Above: “Bombazo Dance Co.,” 2025.
“My artistic vision as a photographer is focused on documenting culture, community, and identity through honest and personal images. I capture people, music scenes, and everyday moments that are often overlooked. Using film photography, I’m interested in telling stories that feel raw, real, and timeless. A lot of my work is inspired by hip hop history, documentary storytelling, and the connection between music and community.” — Shadai DeJesus
“Piano Man,” 2026.
“Rebelmatic,” Tompkins Square Park, 2025.
“H.R. Vocalist of Bad Brains,” Babylon, New York, 2025.
H.R. helped shape punk music through his intense stage presence, energy, and the way Bad Brains incorporates hardcore punk with reggae. As a Black frontman in a scene that was often viewed as white, H.R. became an important figure for Black and POC punks by showing that punk music and alternative spaces were for them too. He continues to inspire those who didn’t always see themselves represented in the scene. Capturing this photo of him was truly an honor.
“Fan Ladies, Lunar New Year,” 2026.
Read an interview with Shadai DeJesus here.
Shadai Jesus is a journalism student and photographer originally from Long Island, NY. Her work focuses on culture, and community, with particular interest in hip hop history, different music scenes, and documentary storytelling. Shadai hopes to pursue broadcast and documentary journalism, using multimedia storytelling to document overlooked narratives.
