Oxygen Elements and Skinny in Roanoke, Virginia. © Jared Soares
In 2008, photographer Jared Soares travelled to Roanoke, a small town located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Hailing from Shawnee, Kansas, he set out to connect with his new surroundings through his love of hip hop.
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“I didn’t know anyone in Roanoke, and there were these corner stores where you could buy three CDs for five dollars: one would be someone like Lil Wayne, and the other two would be local artists,” Soares recalls.
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“I bought a few and started calling numbers. I got a hold of Terrence Palmer, a graphic designer who did the artwork for everyone’s mixtape. I told him what I was interested in doing and he invited me to come down to have a chat. His design studio was a hub of activity, with rappers and local producers coming through. It was a great place to meet people in person.”
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Zulu and Ox around town and Ox’s apartment in Terrace Apartments in Roanoke Tuesday night. © Jared Soares
Raw Sole Records Presents VA Is For Rappers at the Front Row in Roanoke, Virginia Saturday March 18, 2017. © Jared Soares