As Hip-Hop celebrates over five decades of global cultural influence, a new exhibition steps forward to honor a group often left out of the spotlight: the Black women who shaped the genre’s beauty, glamour, and visual identity.
Hip-Hop Beauty Circa 1973, debuting during Art Basel, is curated by industry veterans Thembisa S. Mshaka and celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff, two women with their own deep histories within the culture.
Their mission is clear: to finally give Black women the flowers they deserve for helping build the aesthetic language of Hip-Hop.
For decades, Black women in music, fashion, and beauty have defined the looks that set stages, inspired movements, and reshaped standards of glamour. From the glossy lips and sculpted brows of the early ’80s to the bold hair, dramatic liner, and editorial-level artistry of the ’90s and 2000s, these women crafted iconic visuals even when resources were limited and recognition was scarce. Mshaka and Sheriff’s exhibition brings these stories, faces, and styles into focus, celebrating the originators behind the looks that continue to influence runways, red carpets, and social media today.
The exhibition features rare archival photography, intimate behind-the-scenes shots, and portraits capturing the evolution of Black beauty through the lens of Hip-Hop. Each image tells a story: artists preparing backstage before historic performances, glam teams improvising with minimal tools, and Black women asserting their creativity in a male-dominated industry. It’s a reminder that Hip-Hop’s beauty hasn’t just been bold and expressive, it has been an act of cultural authorship.
What makes the exhibition especially powerful is its intergenerational connection. Younger artists and beauty lovers raised on the styles of Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, Foxy Brown, Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, and Salt-N-Pepa will see how those aesthetics were born from the talent and resilience of the women behind the scenes. Meanwhile, pioneers of the culture finally receive their overdue recognition, not as assistants, but as architects.
By debuting the exhibition at Art Basel, one of the world’s most influential art events, Mshaka and Sheriff secure a powerful message: Hip-Hop beauty is art. Black women’s creativity is art. And their legacy deserves the highest platform.
Hip-Hop Beauty Circa 1973 doesn’t just revisit history, it reclaims it, ensuring that the women who shaped the culture’s beauty identity are remembered, celebrated, and honored for generations to come.
