Hip Hop Beauty Circa 1973 exhibition opens at Texas Southern University
The photo show runs November 12-20, featuring work by Erykah Badu and others, alongside student markets and master classes.
By Robert Ward ·
The Hip Hop Beauty Circa 1973 photography exhibition opens at Texas Southern University in Houston on November 12. The nine-day run concludes on November 20, marking the final stop of the project’s 2026 tour.
Co-founders Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks and Thembisa S. Mshaka present the show with support from HelloBeautiful, Hip-Hop Wired, and their own beauty and media firms. The exhibition displays images of artists including Erykah Badu, Ms. Lauryn Hill, and Janelle Monáe. Visitors can also purchase artwork from Keith Major, Stacy Gray, Mazi Smazi, and Traci Bartlow.
TSU associate dean Dr. Michon Benson noted that the founders serve as practical models for students. "Thembisa S. Mshaka and Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks are the kinds of real-world experts who will encourage and inspire our students," Benson said.
The project aims to document the beauty professionals and image makers who shaped hip-hop's visual identity. Mshaka told ESSENCE that the initiative functions as "equal parts reclamation and recognition." The name references the year 1973, a reference to hip-hop's origins and the subsequent decades of stylistic innovation.
Both founders bring extensive industry backgrounds to the effort. Sheriff-Kendricks has worked with Mary J. Blige, Missy Elliott, Lil’ Kim, and Alicia Keys. Mshaka’s career spans music, writing, and creative direction. Sheriff-Kendricks stated in a previous interview with ESSENCE that "Our teenagers do not know the history," emphasizing the need to pass that knowledge to a new generation.
The Houston schedule coincides with the university's Entrepreneurship Week. Master classes are scheduled for November 19. On November 20, the first Hip Hop Beauty Market opens at 10 a.m. in the C.S. Lane Building, showcasing TSU student entrepreneurs until 4 p.m. A closing reception and panel follow at 7 p.m. at the Jesse H. Jones School of Business.
The project debuted at Miami’s Art Basel in December 2025. Its platform connects art, fashion, music, and retail to support the creatives contributing to the culture.
