From G-UNOT to Benzino... I'm Officially Done F##king with The Source Magazine
Posted on March 27, 2008 4:27 PM
Yesterday I retired from The Source Magazine. I know that most of ya'll prolly don't care, but for the last six years I have put my heart and soul into "The Bible", first as a freelance journalist and then as The Politics and Culture Correspondent.
one of the many stories that I wrote for The Source over the years
And I know that a lot of folks think the magazine jumped the shark around 2000, but every month since 2002 I prided myself on the stories that I was turning into my editors. Over the years, I even stirred up some hate with controversial articles, like the infamous G-Unot cover. (Please don't believe the hype, Benzino wasn't writing all those stories...and check the article out if you haven't read it. I pretty much predicted what was going to happen--ie inner camp turmoil etc, lackluster album sales--to G-Unit in the fall of 2005).
But I just can't f#*k with them anymore. Not only is the magazine's design starting to look like Word Up but them cats owe me like 60k for my work over the years. Not to mention the fact that its hard to see a magazine that was built on consciousness filled with pictures of half naked women. It's just a mess over there. (Although I got to give Executive Editor Ryan Ford credit for keeping them alive this long.) I know that people hated on Dave and Ray, but trust me, The Source was much better off under their leadership.
However, I don't regret the time I put in at the magazine. I still got mad love for the current Executive Editors Ryan Ford and Soren Baker and will always appreciate the game I learned from folks like Fahiym Ratcliffe, Chloe Hillard and Jerry Barrow. But it's about time for me to focus on projects that are appreciated.
Comments
Is the source still relevant in hip hop?
Much appreciated Bro. I appreciate that you keep it moving for Hiphop, with the best interest and well being of young people foremost in mind. PEACE
60 thousand huh.. Damn! can a brother get paid you cheap bastards.. I hope sohh is paying up front.
the source sucks period. most magazine half to put so much ads in there now theres barely any articles. they have to get money from somewhere cuz people rather just get the info from the internet now.
Im in love with G uNit. I cant believe you participated in thier demise. The rap game was WAAAAY more interesting when 50 and them ran NY.
why are on obama for so much! i can make the call right now and get the help i need! why do you keep assuming otherwise! goodluck and take care! for real for real! and have the time of your lives! more info the worst its gonna get! i want to know as much as possible so i know who did what! goodluck and take care!
So where all the rumors about the alleged sexual harassment of female employee's under Dave and Ray's 'reign of terror' true then?
SHADY G-UNIT KILLED THE MAG, HAHAHAHAHAHAHA GGGGGGGGG-UNIT.
not from biko: seems like the source also got shady too homie. dude's career isn't the most popping right now!
Tru dat XXL, Em and G Unit killed the hip hop BIBLE. What a joke. The mag was hot till Zinos wack ass wanted to start beef, so XXL took what they can get, only the hottest crew in the game, G Unit, the best rapper in the game, Em, and they made a killing with there covers, So much so that the Source had to put Em and G Unit on there covers just to get sales. What a shame, but fuck it, XXL been running shit for a minute now, so who really cares about the Sauce anymore? And biko, whatever your name is, Em not poppin right now has nothing to do with the Sauce homey, you must not no shit about it if your talking that bullshit. he working on his album, producing his artists, and with Proof getting killed, getting divorced, drugs, thats what he has to work out, it aint got shit to do with The Source magazine. But the fact is, when Em drops his new shit, he will sell more than anyone out there now will, shit his mixtape the Re Up sold more than Games album did, and that was a one single, that got no radio play mixtape that did over 2 mill worldwide. So whos not poppin?? RIP The Source.
note from biko: you don't think the fact that the source (and I had nothing to do with it) leaked that "nigga" track helped lead to EM's demise. The truth is, Eminem wouldn't have become as big a star without the source's help. Truthfully, I don't give a fuck about the whole eminem shit. I've bought both his and 50's records over the years. But'll I'll tell you this, hip-hop is worse off without the source. They were the only mag that kept it somewhat real. It's a shame that the new ownership hasn't stepped it up.
yo biko if u say benzino aint write all them articles, did he tell u and the other writers wat direction to go? like did he tell u to dig up as much dirt as u can bout 50? just wonderin.
cosign all these mags barely have any articles. half the pages in them shits are ads.
note from biko: to be honest I didnt have much contact with dave or ray. I worked with the editors. I never lived in New York and never really went to the office. I did my thing from Los Angeles or Milwaukee. I couldn't tell you what those dudes did. They always seemed cool to me, but I also am not intimidated by street dudes. I think a lot of the former writers were though.
but every mag and media outlet is influenced by the publishers. look at fox news.
as far as the 50 story it was an analysis. I didn't dig up any dirt. (although I am sure some folks did for other stories). all i did was analyze Gunit by comparing them to other hip-hop crews like Dogg Pound
Your Kissing everybodys ass on the way out, huh? Also, The Source was fucked up (check the sales) under "Dave and Ray", and if you weren't such an ass-kisser....(fill in the blank)
note from biko: Why do i have to kiss ass. Because I respect the people I worked with. Them dudes are smart ass writers who are working for a broken as business.
and of course sales dropped with the source. they have been around since 1988. all businesses are cyclical. XXL, Scratch, Vibe, Down and others came in and took a piece of the market share. But until very recently the source was still (and i think still is) right up there with XXL in terms of sales from newstands. And they ain't even coming close to making as much money. That is a testament to all those writers who put in work.
Who gives a fuck?
Man, if you had some housecleats from WWW.HOUSECLEATS.COM you could have ran outta that joint a lot earlier . . . comfortably.
Biko what up this is Dave Mays get at me we got MONSTA poppin off right now if you want to get down
The Source fell off Crazy B
The articles are about 4 sentences long, Plus the XXL is a way better all around magazine. Word
Who can forget the Source Awards? Fights broke out EVERY YEAR. You SOHH guys should post up some videos while you bullshittin...
LMAO at Dave Mays and Monsta mag. you can't be serious! LOL. That wet wipe and his gay ass rapper/boyfirend benzino fucked up the source in the first place. Plus you don't even have the name stupid. that's don diva's shit dummie.
http://icedotcom.blogspot.com/2008/02/don-diva-puts-stop-to-benzinos-monsta.html
LOL, OH SH!T!!!!!
THE SOURCE IS STILL ON THE SHELVES?????????????
You are right,we don't give a FUCK!!!
SO YOU WERE ONE OF THE GUYS WHO WERE HATING ON THE UNIT. lET ME ASK YOU THIS: WHY WOULD YOU HATE ON THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE? THEY WERE AND STILL ARE THE ONLY GROUP MAKING NOISE NOT ONLY IN THE RAP GAME BUT IN THE MIXTAPE GAME. I GUESS MO MONEY, MORE HATERS, LIKE YOURSELF. SPENDING YOUR FREE TIME DEDICATING A WHOLE COVER OR ARTICLE ABOUT THE DEMISE OF G-UNIT. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN BORED OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND. OH, AND BY THE WAY, YOUR B.S. STORIES ABOUT THE UNIT HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS CUZ THEY STILL RUN NY AND STILL RELEVANT IN THE GAME TODAY....PEACE
@ Tay
What noise?? No one has heard a peep out them niggaz since Sept. (and we all know what happened there)
@ Conte
XXL is and has been having there issues for a couple of years now. In fact it appears that the mag is getting worse with "Yellow Nigga" gone. All of the GUNIT dicksucking killed that mag. That was Interscope's personal vehicle to drive GUNIT & Shady sells!
@ James
Dude you are straight up GAY....lol
fuck the source & benziho,those pussies over there watered down as fuck.U BITCHES NEED 2 STEP UR GAME UP!
i thought they was bankrupt
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