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FACES of Hip Hop - The Renaissance is a reflection of the many legendary faces which founded such a rich history and creative culture; known as Hip Hop. My presentation defines this particular way of life which is built on "Love" Peace & Unity. Until now, my contribution to Hip Hop has been minimal in comparison to the artists and entertainers who have excelled. But my heart and my love are and will always be deeply rooted...because I was there from the beginning.FACES of Hip Hop - The RenaissanceAs a child…approximately eight or nine years young, I resided near Webster Avenue in the Bronx. For those who are not familiar with the Bronx, that is just a few blocks away from a place called the P.A.L. to attend what was then known as "jams". Several groups performed there such as: The Cold Crush Brothers; The L Brothers with Grand Wizard Theodore, before they expanded and became The Fantastic Romantic Five; Busy Bee Starsky; Kool Herc and The Hercaloids; The Funky Four plus One with the first female M.C., M.C. Sha-Rock; The legendary Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five; and Afrika Bambaataa and The Mighty Zulu Nation.Now I am about to show my age because back then I was what was called a B-boy and use to break; it was not called "break dancing". And around this time, the movement began to evolve and I found myself admiring what were called M.C.s, because there were no & "rappers". So I commenced to writing rhymes, and quite naturally, I got excited for having located that natural craft in the art of poetry within myself. And for those who don't know by now, a true M.C. is gifted with this talent. Because personally,I really don't think it’s something you can just acquire. As the times changed, so did the music. I noticed that my dreams of becoming a M.C. started to fade. I felt like I was too old to pursue a career as a M.C. or a rap artist. But despite all the changes that were made, one thing is for certain, my love for Hip Hop remained the same. I know I can still make a point and a contribution…one that no one can take away from what I have seen and lived. To me, Hip Hop is the good, the bad, and the ugly, but most importantly, it is real and ever evolving.I'm here at this very moment to express "not being there", but having been there. Hip Hop has been in my life for 40 years. And because of that, I feel compelled to contribute in some kind of way. I want everyone to be able to look at this picture and remember this historical movement in time. When you look at it, you can see Hip Hop’s past and present. And as Hip Hop continues to evolve, one day, the future of this culture will be added. I want us to share it with our children's children, so that they can be proud, and understand, in part, where Hip Hop came from, and ultimately, the culture that contributed to who we are today.Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to conclude by saying "Happy Birthday" to Hip Hop. Still standing 40Without further ado, I present to you the "FACES of Hip Hop - The Renaissance"..."This" is love!Louis Valentine is an award winning illustrator and creator of FACES of Hip Hop–The Renaissance; born and bred in the heart of New York City. With taking only one commercial art class, Mr. Valentine proved to be a natural. Thanks to the art teachings of his grandfather at an early age, Mr. Valentine’s passion for the arts was born. The focus of his craft derives from the experiences of living within the urban culture.His body of work is a collection which demonstrates an overall signature style of the glitter, and glamour of Hip Hop. His illustrations stretch from well-known entertainers and performers all the way to just ordinary everyday people with natural life expressions. Thus, enhancing the culture and of course, the term as we know it today.The birth of FACES of Hip Hop–The Renaissance, began with a single 16x20 sheet of Bristol paper in April, 2005. His creative vision of incorporating every face of the Hip Hop musical industry giants was a daunting task that turned into a labor of love. The first illustration of the rapper, Rakim became the first image. The portrait offers a vivid reality by capturing a moment of expression of an event in time we’ve all come toknow, love, and celebrate.In addition to his uniquely signature style and a growing body of work, Mr. Valentine spends a great deal of time giving back to his community, through charity work and art events. Upholding education, he is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and works in the field of Social Work
FACES of Hip Hop - The Renaissance is a reflection of the many legendary faces which founded such a rich history and creative culture; known as Hip Hop. My presentation defines this particular way of life which is built on "Love" Peace & Unity. Until now, my contribution to Hip Hop has been minimal in comparison to the artists and entertainers who have excelled. But my heart and my love are and will always be deeply rooted...because I was there from the beginning.FACES of Hip Hop - The RenaissanceAs a child…approximately eight or nine years young, I resided near Webster Avenue in the Bronx. For those who are not familiar with the Bronx, that is just a few blocks away from a place called the P.A.L. to attend what was then known as "jams". Several groups performed there such as: The Cold Crush Brothers; The L Brothers with Grand Wizard Theodore, before they expanded and became The Fantastic Romantic Five; Busy Bee Starsky; Kool Herc and The Hercaloids; The Funky Four plus One with the first female M.C., M.C. Sha-Rock; The legendary Grand Master Flash and The Furious Five; and Afrika Bambaataa and The Mighty Zulu Nation.Now I am about to show my age because back then I was what was called a B-boy and use to break; it was not called "break dancing". And around this time, the movement began to evolve and I found myself admiring what were called M.C.s, because there were no & "rappers". So I commenced to writing rhymes, and quite naturally, I got excited for having located that natural craft in the art of poetry within myself. And for those who don't know by now, a true M.C. is gifted with this talent. Because personally,I really don't think it’s something you can just acquire. As the times changed, so did the music. I noticed that my dreams of becoming a M.C. started to fade. I felt like I was too old to pursue a career as a M.C. or a rap artist. But despite all the changes that were made, one thing is for certain, my love for Hip Hop remained the same. I know I can still make a point and a contribution…one that no one can take away from what I have seen and lived. To me, Hip Hop is the good, the bad, and the ugly, but most importantly, it is real and ever evolving.I'm here at this very moment to express "not being there", but having been there. Hip Hop has been in my life for 40 years. And because of that, I feel compelled to contribute in some kind of way. I want everyone to be able to look at this picture and remember this historical movement in time. When you look at it, you can see Hip Hop’s past and present. And as Hip Hop continues to evolve, one day, the future of this culture will be added. I want us to share it with our children's children, so that they can be proud, and understand, in part, where Hip Hop came from, and ultimately, the culture that contributed to who we are today.Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to conclude by saying "Happy Birthday" to Hip Hop. Still standing 40Without further ado, I present to you the "FACES of Hip Hop - The Renaissance"..."This" is love!Louis Valentine is an award winning illustrator and creator of FACES of Hip Hop–The Renaissance; born and bred in the heart of New York City. With taking only one commercial art class, Mr. Valentine proved to be a natural. Thanks to the art teachings of his grandfather at an early age, Mr. Valentine’s passion for the arts was born. The focus of his craft derives from the experiences of living within the urban culture.His body of work is a collection which demonstrates an overall signature style of the glitter, and glamour of Hip Hop. His illustrations stretch from well-known entertainers and performers all the way to just ordinary everyday people with natural life expressions. Thus, enhancing the culture and of course, the term as we know it today.The birth of FACES of Hip Hop–The Renaissance, began with a single 16x20 sheet of Bristol paper in April, 2005. His creative vision of incorporating every face of the Hip Hop musical industry giants was a daunting task that turned into a labor of love. The first illustration of the rapper, Rakim became the first image. The portrait offers a vivid reality by capturing a moment of expression of an event in time we’ve all come toknow, love, and celebrate.In addition to his uniquely signature style and a growing body of work, Mr. Valentine spends a great deal of time giving back to his community, through charity work and art events. Upholding education, he is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and works in the field of Social Work 
