Johnny Nuñez

Courtesy the artist

“ME AND THE BIZ”

With the world as his studio, Johnny Nuñez captures his larger-than-life subjects uninhibited, free from fabrication or sets. Seen as an omnipresent force of photography, Nuñez quickly became a staple at every nightlife event, music video shoot, and concert; cementing himself as an institutional figure in the documentation of Hip Hop culture.

For the last 30 years Nuñez has built his artistic practice on capturing the world's biggest musical stars such as Nas, Lil Wayne, Run-D.M.C., Lil’ Kim, Beyonce and Jay-Z. In addition to his extensive portfolio of musical artists, Johnny has worked closely with some of Pop Culture's biggest icons like Naomi Campbell, Spike Lee, Oprah Winfrey, and LeBron James.

Born in Greenpoint Brooklyn in 1971, Nuñez endured adversities such as adoption and poverty. Along the way he formed many deep friendships, such as his one with Biz Markie, the subject of the present lot. Nuñez recalls that Biz Markie was the first rapper he met when he moved to Long Island and got to witness the budding performer inherit to Biz. This pair remained lifelong friends and in 2021 Nuñez gave a speech at Biz Markie’s funereal, revealing how deep their friendship had grown. This photo showcases Biz’s routinely larger than life personally as he takes a huge bite out of a vinyl record. Taken at Nakisaki, a restaurant in Hempstead Village, around the year 1999-2000; this picture represents a major turning point in the career of Biz Markie. During this time, Biz was making his transition to a professional DJ, expanding his stage presence to more than just an MC. For Nuñez it was an honor to capture a long-term friend as he took another leap into his career.

Over three decades since his start Johnny's impact on the Hip Hop world is more evident than ever. Johnny remains a constant force in the world of Hip Hop and continues to use his gift to uplift his community. Johnny continues to focus on his growth as an artist and in 2023 he will be touring a never-before-seen archival collection of his work, in addition to releasing the first book of his work by the close of the year.