Buddy Esquire

Lemoin Thompson (July 17, 1958 – January 31, 2014), known by the name Buddy Esquire, was the most well-known show flyer artist in the Bronx in the early days of hip-hop, from 1978 to 1982.

Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, the Funky 4 Plus 1, and the Cold Crush Brothers were among the hip-hop legends whose early performances were advertised on his flyers.

His flyers are some of the only primary materials relating to the earliest developments of what is now the world's most popular music genre, aside from their striking graphic elements.

Though graffiti was often associated with hip-hop at this time, Esquire wanted to create an identity for the shows that was not only legible, but professional and stylish.

This visual style was in contrast to the settings of most live hip-hop events in the Bronx from the late 1970s and early 1980s: local high schools and community centers.

[6] His funeral was attended by big names in early hip-hop: Afrika Bambaataa, Charlie Ahearn, and Theodore Livingston.