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Styles P album cover I shot

A few months ago my friend Andrew got in touch asking if I was interested in doing a music video for Styles P. I had done an earlier promo for his label and we’ve kept a running dialogue of music videos over the last year or so. Shooting this was my first opportunity to go all the way street and gritty. It was super fun, of course, and the first thing I’ve ever done to air on MTV.

When I was 18 and interning at a production company that did socially-conscious documentaries, I was amazed that my supervisor would listen to DJ Clue mixtapes during off-time. She took the irony in stride and told me that the streets will always be fertile ground for stories. They are.


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This summer has been all about the outdoors: biking, skateboarding, the beach, wiffle and basketball. Free running and soccer are two I haven’t tried yet, hopefully there’s enough time left.


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almond croissant and iced coffee

hare krishnas in Union Sq NYC

fashion designer ebony white

Here are some pictures from this year. Two from the past week, one of the designer Ebony White whom I interviewed recently, and another taken on my phone at the Keith Haring exhibit at the BK museum a few months back. I’ve been shooting. But not quite ready to post about that yet.


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I hadn’t been to Coney Island for the Mermaid Parade in a decade, so it’s nice to see that some things don’t change. Me and the lady rode bikes, got plenty of sun and sipped light beers.

For many guys, the event’s unbridled sexuality is reason enough to attend, but the expressed creativity and exuberance of New Yorkers is a gift for everyone. Costumes ranged from shrimp cocktail to the Sexcamaids marching band – with room for every water-themed pun in between.

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aargh matee

trumpeter from Brooklyn's own Hungry Marching Band

Why so serious? I'm always smiling.


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About 5 years ago I wrote a post about Black Nerds after having witnessed a couple hilarious interactions between some guys on their way into a McDonalds. It became a small-bore hit on the web. On monday an editor at the NYTimes got in touch, having read some pull-quotes from that piece and the rest as they say is history. Here’s my take on why social media helps one to watch basketball games better, with forays into the societal implications of such.

And if you haven’t been watching the NBA playoffs these past few weeks, well, shame on you.


© 2006 – 2025 Raafi Rivero.