Ralph McDaniels

Since 1983, Brooklyn native Ralph McDaniels, founder and curator of the Video Music Box Collection Inc. has been instrumental in documenting the evolution of Hip-Hop culture. McDaniels, affectionately known as “Uncle Ralph”, through Video Music Box, has played an integral role within the community of Hip-Hop, which positions him as a unique preservationist with historic memory.

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McDaniels majored in Communications at LaGuardia Community College and New York Institute of Technology. He later interned and worked at the New York public television station WNYC as an Broadcast Engineer. That is where he created “Video Music Box”. McDaniels has directed and produced over 400 music videos from: Wu-Tang Clan, “C.R.E.A.M” (1993); Nas, “It Ain’t Hard to Tell” (1994); Roxanne Shanté, “Roxanne-Roxanne” (1995), to name a few. He also co-produced two feature films, including “Juice” (1992), “Roxanne Roxanne” (Netflix 2018) and countless documentaries.

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McDaniels is also committed to serving his community. He has worked with inner city youth for over 40 years teaching them film, radio and TV. He has provided his wealth of experience to The NYC Board of Education, and the NYC Department of Corrections to assist and educate youth in underserved populations. He also collaborates with The Schomburg Library, The Smithsonian African American Museum, Universal Hip Hop Museum and many other educational and arts institutions. McDaniels is well-known for pioneering Video Music Box which showcases original video content. The Video Music Box Collection is not just a documentary project, it is a lifelong commitment to cultural preservation, and it pays homage to music culture.