Dirty don

One of the strangest profiles I've ever shot finally made it to print this month in the pages of Radar. Clarence Reid, AKA Blowfly, is a 68-year old rap pioneer who started it all during the 60's in Georgia, arguably inventing modern hip-hop, touring with the Godfather, and spending 50 years on the road spreading his scatological scrawl. These days ole Clarence lives with his mom in North Miami between tours in one of the most rancid homes I've ever been in (my assistant, god bless her, actually got the flu after our shoot). I don't mean to be disparaging to Blowfly, I actually really enjoyed meeting him and collaborating, but its super intense stuff. He spent most of the several hours I was with him cussing at anyone or thing that moved or making obscene gestures (even while sitting in front of him mom in her bedroom while she read the bible).

I've talked before about the importance of finding characters and this is the case in point. Honestly, how in the fuck do you make lame pictures of a crazy old dude in a sequin suit and mexican wrestling mask?! Even so, I was still very pleased when I heard back from Radar photo director Greg Garry with his response to my take: "John these are genius!!!!" Why thank you, thank you very much! Here are a few more that didn't make the cut (I really like the last one because it was the only time that the personality was suspended and a tired old man shown through).

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