Photographer Jonathan Mannion has captured some of the most iconic moments in hip-hop history—from Jay-Z’s debut to Kendrick’s rise. On this episode of Compound Conversations, Set Free sits down with the man behind the lens to talk about storytelling through imagery, the trust it takes to photograph legends, and what it means to document a culture as it unfolds.
00:00 - Welcome Back to the Compound
01:35 - A Creative Upbringing in Ohio
04:05 - Growing Up with Art, Not Photography
06:59 - Discovering Photography in College
09:30 - Deep Dive into Hip-Hop and Music Culture
13:11 - From Johnny M to Jonathan Mannion
15:14 - Discovering the Power of Album Art
17:00 - Working with Richard Avedon in NYC
21:00 - Big Moments: Naomi, Versace, and Whitney Retrospective
23:05 - The Pull of Hip-Hop and Culture
25:40 - Sneaking into Clubs, Building a Lane in Music
27:30 - The Role of Photography in Hip-Hop’s Growth
28:13 - Arrival Moment: On Stage with Biggie
30:42 - Heavy D, Reasonable Doubt, and Legacy Building
34:07 - Learning the Business Without a Rulebook
38:18 - Service, Purpose, and the True Value of the Work
49:27 - Codifying the Legacy: What's Next for Jonathan Mannion
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