His work has appeared in publications including Vanity Fair,[3] Vogue,[4] GQ, Rolling Stone, Vibe,[5] ESPN magazine, The Wall Street Journal,[6] The New York Times,[7] NPR[8] and Newsweek.

[1] In the 1980s, Michael freelanced with Rush Management and Def Jam Records;[14] his photography of musicians include Rakim, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, among many others.

In 2003, The Eyejammie Fine Arts Gallery founded by Bill Adler, largely devoted to hip-hop photography, curated a one-man show showcasing the work of photographer Michael Benabib.

In 2019, The Annenberg Space For Photography in Culver City, California hosted an exhibit entitled Contact High: A Visual History of Hip Hop, based upon the contents of the book in association with the museum's 10th anniversary.

[22] In 2020, Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop was exhibited at the International Center of Photography in New York as part of the inauguration of the ICP's new location at 79 Essex Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side.