Nigerian celebrity photographer TY Bello took British rapper Tinie Tempah on the streets of Lagos for his ThisDay Style cover shoot and it was magic!
The Nigerian-British rapper looks breath-takingly dapper and trendy in outfits by menswear label, Okunoren Twins.
On the shoot TY talked about how she wants international celebrities to experience Lagos undiluted in her photo shoots rather than seat in fancy hotel rooms and think that’s all Lagos is.
TY said,
…. Oga Tinie..Disturbing Lagos Keh ..? You sure? my hand no dey o.. We no dey do that kine ruff play for here o.
I’ve photographed so many international celebrities in this town.. From Beyonce to Arnold Schwarzenegger … I was looking through my archives the other day and said to my self.. Never again.. !Never in some fancy hotel room that could have been anywhere else on the planet . There’s no where like Lagos and If they ever cross my path again I’ll drag them out to where they can touch and feel My Lagos … And fall in love with it.
So of course when I was asked to meet up with @tiniegram at his hotel I was like..Lai-Lai!! Abeg bring the man to Yaba and let’s shoot this something! I love lagos..I won’t lie.. The streets are a literal Photographer’s paradise.. Every where you turn there’s a story waiting to be told.., textures waiting to be shot and characters waiting to be explored ..it’s hard for me to make a bad picture when my spirit is really open on the steets..I can just stand there and magic walks into my frame.
The beautiful bread seller in the red dress in one of my edits for instance..You know her Abi?.. That one that every one on the street wants to marry.. She’s fine and she knows it. its all over how she walks and I know you’ve seen her before .
She walked onto our set and magic happened..it wasn’t planned at all ..I didn’t even know I nailed the narrative until I edited a few days later.
Someone accused me of dragging @tiniegram on the streets. That I should have taken him to somewhere ‘prettier ‘… My response: So you haven’t heard …?The street is where it’s happening o.. You haven’t seen pretty till you’ve seen the sun set in the quiet corners of Surulere..You’re missing out on a unique love vibe if you haven’t taken her for a walk in railway compound..And if you only exist where freshly baked, steamy Agege bread is completely out of reach.. You may have to consider reorganizing it all.. I mean …What’s the point!
Checkout the super ‘fab’ photos below.
- DJ Baddo – All Of Me Remix ft John Legend [AuDio]
- Mr. Charis – All Back ft Zouwrah [AuDio]
- Dj Kamol – Crazy Gyration ft Skailey Normal [AuDio]
- Yung6ix – I Pray ft Oritse Femi [AuDio]
- DJ Enimoney – Shaku Shaku Therapy [MixTape]
- Kolasoul – All Of Me [AuDio]
- Iyanya – Credit ft Don Jazzy [AuDio]
- Victony, Don Toliver & Rema – Soweto
- Big C – Obimo ft Starface [AuDio]
- CKay – Emiliana
- Da Ilegal – One Time
- Ruger – Asiwaju