Isis Kenney is a pioneering visual artist and CEO renowned for creating the artistic style of Hip Hop Fine Art (HHFA)—a distinctive blend of hip hop culture and fine art. Through her work, Kenney celebrates the vibrancy and significance of hip hop while offering powerful visual narratives that explore themes of identity, African-American history, and social justice. Her art has captivated audiences globally, using the fusion of collage, digital art, textiles, and home décor to engage in cultural preservation and instigate social change.
Born and raised in Poughkeepsie, New York, Kenney’s artistic foundation was shaped by her parents, both educators and artists, who surrounded her with African traditional fine art, jazz, R&B music, and African fashion and textiles. Growing up in this creative environment nurtured her passion for art and culture. A natural collector, Kenney developed an early fascination with hip hop memorabilia, amassing a collection of photojournalism books, magazines, vinyl records, and other cultural artifacts. This collection would later serve as the foundation for her groundbreaking artistic language, merging hip hop history with visual storytelling.
Her solo exhibitions have earned critical acclaim, with works such as Women Warriors, Fear of a Black Planet and The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, where Kenney explored the intersection of hip hop culture and fine art, challenging societal narratives through powerful visual representations.
Kenney’s dedication to education is an extension of her broader mission to preserve and elevate hip hop culture, using art as a tool for social and political change.
A recognized figure in both the art and media worlds, Kenney has been featured in prominent publications such as The Source Magazine, The Journal of Hip Hop Studies, The Center of the Movement: Collecting Hip Hop Memorabilia, Raptology, and VoyageATL. These features celebrate her influence as a creative force and cultural icon, highlighting her contributions to both the art world and the preservation of hip hop culture.
Kenney continues to push the boundaries of art from her studios in New Jersey and Atlanta. Through Hip Hop Fine Art, she creates powerful visual statements that call attention to the truth, provoke dialogue, and encourage cultural reflection. Her work bridges the gap between high and popular culture, inspiring new generations of artists while preserving the legacy of hip hop for future generations.