As anticipation continues to build for The Hip Hop Museum’s opening in late 2025, fans can already visit the Museum’s virtual space on Spatial. Within the virtual Museum, fans will see incredible, previously unseen photos of some of the most important figures of Hip Hop culture donated by Carol Marino.

Carol, raised in Queens, New York, got her start writing and taking photos for community papers before finding her way into the burgeoning New York Hip Hop scene in the early 1990s. That’s where Carol found herself face-to-face at events and video shoots with icons of the culture such as 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., LL Cool J, Craig Mack, Onyx, and countless others.

The Hip Hop Museum caught up with Carol to talk about getting involved in the Hip Hop industry, the relationships she cultivated, and her most memorable assignment.

Carol Marino Interview

Adam Aziz: How did you get so intertwined with Rap artists and Hip Hop culture?

Carol Marino: As a child, I was drawn to Motown. And you can say anything soulful, like in my neighborhood, people were listening to Rock, but growing up, we had a lot of music in the house, all different kinds of music. I remember hearing The Cleftones. It was just love. I can’t explain it. I was drawn to that whole soul music thing. Then Disco. I’d go to the shows in my little yellow Volkswagen, go to the shows, not to dance or do anything, to be in the front row, kind of mesmerized by the artists. Then it was Hip Hop. I was born in Queens. I found WWRL on the AM radio. I found WBLS. I found it at the clubs and was looking for a job. I liked to proofread. I went to a local paper, and they asked if I wanted to sell ads. I said, No, they said, Can you write? Can you take photos? I said I don’t know. They put a camera in my hands. This is 1990, and I’m doing community stuff. Suddenly, I’m a photographer and a writer. I loved it.

AA: How did you get involved with Hip Hop then?

CM: I had jury duty once and saw these Hip Hop newspapers. I said to myself, “OK, I’m going to call them and volunteer my services because I want to be around what I love.”

AA: Is that how you started to get press and photo passes to all these events?

CM: Yes, by freelancing

AA: Are there artists that you established a special rapport with over the years?

CM: I was closest to Craig Mack. Once you get known as a photographer, you get invites to various events and parties. The most memorable moment was the “Flava In Ya Ear” video shoot. He was a very friendly guy. I remember meeting and being friendly with his attorney and accountant as well. Craig Mack invited me to his wedding reception.

I also got to know the late John Fletcher of the Whodini group. We hung out a couple of times in Brooklyn. I remember one time we went to a park in Brooklyn, and my daughter, who was little at the time, fell off one of the slides. John ran to help her, and I later found out he was an EMT.

AA: Out of all the events, video shoots, and parties you covered over the years, does one stand out for you?

CM: It has to be the “Flava In Ya Ear (Remix)” video shoot. I remember someone telling me to go down to the Brooklyn Navy Yards; they’re shooting a music video. You don’t even know what the video is for. The doors open, and LL Cool J, Busta Rhymes, Biggie, and everybody are there. Even one of the guys from Kool & The Gang was there.

AA: Why was it so important for you to donate these photos to The Hip Hop Museum?

CM: It was done out of love. These photos were collecting dust in my closet. I always had other careers. I did EMT work, worked in an office, worked at a gym, and taught inmates at Rikers Island, but these photos were in my heart.

AA: Looking back at your time covering Hip Hop and these events, what emotions come to mind?

CM: All the friendships I made, just the sound of the music and all the love infused in me through the music, just by hearing the music, the friends, the connections. It was magic.

Read more interview on The Hip Hop Museum!