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Nothing this good could last forever.
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but with hip-hop that’s a serious understatement. Contact High explores four decades of iconic photography from the late 1970s to today, documenting a revolution not just in music but in politics, race relations, fashion, and culture.
Through more than 170 images of its most influential artists—Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, and Queen Latifah just for starters—Contact High celebrates hip-hop's evolution, connecting us with the peak experiences, personalities, and places that have shaped the world’s most popular music genre.
After two incredible years, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop is heading into its final weeks at MoPOP. Don’t miss your chance to check out this wildly popular exhibition before it closes forever on January 7th, 2024.
Plan ahead and save big on your tickets.
Nothing this good could last forever.
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words, but with hip-hop that’s a serious understatement.
Contact High explores four decades of iconic photography from the late 1970s to today, documenting a revolution not just in music but in politics, race relations, fashion, and culture. Through more than 170 images of its most influential artists—Missy Elliott, Jay-Z, and Queen Latifah just for starters—Contact High celebrates hip-hop's evolution, connecting us with the peak experiences, personalities, and places that have shaped the world’s most popular music genre.
After two incredible years, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop is heading into its final weeks at MoPOP. Don’t miss your chance to check out this wildly popular exhibition before it closes forever on January 7th, 2024.
Plan ahead and save big on your tickets.
Contact High Is Closing. Time to Throw a Party.
We’re throwing a serious farewell party, of course, and in attendance will be key exhibition creators, special guest artists from the early days of hip-hop, book signings, panel discussions, dancing, and plenty more.
Friday, January 5, 2024
7:00pm – 11:00pm
@ MoPOP
Member tickets on sale 12/11
General tickets on sale 12/15
What to Expect:
- Access to Contact High one last time.
- A panel featuring Exhibition Curator Vikki Tobak, MoPOP CEO Michele Smith, photographers Janette Beckman and Joe Conzo, and Def Jam Records director of publicity Bill Adler.
- DJ Lady Love performing all night
- Book signing with panelists
- DIY Flyer Activity
- Retail Pop Up
- Bars / Food / Party!
Exhibition Details
Aaliyah? Wu-Tang Clan? Sir Mix-A-Lot? We’ve got their greatest fashion, style, and branding triumphs right here. And it doesn’t stop with photographs: Contact High is jam-packed with 80s rap battle flyers; handwritten Tupac Shakur manuscripts; costumes from Sha-Rock, The Notorious B.I.G., and MF DOOM; and exclusive photo session contact sheets giving you a behind-the-scenes peek at the artistry, skill, and joy that went into creating and capturing some of music’s most legendary moments.
Exhibition made possible by the Annenberg Space for Photography + International Center of Photography. Curator Vikki Tobak, Creative Director Fab 5 Freddy. Based on the Book CONTACT HIGH: A Visual History of Hip-Hop by Vikki Tobak.
Become a MoPOP Member Today and You Get
• FREE access to Contact High and your other favorite exhibitions again and again for the entire year of your membership
• First dibs on tickets for exhibition closing parties and other events
• Discounts on merch and hip-hop memorabilia at the MoPOP Store
• All the good feelings for supporting the preservation and celebration of pop culture history
Buy the Book
Can't make it to the exhibit? Purchase the book that inspired it — CONTACT HIGH: A History of Hip-Hop by Vikki Tobak.
Fab 5 Freddy's Playlist
To ready yourself for an intimate glimpse into hip-hop's history, check out this playlist curated by Contact High’s creative director, hip-hop pioneer, and the original host of Yo! MTV Raps, Fab 5 Freddy.
Exhibition made possible by the Annenberg Space for Photography + International Center of Photography.
Curator Vikki Tobak, Creative Director Fab 5 Freddy. Based on the Book CONTACT HIGH: A Visual History of Hip-Hop by Vikki Tobak.
Exhibition made possible by
This project was supported, in part, by 4Culture/King County Lodging Tax
