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What was Chi Modu's net worth? Hip Hop photographer captured photos of Tupac smoking, playing with his bandana

'When I set out to take these photographs I knew they were important,' Chi Modu said on his work with Tupac

Chi Modu, a celebrated hip hop photographer, died at the age of 54. He was the man behind some of hip hop’s most famous photographs. The tragic news of his demise was announced on his Instagram handle on May 22. The probable cause and details surrounding Modu's death have not been made public yet.

The tragic news was announced on May 22 afternoon on his official Instagram: “Our hearts are broken… We continue the fight,” the post read, which listed the year of his birth and death. “The family request privacy at this time.” Take a look at what the celebrated photographer was worth. 

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Who was Chi Modu? Legendary hip hop photographer who shot images of Tupac, Biggie dies at 54: 'We lost a major one'

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The Nigerian-born, New Jersey-raised photojournalist, was famous for capturing legendary hip hop artists like Tupac and Lil Nas. He graduated from Rutgers with an economics degree in 1989 and went on to receive a certificate in photojournalism/documentary photography just three years later. According to The History Makers, Modu's first photography gig was with the Harlem-based New York Amsterdam News. He became the director of photography for The Source, where he shot more than 30 covers. Some of his iconic captures featured Biggie, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J, Mary J. Blige, and Tupac. 

Modu's work was featured in outlets like the New York Times and Rolling Stone, as well as on the album covers for artists like Snoop, Method Man, and Mobb Deep. The photojournalist traveled the world and documented the lives of people in Yemen and Bangladesh. In 2016, he published the book Tupac Shakur Uncategorized, which was a montage of the Hip Hop artist's unseen images. He had captured through his lens 2Pac’s “Thug Life” tattoo, the iconic photo of 2Pac wearing a bandana on his forehead and his signature

Modu explained his approach towards photography and his work with Tupac in a 2016 Medium Post which said, "When I set out to take these photographs I knew they were important. I wanted to make sure the images stayed within the community. I wanted to make sure the person who created them was from the community. Historically that never really happens. Most of the visuals of the greats are owned and controlled by other people. That’s tricky because then they can put their interpretation on it. But when you look at my photographs, I’m there with them. I’m one of them even though I’m an observer. I was close enough to live it and I had the skills to document and record it."

Chi Modu's net worth

Photography being the main source of revenue, Chi Modu's estimated net worth for the year 2019 was around $100,000 – $1 million. As for 2020, his net worth amounted to somewhere between $1 million to $5 million. 

Fans mourned his death and posted condoling messages for the photojournalist on Twitter. "We went to high school with Chi. One hell of a track star, and a magician with the camera. RIP Chi….. Your with the legends now," one user wrote. Another tweeted, "RIP he def left a legacy with so many iconic photos."