Five Day Weekend Releases:
Rappin with the Rickster DVD
Ricky Powell
Born and raised in New York City, Powell graduated with an AA in Liberal Arts from LaGuardia C.C. and a B.S. in Physical Education from Hunter College. His work has been published in The New York Times, the New York Post, the Daily News, The Village Voice, Time, Newsweek, VIBE, The Source, Rolling Stone, and many other publications. He currently lives and works in the West Village.
Powell first fell into photography in 1985, at around the same time he connected with the up and coming Beastie Boys. At first he just hung out with them and went to a few of their gigs. Then when he heard they had gone to perform in Florida with Run DMC for the Raising Hell tour, Powell quit his job as a Frozade vendor and joined them on the tour bus. He shot a few photographs that became significant and was subsequently brought along on the License to Ill tour in ‘87 and Together Forever tour with Run DMC and then ‘92 Check Your Head tour and the ‘94 Lollapalooza. Ricky became known as Def Jam’s unofficial chronicler and famously as the alleged fourth Beastie Boy during the group’s Licensed to Ill and Paul’s Boutique era.
The original Rappin’ with the Rickster aired from 1990-1996, Powell interviewed numerous stars on the show including: Russell Simmons, Doug E Fresh, Harold Hunter, Kool Keith, Rahzel, Laurence Fishburne, and Cypress Hill.
