It’s been 10 solid years and they’re still going strong.

XXL one of hip-hop’s most respected entertainment bibles celebrates there 10th year of making it to the newsstands.

From the very first time Jonathan was ever commissioned to shoot for the magazine, (he shot the front cover of Raekwon in 1998 Issue 4) it set the precedent for what has now become a great partnership.

See below for highlights on all cover shoots shot by Jon thus far… 

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Over the last 10 years, Jonathan Mannion’s catalogue of work has surpassed anything he could have ever imagined. From iconic behind the scenes shots of the late Notorious B.I.G to shooting all but two of hip hop megastar Jay Z’s 11 album covers, his lens has documented some of the greatest artists in hip hop, R&B and sport, capturing awe inspiring images and inviting you into the personal world of celebrities and personalities you might otherwise not have access to.

 All you have to do really is pick up a hip-hop album cover of the last decade and see Mannion’s name. He is also credited as the photographer of choice for a multitude of magazines, from XXL to the Fader - his work is everywhere.

 From starting out photographing the then unknown to the now major superstars, Jon has been able to capture images that have now become synonymous with these artists and the urban industry.

 Its definitely been a long time coming and by defining images of the ever-evolving urban culture, its time for Mannion to document his work and publish a selection of some of his most famous photo shoots and highlight some of the proudest moments of his career.

 In a book that will include an in depth photo documentary of a selection of powerful portraits captured on Polaroid film which the artists themselves signed, autographed and left personal messages; the book will also include commentary and exclusive one-off interviews conducted by acclaimed Rolling Stones journalist and author, Anthony Bozza.

 Check back soon for regular updates, on sale dates and general info.

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R&B artist J Holiday doesn’t need much of an intro… Having catapulted up the charts last year with his hugely successful video “Bed,” then following it up with second single “Suffocate,” both songs are still continuing to get huge radio and video play.

Here are some exclusive behind the scenes images of J Holiday’s latest music video “Suffocate,” directed by Jonathan Mannion shot in the beautiful city of Paris.

 On the downtime an excited J Holiday explains, “This is my first time overseas. It’s an amazing city and a great location for the concept of the video.”

“Suffocate” picks up from where “Bed” left off – a clean, classic, love story showing a true depiction of how it can be on the road sometimes. “It’s a ‘real life’ kind of video, J continues “and shows how it can get a little lonely while touring.”

 When sharing his experience of working for the umpteenth time with Jonathan, J is candid “The long hours and standing around a lot can get a little annoying at times, but the best part would definitely have to be the finished product. Thinking back to how long a certain shot took and how many times I had to go over the same thing again and again makes it seem so much worthwhile especially when you see the end result.”

 J’s relationship with Jonathan has continued to develop literally over the course of his career. Having worked together on his first project “Bed” and soon after “Suffocate” (album packaging and videos) J regards Jonathan with the utmost respect, professionally and personally. “Jonathan’s eye as a director is sick. He always has these innovative, fresh ideas that just blow you away. I felt privileged to work with him actually because I’m a huge fan of his work anyway. Filming “Suffocate” never really felt like work. Jonathan’s like family like a long lost cousin and the team was cool too. Everyone had a cool time but kept it real professional when it needed to be.”

While J Holiday continues to ride the charts, he is consistently planning his next move.

Check back soon for more exciting news.

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“My favorite front cover that Jonathan shot for The Fader has to be the presidential Mos Def cover that never ran. As with all of Jonathan’s shoots it shows the wealth of imagery that he comes up with on a single shoot and is an indication of how much great stuff from those shoots unfortunately do not make it into print.

 “Of the ones that did, I’d have to say, Maceo aesthetically and Beck D’Angelo because it put Fader on the map!”

- Phil Bicker

Creative Director, The Fader Magazine

We just had to make a shout out to The Fader Magazine for making it to 50 issues. We wanted to show our thanks and appreciation for continuing the thriving working relationship we’ve maintained over the course of this time. 

Looking forward to the next 50 issues. 

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In conjunction with The Sapporo Beer promo event, the renowned Hollywood Obsessions Gallery famous for its portraits of Hollywood greats, held its first ever hip-hop exhibition displaying the works of photographer Jonathan Mannion.

The gallery is most famous for iconic images of people like Marilyn Monroe and Fred Astaire and can now be credited for displaying artwork of Run DMC and Outkast.

During the run up to the MTV Awards, which was also taking place the same week, a few A-listers who were in town for the awards passed through the show including MTV’s Sway who posed for photos.

The exhibition proved such a success that it has now been moved into the main gallery for display.

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The exclusive invite only trade show event, which debuted its first ever show in August 2007, took place during the week of the famous Magic Convention. The event showcased 23 top street wear brands in the business including: Crooks n Castles, Ssurilla, La Carrera, Dizzisit, The Coka Nostra and Diamond Supply Co. among many others.

Throughout the mammoth space and the extraordinary tunnel entranceway hung artwork by Jonathan Mannion, where some of his finest photographs were available to purchase during the two-day event. Among the plethora of chic attendees were performances by reggae artist Shinehead, DJ Muggs of Cypress Hill vs. Sick Jacken of Psycho Realm, and La Coka Nostra; who set the pace for what was described by many as one of the most entertaining shows that took place that week.

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