The Miracle Mile Shot (2019)

In this short subject non-dialogue documentary, photographer Ithaka Darin Pappas reexamines "The Miracle Mile Shot", a picture he took of N.W.A. in 1988, that through the decades has become the defining image of N.W.A. in its prime. The photograph examined in the short, entitled "The Miracle Mile Shot", was made on November 11th 1988 and features Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, Eazy E, DJ Yella and MC Ren. The image began its existence being used as the official press image for NWA's triple-Platinum album, Straight Outta Compton (Priority Records). "The Miracle Mile Shot" is an individual photo from a series of pictures made that day (at the photographer's home apartment studio at 6516 1/2 Orange Street - Los Angeles) using a Hasselblad 500 CE camera with an 80mm lens and Norman lighting equipment. Throughout the decades, the image's relevance has continued to grow, being one of the only photos in existence clearly showing the faces of all members of the short-lived but highly influential group (without wearing sunglasses). It has become the defining photograph of NWA in its prime. On August 10th 2015, rapper Snoop Dogg wore a homemade "The Miracle Mile Shot" T-Shirt to the international premier of N.W.A.'s biopic "Straight Outta Compton". At the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame's induction ceremony NWA on March 29th 2016 at Barclay's Center, Brooklyn, New York, Kendrick Lamar introduced NWA in front of a fifteen-meter high projection of The Miracle Mile Shot. In 2017, several images from "The Miracle Mile Shot" session were featured in the documentary "The Defiant Ones", directed by: Allen Hughes. Produced by Silverback Productions for HBO.