wearing fingerless black gloves and is working with a large video camera. The building is made of bricks. It has decorative front doors, a porch light, and trees to the side.

There is a white border around the image. it is thicker on the top and bottom and thinner on the two sides. It is signed under the image on the proper left side [Sebastian Piras 04]. The back of the photograph is white. There are two marks on the top where tape used to be. There is an inscription on the bottom and going up the right side, handwritten by Bill Adler.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1987
• Photograph by: Sebastian Piras, Italian, born 1960
• Subject of: Run-D.M.C., American, 1981 - 2002
• Subject of: Rev. Run, American, born 1964
• Subject of: Darryl Matthews McDaniels, American, born 1964
• Subject of: Jam Master Jay, American, 1965 - 2002
• Subject of: Rick Rubin, American, born 1963
• Type: gelatin silver prints
• Medium: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
• Dimensions: H x W (Sheet): 10 15/16 × 13 15/16 in. (27.8 × 35.4 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (Image): 8 7/8 × 13 1/2 in. (22.5 × 34.3 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: 2015.132.328
• 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: © Sebastian Piras Photography, NTC. Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.