The Relaunch of Ego Trip Magazine
Over a decade ago Ego Trip was launched as a fresh, irreverent hip-hop voice amongst the self-important world of music magazines. It was run by a multiracial crew of writers including Sacha Jenkins, Chairman Mao, and Elliott Wilson, who is currently the assistant director of marketing for Interscope Records (which includes being editor-in-chief of XXL Magazine).
Ego Trip’s irreverent humor and view of hip-hop within the wider realm of pop culture made the mag a must read amongst the hip music fan. After a few years Elliott and his crew shut down the magazine but stayed together to write books, such as "Ego Trip’s Book of Rap Lists", and the "Big Book of Racism." They’ve also produced some VH1 specials for rap fans who are too old for MTV but haven’t yet retired into jazz.
Now, with Ego Trip long out of the glossy game, the big question is, where can a hip-hop head get his alternative fix for everything rap-related? Enter: “hip-hop blogs.”
As Vibe explained in their latest issue,
“If hip-hop is truly the CNN of the streets, bloggers are the field reporters, surfing the reaches of the Web and bringing back a sea of truth, irreverence, gossip, and opinion”
Yessir.
Hip-hop bloggers are the only ones ranking the Top 15 Grills and listing which college football teams relate to which rappers.
Only on a blog will you understand the Ying Yang Twins’ Flavor Flav Syndrome, or get an unfiltered female’s perspective on their Whisper Song.
Blogs were explaining Houston’s chopped and screwed craze before MTV decided to visit, and there are half a dozen bloggers talking about the Bay Area just in case “hyphy” blows up outside of Cali.
Would the Tsunami Song still be playing on Hot 97 if a blog didn’t complain about it? Would Eva’s apple-less bottom still be doing ads for Nelly if a blog didn’t make fun of her? Maybe, maybe not.
Hip-hop blogs are not just the cutting edge of rap journalism, we're the only edge left. But it won't last for long. Soon, like the orginal Ego Trip crew, we'll be co-opted into the industry who will milk us for our youth and authenticity.
And why not? Condos and weddings cost big money nowadays! Somebody please hire me and my blog brethren so we can leave our computers behind, hook up with some industry chicks, and live hip-hoppily ever after.
(This week's Media Chin-Check is devoted to XXL, hip-hop's #1 magazine, by default.)
