From fashion, to marketing, publishing and beyond, there is not a creative industry in the 21st century that does not reference or employ hip hop aesthetics. This presentation will illuminate how the emergence of Hip Hop culture in 1973 was visually elevated by a community of Black illustrators, both trained and untrained, who created a new language now recognized as a global illustration style. It will provide context and proof of the invaluable contributions these artists have made to the illustration industry, and to the wider global creative culture.