Hip Hop Beauty exhibition lands at Texas Southern University

Hip Hop Beauty Circa 1973 is bringing its final 2026 exhibition stop to Houston on Nov. 12 at Texas Southern University, with a first-ever Hip Hop Beauty Market, master classes and a closing reception. The run ties the photo show to TSU’s Entrepreneurship Week and spotlights student entrepreneurs alongside archival images of major hip hop style icons.

Why it matters: - The Houston stop connects hip hop culture, visual art and entrepreneurship in one campus event. - Texas Southern University students get a direct showcase through the first Hip Hop Beauty Market. - The exhibition highlights how beauty, style and storytelling shaped hip hop’s visual legacy.

What happened: - Hip Hop Beauty Circa 1973 co-founders Ashunta Sheriff-Kendricks and Thembisa S. Mshaka announced the final 2026 stop of the HIP HOP BEAUTY photo exhibition in Houston. - The exhibition opens Nov. 12 at 3 p.m. CST in the C.S. Lane Building at Texas Southern University. - The Houston run is presented with Hello Beautiful and Hip Hop Wired, plus Ashunta Sheriff Beauty, Mshaka Media and Marc Harvey Beauty. - Texas Southern University will host the exhibition during Entrepreneurship Week. - Dr. Michon Benson, associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences, said the partnership will inspire students with real-world expertise.

The details: - The exhibition runs Nov. 12-20 in the Learning Library Center. - The first-ever Hip Hop Beauty Market takes place Nov. 20 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the C.S. Lane Building. - A closing reception and panel follow Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at the JHJ School of Business. - Master classes by the founders and Marc Harvey are scheduled for Nov. 19. - Works available for purchase include pieces by Mazi Smazi, Stacy Gray, Keith Major and Traci Bartlow. - The exhibition includes vintage and archival photographs of Erykah Badu, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, Slik-E, The Conscious Daughters, Amari Monster and others. - The Feature Presentation called the exhibition “a powerful celebration of culture, style and storytelling.”

Between the lines: - The TSU stop extends Hip Hop Beauty beyond a gallery show and into a business-building platform. - The campus setting fits the exhibition’s emphasis on creative entrepreneurship and cultural history. - The mix of archival work, live programming and retail suggests the project is built to reach both art audiences and students. - Hip Hop Beauty says the exhibition has already traveled to Miami, New York City, Nairobi, Beverly Hills and Oakland. - Hip Hop Beauty says the project has generated 12 billion earned media impressions in under a year.

What's next: - Visitors can view the exhibition at TSU through Nov. 20. - The Hip Hop Beauty Market and closing panel will cap the Houston run. - The exhibition is also available for purchase at HHB1973.com. - Organizers invite media inquiries through Zenobia Simmons at Zenobia.Simmons@gmail.com.

The bottom line: - Houston gets the exhibition’s final 2026 stop, and TSU students get a rare platform linking culture, commerce and creative careers.