Houston Rap is an immersion into the everyday life of the Houston hip-hop community. This hardcover 272 page book features the photography of Peter Beste who spent 9 years documenting the culture alongside writer Lance Scott Walker. The book is edited by Johan Kugelberg who also worked with Peter on his previous book True Norwegian Black Metal (Vice) which to date has sold through 4 editions.
The Houston, Texas neighborhoods of Fifth Ward, Third Ward, and South Park have grown to be hallowed ground for modern hip hop culture, possessing self-contained celebrities, entrepreneurs, support networks, and a micro-economy of their own.
Houston Rap profiles noted artists such as Bun B of UGK, Z-Ro, Big Mike, K-Rino, Willie D of the Geto Boys, Lil’ Troy, Street Military and Paul Wall, alongside reflections on the lives of departed legends such as DJ Screw, OG Style, Pimp C, and Big Hawk.
The book also features community leaders, rappers, producers, businessmen, and family members, all providing an astonishing and important insight into a great American cultural narrative.
“We edited the book as a 24 hour glimpse into the culture,” says Johan Kugelberg. “We take you from the projects to the studio to the strip club and back, all along with an on-going oral history narrative from the people of the culture.” “We see it as an immersion,” says Peter Beste. “The idea was always to provide an insight into the community of the arguably most powerful hip-hop scene in the world today.”
Houston Rap Book Second Edition
Z-Ro. 2005
Dead End 7-11 & Macc Grace
South Park Salon. 2007
ESG Pourin' Up
Dope E out his bedroom window. 3rd Ward
C-Note of Botany Boys
Z-Ro in his kitchen
Klondike Kat in South Park.
Houston Kids. 2005
Ganxsta NIP in South Park. 2007
Dominique & Mike D
Mike Jones on the Northside
Houston Rap Spread
Mr. 3-2. Southside. 2005
3rd Ward storefront
Choice. 5th Ward. 2005
"Tiger Wood of the Hood" passersby. 4th Ward. 2005
Z-Ro's Breakfast
Guns n' Syrup. 2005
Ganxsta NIP in South Park. 2007
HAWK (RIP)
Duke of Herschelwood Hardheads
3rd & 5th Wards
G.R.I.T Boys. South Park
Paul Wall in South Park. 2006
K-Rino at Macgregor Park
Pimp C at Club Konnections
Princess Mafia with her sister. Club Konnections
Club Konnections Splits
Captain Jack at Max's Candy Shop
Max's Candy Shop
Club Konnections
Lil Troy & Strippers
Bun B and Friends. Port Arthur, Tx. 2006
DJ Screw's nephew
TRUE NORWEGIAN BLACK METAL
In the last three decades a bizarre and violent musical subculture called black metal has emerged in Norway. Its roots stem from a heady blend of horror films, extreme heavy metal music, Satanism, pagan mythology, and adolescent angst. In the early-mid 1990's, members of this extremist underground committed murder, burned down medieval wooden churches, and desecrated graveyards. What started as a juvenile frenzy came to symbolize the start of a war against Christianity, a return to the worship of the ancient Norse gods, and the complete rejection of mainstream society. I spent seven years photographing this insulated and secretive community.
In 2008 Vice books published a large monograph entitled True Norwegian Black Metal
True Norwegian Black Metal Photographs by Peter Beste 208 Pages. Hardcover. 11.5" x 14.5" May 2008 (Vice Books)
*Signed limited edition prints are also available. Please contact peterbeste (at) gmail (dot) com for info
TNBM book cover
Abbath of Immortal. Os, Norway
Kvitrafn of Wardruna. Bergen, Norway 2002
Gaahl walking towards his grandparents' cabin
Bergen, Norway from above
Furze. Sandvika, Norway. 2005
Koldbrann. Oslo. 2007
Frost of 1349 in a cave
Ravn of 1349 (Beyond the Apocalypse record cover)
Fenriz of Darkthrone. Elm street pub. Oslo
King ov Hell. Bergen. 2002
Immortal. 2009
Gorgoroth's "Black Mass in Krakow" concert. 2004
Elm Street Pub. Oslo, Norway 2002
Krakow, Poland. 2004
Gaahl's Hands
Nattefrost's Sink. 2002
Nattefrost putting on corpsepaint
Enslaved. Bergen, Norway. 2002
Vrangsinn of Carpathian Forest
Fenriz in his bedroom
Heavy Metal Love. Bergen 2007
Fans at Emperor gig. Oslo
Gaahl's House
Grutle of Enslaved. Bergen, Norway
Gaahl and Kvitrafn
Høst of Taake. Bergen, Norway 2004
Samoth of Emperor and his daughter
Abbath of Immortal
Frost of 1349. Oslo. 2002
Backstage at Mayhem gig
Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone. Røros, Norway 2005
Immortal. 2009
King ov Hell. Sotra, Norway. 2003
Nattefrost covered in his own shit. 2004
Nattefrost of Carpathian Forest
Sogndal, Norway. 2002
Valfar (RIP) Sogndal, Norway
MUSIC
Some band photos and portraits I’ve taken over the years
Hällas. Sweden, 2018
Freddie Gibbs. South Central LA
Matt Pike of High on Fire. Portland, 2022
UGK. Port Arthur Texas, 2006 (RIP PIMP C)
Uada. Mount Saint Helens. 2016
Myrkur in Her Living Room. Copenhagen, 2016
Inquisition
Jason Tarpey of Eternal Champion. Houston, 2022
Scarface. Houston, 2006
Armory. Sweden. 2018
Savage Master. Germany, 2017
Unto Others. Portland, OR
Jon Henriksen of Black Magic. Norway, 2017
Bryce Van Hoosen of Silver Talon. Mount Hood, 2016
Hoaxed. Portland, 2020
Darkthrone
Ian Mackaye with original Out of Step sheep drawing
Denzel Curry. Los Angeles, 2019
Big Gerb (RIP)
Julia Von Krusenstjerna of Mystik
Bölzer. Norway, 2017
Abbath of Immortal. Os, Norway
Jonas Åkerlund. Los Angeles, 2019
Hunters Ground. Rocky Mountains, 2017
Mortiis. Portland, 2018
The Flats. London, 2011
Freddie Gibbs in LA
Ashbury. Germany, 2017
Siki Spacek of Black Death and Dennis Dread
Nocturno Culto of Darkthrone. Tokyo, 2005.
Nergal. Bogota, Colombia. 2015
Gallhammer. Tokyo, 2005
Dave Silver of Savage Messiah. London, 2012
Goatwhore. New Orleans, 2015
Black Magic. Norway, 2017
Cubic Zirconia. Brooklyn 2010
Nergal. Death Valley, CA
Paul Wall. NYC, 2012
Deathhammer. Kolbotn, Norway, 2017
Glen Benton of Deicide. Tampa, FL 2007
Silver Talon. Salem, Oregon. 2019
Wolves in the Throne Room. Olympia. 2018
COMMERCIAL
Dick Gregory for Nike
Dick Gregory's Typewriter
Dick Gregory for Nike
Kevin Durant for Foot Locker
Lee Fields for Nike
Memphis guy for Nike
Church Ladies in Memphis for Nike
Brothers in Memphis for Nike
Memphis Skate Rink
The Baddest. For Nike
Lee Fields in Memphis
Memphis Skate Rink
Basketball Girl for Nike
Memphis Skate Rink
Black Cowboys in Oklahoma for Nike
Memphis Barber Shop for Nike
Memphis Barbershop
Memphis Barbershop
NBA Legends. Austin
Kevin Durant for Foot Locker
Kevin Durant for Foot Locker
Kevin Durant's shoes for Foot Locker
Dick Gregory in Austin
LIVE MUSIC & FESTIVALS
A selection of images from festivals and concerts.
Manilla Road at Muskelrock. Sweden, 2018
Anthrax from a hot tub at 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, 2016
Trae Tha Truth. Tom Bass Park. Houston, 2005
Fan at Tons of Rock Festival. Norway, 2017
Behemoth. Eugene, Oregon, 2017
Fans at Muskelrock. Sweden, 2018
Behemoth. Albuquerque, 2015
Fans at Muskelrock. Sweden, 2018
Høst of Taake. Blekkmetal Festival. Bergen, Norway, 2015
Immortal. Copenhell, Denmark, 2012
Arch Enemy. 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, 2017
70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, 2017
Paul Wall. Free Press Summer Festival. Houston, 2012
Deathhammer. Tons of Rock Festival. Norway, 2017
Behemoth
Overkill. 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise, 2017
Necrobutcher and Katon De Peña. Maryland Death Fest, 2017
Muskelrock Crowd. Sweden, 2018
Keep it True crowd. Germany, 2017
Eternal Champion. Keep it True, Germany, 2017
Fans at Muskelrock. Sweden, 2018
Helvetets Port. Muskelrock. Sweden, 2018
Visigoth. Keep it True. Germany, 2017
Gathering of Shadows. Rocky Mountains, 2017
Ashbury. Live in a Swedish Church, 2018
Cult of Fire. Blekkmetal Festival. Bergen, Norway, 2015
Keep it True crowd. Germany, 2017
Maryland Death Fest, 2015
Muskelrock crowd. 2018
Testament. 70,000 Tons of Metal Cruise. 2017
Armory. Muskelrock. 2018
Muskelrock crowd. 2018
Hällas. Muskelrock, Sweden. 2018
Keep it True audience. 2017
Watain. Albuquerque. 2012
Tons of Rock. Norway. 2017
Maryland Death Fest. 2016
Hellbutcher of Nifelheim
WOLVES
Vegtam
Grimnir preparing ritual ash
“Wotan Mit Uns” (Odin With Us). The horgr (altar) of the Cascadian Wolves in the distance
Wolves in the Newly Built Hall
Raised by Wolves
Afi crosses a frozen lake in Cascadia
Brotherhood
Vegtam Takes the Oath
Finnulfr & Sonny
Invoking Thor the Destroyer
Baldr's Funeral
Rolling in Cascadia's Back Woods Boxing Ring
Youthful Magic
Before the blót
All Life Comes From Death
Solemn Respect for the Death of an Animal
Ritual Galdr For Sacrifice
Vargr's Vegvisir (Icelandic magical stave)
Preparing the Feast
Paul Waggener (Grimnir) Performing with Fellow Wolves
Hearing the natural world
Midnight in Cascadia
The Fire of Windborn
SCANDINAVIAN DANSEBANDS
Danseband culture is a rich and historic rural tradition in Scandinavian countries. This work was commissioned by Rockheim, Norway’s first rock ‘n’ roll museum, and was released in book form by Aschehoug in 2018.
Dans Med Meg book cover
Rune Rudberg. Holjes, Sweden
Sunne, Sweden
Seljord, Norway
Scandinavian Stickers
Larz Kristerz
Sel, Norway
Danse Caravan
Swedish Flag
Sailorman
Sunne, Sweden
Danse Caravan
Bjorn's Orkester's Bus
Seljord, Norway
Larz Kristerz's bus
Ole Ivars Live
Face 84 fan
Tour Buses in Sel, Norway
Sel, Norway
Rune Rudberg
Lasse Stefanz
Swedish Hot Rod
Danseband Fan
Sunne, Sweden
Thorleifs bus
Destinations
Couple Dancing to Lasse Stefanz. Sunne, Sweden
UFOs
UFO culture in the American West. Photos taken from 2009-2012
ECETI Ranch
Former director of MUFON (Mutal UFO Network) Las Vegas, NV.
Giorgio Tsoukalos at Contact in the Desert. Joshua Tree, CA
UFO Congress. Arizona
Night Vision Sky Watch. Joshua Tree
ECETI Ranch
UFO Congress. Arizona
Tracking crafts with industrial strength laser pointer at ECETI Ranch
Vendor at MUFON conference. Las Vegas, NV
Norio Hayakawa in New Mexico
Jim Marrs lecture at Contact in the Desert
UFO books
Travis Walton - UFO Abductee
Contact in the Desert Panel
UFO Fanzines
Linda Moulton Howe lecture at Contact in the Desert
Lloyd Pye & the Starchild Skull. 2012
Sedona in Infrared
Cosmic Highway. Colorado
Roswell, NM
ECETI sunset
Skywatch. Joshua Tree. 2014
Sedona in Infrared
GEO-ENGINEERING
These photographs were taken between 2009-2012 documenting the controversial geo-engineering phenomenon.
Brooklyn
Tucson Geo-Engineering Protest
Sedona, AZ
Tucson Geo-Engineering Protest
Arizona Rest Area
New Mexico
Arizona Rest Area
Arizona
Arizona
Tucson Geo-Engineering Protest
Tucson Geo-Engineering Protest
Tucson Geo-Engineering Protest
Santa Fe, NM
Sedona, AZ
Germany
Arizona
New York City
New York City
After Dark
Santa Fe, NM
PLACES
Texas
San Francisco, 2001
Iceland, 2016
London, 2000
The Sturgeon Moon, 2022
Total Solar Eclipse, 2017
San Francisco, 2001
Rome, Italy. 2000
London. 2000
Paris. 2000
Granada, Spain. 2000
Lebanon, Missouri, 1999
Neusa, Colombia
Bergen, Norway, 2004
Bogota, Colombia, 2007
London. 2000
Nicaragua, 2013
London. 2000
Houston, Texas, 2008
Tokyo, 2005
New Mexico
New Mexico
Colorado
Sedona, AZ
LONDON GRIME MC's
I spent a week photographing Grime crews, MC's and pirate radio stations in East London in 2005