Gunner Stahl: showing us how authentic Hip Hop can be

Jan 12, 20222 min read

'Portraits' - A photography Book

‘I have so much to tell you’… I read on the front cover. Beside these words, I see a mother holding their child as the greatest gift of life.

The book opens with a message from Naomi Zeichner, the former editor-in-chief of FADER, recalling the day Stahl cold-emailed her a Two-9 music video he'd directed for her.

According to a snapshot of the pair's initial email interaction in 2013, Zeichner answered, "This is a personal email address." "Please delete me from your email list; I will not respond to any music inquiries here."

I bought this book back in summer 2021 unknowingly knowing who the photographer was…

What captivated me right away is the color of the cover. A livid bright baby pink, ready to be indulged. As I quickly scattered through the pages, I noticed right away family faces.

Iconic artists such as Asap Rocky, Lil Uzi Vert and more were seen in an authentic light.

What makes Gunner’s photos aesthetic is that they have a strong sense of eye contact, unexpected gestures that leave you wanting to be there with the person and affectionate smiles— which make emotional connections.

Gunner’s work ethic is about being curious and getting to learn from others. His photos have helped fans know artists better, and probably helped some artists understand themselves better too.

- As you go through the book, you stumble upon a conversation between Swae Lee and Gunner himself -

They talk about how both of their careers have flourished and how Gunner is the epitome of basically a photographer living like a rap lifestyle. Swae Lee even gave an example on what exactly Gunner’s photos evoke; making violence freeze for a moment in time. He captures the lifestyle, movement and even cult, some may say, so vividly and authentic. It feels as you are a friend chilling with the artist in their private moments.