For three decades, Atlanta-based photojournalist Shannon McCollum has traveled throughout the city with his Canon AE-1 to capture hip-hop artists like OutKast, Ludacris, T.I., Lil Jon and Future at the early stages of their music careers.
Inspired by the photography of Gordon Parks and Annie Leibovitz, the intimate shots chronicle Atlanta’s rise to becoming a global entertainment capital in “Forever I Love Atlanta,” McCollum’s new solo exhibition opening Nov. 7 at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center. The collection includes 40 photographs that heavily feature musicians working in recording studios, entertaining crowds and attending at social events.
Along with images of Atlanta’s hip-hop elite, there are pics of the late emcee The Notorious B.I.G. promoting his debut album, “Ready to Die,” at downtown Atlanta nightclub The Warehouse in 1994. There are also snapshots of other popular rappers known to frequent the city, such as Too $hort, E-40 and Lil Wayne and still images from classic Atlanta parties like Sol Fusion.
Credit: Shannon McCollum
Credit: Shannon McCollum
McCollum, father of Atlanta rapper Lil Yachty, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “Forever I Love Atlanta” is his biggest show to date.
“I’m trying to narrow it down, but it’s so hard,” he said. “It’s going to be a special night because this is an homage to Atlanta and an appreciation for my city.”
Growing up in the West End, McCollum saw his father, Philip McCollum, capture athletes, politicians, business owners and community organizers as one of the AJC’s first Black staff photographers before becoming a staff photographer at Morehouse College.
McCollum regularly shadowed his father on work assignments, paying attention to how his dad’s easygoing demeanor made his subjects comfortable. He remembers admiring his family’s collection of coffee-table photography books and portraits hung around their home.
“My mom and dad would cut out 4-by-6 pictures, staple them to the wall as a collage, but it still didn’t entice me to pick up the camera yet,” he said.
Credit: Tyson Horne
Credit: Tyson Horne
In 1991, when McCollum was a freshman at Clark Atlanta University, his friend, Jason Orr, introduced him to a student photographer at Morehouse who also had a photo collage on his apartment walls. McCollum said seeing his peers capture campus life inspired him to follow his dad’s footsteps.
“It reminded me of my home. He was shooting sororities, parties on campus and cool stuff a 21-year-old would take. I went home and told my dad I was ready to take it seriously,” McCollum said.
McCollum and his camera became inseparable. He started regularly shooting at the Atlanta University Center, using his camera as means of accessing entertainment events. Club and party promoters began contacting him to work their events, which gave McCollum more access to Atlanta’s nightlife and helped him befriend pivotal figures like Rico Wade.
While working part time at Wolf Camera, McCollum began turning his passion for photography into a business venture, developing and selling his prints after a shoot. “I would run to work the next day, develop the pictures and share them with the people I captured. It helped me build a name for myself and took over my life,” he said.
McCollum mentions people like Pastor Troy, the Georgia rapper behind the hit song “No Mo Play in G.A.,” as another early believer who invested in his career by hiring him, specifically to document a regional tour across the South. He jumped at the opportunity.
“I was a fly on the wall, shooting on and off the plane and him in the studio writing lyrics on legal pads,” he said.
Credit: Shannon McCollum
Credit: Shannon McCollum
Jonathan “Lil Jon” Smith, McCollum’s classmate from Douglass High School, caught wind of the Pastor Troy photography. As a result, Smith invited him to join the 2005 “Anger Management” tour, which included artists like Eminem and 50 Cent. The experience expanded his career visibility and opened more doors.
McCollum said the quality of his work kept other professional opportunities coming his way, but having good character, integrity and being trustworthy kept him around artists. “I didn’t need a business card because I was getting referrals like crazy,” he said.
“When artists see you working with other dope artists and you’re doing great work, they want to know who you are. The industry can be full of backhanded stuff, but I’m a stand-up guy when it’s about business.”
Credit: Shannon McCollum
Credit: Shannon McCollum
McCollum regularly exposed Lil Yachty to the entertainment industry as a child by bringing him along on shoots, which he believes helped his son navigate the business and culture of hip-hop.
“He saw me talk to my clients, and I showed him invoices. I wanted him to have an appreciation for artistry and see what was possible for him,” he said.
Organizing and hosting the photo exhibition is a full-circle moment for McCollum. He said the evening reminds him of his original mission to capture the vibrancy and diversity of Atlanta’s hip-hop culture.
“I’ve always wanted to just document my culture, and I’m very blessed that I’ve had the opportunity to do it,” McCollum said.
EVENT PREVIEW
Shannon McCollum’s Forever I Love Atlanta
6-9:30 p.m., Nov. 7. Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, 980 Briarcliff Road NE, Atlanta. 404-872-5338. Eventbrite.com
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