Hip Hop Beauty Brings Black Women's Impact To Culture Creators

Black women, you are the visual. The annual Culture Creators returns for it’s 10th year anniversary, this BET Awards weekend, with an immersive exhibition that spotlights Black women’s impact on the culture and hip-hop. Hip Hop Beauty is an exhibition and highly anticipated experience taking place June 25-29, 2026 at The Beverly Hilton.

Sponsored by HelloBeautiful and Hip-Hop Wired in partnership with Hip Hop Beauty Circa 1973, Ashunta Sheriff Beauty, THEBO, and Mshaka Media, this curated collection of pieces will feature never-before seen works from legendary photographer Keith Major, emerging artist Mazi Smazi, and celebrity hairstylist/visual artist Stacy Gray.

Hip Hop Beauty was created by author Thembisa S. Mshaka and celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks, co-founders of Circa 1973.

“Hip Hop Beauty is a visual arts and culture experience dedicated to centering and celebrating the attitude, energy and presentation of beauty through the lens of the hip hop aesthetic,” said Mshaka in an official press release. “For too long, this aspect of our contributions to Black and American history have been subject to erasure. Our exhibition sets the record straight.”

For Sheriff, the event “is the untold foundation of modern beauty. Born from lack of shades, access and representation, women like Thembisa and I were forced to innovate; that innovation reshaped the industry and the culture.”

Think Salt N’ Pepper’s asymmetrical cut or Janet Jackson wearing box braids in Poetic Justice as she starred alongside Tupac. Lil’ Kim’s colorful wigs and Missy Elliott’s eccentric approach to music videos. Hip-hop may be about lyrics and bravado, but it’s also about the imagery. And Black women have greatly contributed to the genre’s identity. From the way we wear our hair to the way we line our lips, and the pride we take in our dress, trends begin in our imagination.

This year, that beauty will be on display and HB is proud to be apart of it. Celebrity stylist and hair care line founder Kiyah Wright will be on-site to offer hair touchups (for non-braided hair) and award-winning journalist Aliya S. King will moderate a panel at the experience.

Make sure you follow our social media account for updates from the event.

Hip Hop Beauty To Showcase Black Women’s Impact On Hip Hop At Culture Creators was originally published on hellobeautiful.com