Benzino is Right...
...no one cares about this controversy with The Source except "those kids on the internet." And another group- industry insiders, who (as Danyel Smith admits) are biased in their opinion.
What do my non-net, un-industry friends think of The Source? It's still their magazine of choice. They still say things like, "Did you read that interview with Petey Pablo?", and you can safely assume it's The Source they are talking about. They also say things like, "Common's new album is 5 mics", even though the classic rating was given out by another magazine.
What do my friends think of Benzino bringing his friends to the mag in token roles? That's called "looking out for your peoples" on my block.
And how about the alleged selling of mics? Well, they're skeptical of every magazine's music reviews.
Benzino's self-promotion? Well, that's as hip-hop as the cut and scratch! No problem there. If anything, my friends have clowned Benzino about his flailing career, but still trust the Source for their hip-hop news.
Why do I bring up all of this? Obviously I care about the problems at The Source. I mean, this is the Media Chin-Check blog. I'm just seeing a trend where there's a weird glee taken in reporting about The Source's problems. And then people big up XXL which has it's own ethical and journalistsic journalistic problems (more on that another time).
As I went around the web reading about Kim Osorio's impending lawsuit against The Source, I found myself trying to filter out news by the writer's relationship to the magazine. Let's see- he used to write for them, he currently does, and they have ads up for Benzino's album. Who can you trust?
Balance. Honesty. Truth. All will be hard to find on both sides as this story unfolds.
Posted by SOHH Hashim at April 12, 2005 4:46 PM
>And then people big up XXL which has it's own ethical and journalistsic problems
A free shake to the first person who can spot the problem with this sentence.
Posted by: Bol at April 12, 2005 7:20 PM
Posted by: MJ at April 12, 2005 9:39 PM
THE SOURCE SUCKS WHETHER PEOPLE BUY IT OR NOT, IT DOESN'T REPRESENT HIP-HOP ANY MORE (NOT TRUE HIP HOP ANYWAYS) AND IT CAN BE BOUGHT OR SOLD JUST LIKE ANY OTHER MAGAZINE. ANY BODY CAN BE BOUGHT. AND DON'T SPEAK FOR ME, I USE THE INTERNET BUT GUESS WHAT, A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USE THE INTERNET ACTUALLY HAVE A REAL LIFE. DOESN'T BENZINO HAVE A WEBSITE? DOESNT THE SOURCE? DOESNT EMINEM? DON'T YOU? AREN'T WE ON THE INTERNET RIGHT NOW? HOW DO YOU TELL WHO CARES ABOUT THE INTERNET OR THE SOURCE MAGAZINE, FROM THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T? DON'T A GOOD HALF THE POPULATION OF THE WORLD USE THE INTERNET? DON'T PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW MUSIC AND MAGS, ESPECIALLY URBAN MAGS, FOLLOW THE INTERNET? WHAT KIND OF CRAP IS BEING UTTERED BY BENZINO AND ECHOED BY YOU, HERE? AREN'T YOU THE SAME ONE WHO SAID NAS WON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO RETIRE? LMAO... THEN WHY DO YOU CARE... AND WHO U REFERRING TOO AS INTERNET KIDS... I AM INTERESTED IN THE BENZINO/SOURCE STAFF/EMINEM STORY... AND I'M NOT A KIDD!!!!!!!
GHEESH...
Posted by: Murda-Material at April 12, 2005 11:50 PM
I personally hate that the Source has fallen to its current state. Even though I canceled my subscription way back when they were hating on the South. If you weren't east or west coast you didn't get any love, up until Master P hit the scene! With that said I still got love for the Source and every other black driven business. Some time we are to quick to kick our own when they are down. Yes, I know the wounds are self inflicted!
Posted by: King Kong at April 13, 2005 11:24 AM
As a woman reading all this, I feel like Im apart of their struggle, because truth is we've all had our share of ghetto environments - because thruth is KO is family - and of course TO ME it hits home - I know how men are. We all know how men are - and we try to ignore - try to cope - but then again - WE ARE WOMEN - we will eventually speak out - whether it is to help them FACE the situation or because we are fed up! - Whatever either party gains out of this - I just want to publicly have my family's back - We aint tight but Blood is Thicker than.....glossy PAPER.
Kim O I got your back and my people got your back . Their all wrong about this - people do CARE - the people who love and know you CARE and the people who love the people who got your back CARE -
Keep ya head up mommy! ONE
RM, Harlem,NY
Posted by: raerae at April 14, 2005 12:30 AM
RaeRae
We all know how men are? What does that mean exactly? Sista you can't use a blanket statement or mindset for all men. Thats just as ignorant as whites blanketing all blacks as thieves and hoodlums. Please try to judge each individual on their deeds and character and not someone elses.
Posted by: King Kong at April 19, 2005 11:40 AM
Posted by: Oh at April 26, 2005 7:40 PM
How is the source black own maybe black driven likeeverything else in the corporate world/retail world
Posted by: Dre at May 2, 2005 1:05 PM
If Benzino wants to big up himself, do it then and be real. Oprah put her face on every cover of her magazine and let's you know it's her ####.
About the women being disrespected issue. Every man with a mother or sister knows how to treat a woman, he just has to be mature enough to do it all times. Regardless of profession or environment. No excuses.
Posted by: d-one at May 14, 2005 4:42 AM
I dont want to read this bullshit anymore http://www.getfirefox.com , http://www.yahoo.com
Posted by: Semen Prostyakov blog at August 5, 2005 6:01 AM
how can you do this? http://www.getfiref%6fx.com , http://www.yahoo.com
Posted by: keanu reaves blog at August 5, 2005 6:01 AM
I still read the source. They still produce great articles. And cover things that none of the major magazines do. And it's funny how people bash the source and big up XXL in the same sentence. Condeming one and not the other is just ridiculous. Both magazines have their share of dirt. But people brush off XXL's. I mean 9 or 10 covers to one label in a year? They say oh who cares. Benzino puts a add in his own magazine that he owns (Like homie said self promotion, everybody in hip hop does it) and people bitch about creditbilty. lol Most fans who bash The Source say it's because they have no creditibity. Well if they have none then XXL aint got none either. I could go on and on about all the bias, and unethical things XXL has done. Both mags are bias(just like about every single other mag, website or news outlet) it's just with all that taken into account The Source is STILL the better hip hop magazine.
Posted by: Kevdog at August 16, 2005 12:09 AM
