Media Chin-Check

You guys at sohh.com are such retards. It is obvious from your comment that you dislike XXL and by extension Em and 50. That is fine, but please don't pretend to display any journalistic integrity.

Just an advice, please have someone who knows how to spell and construct a sentence write for you. You look so unprofessional. For example, can you see the grammatical errors in the excerpt below (it was taken from you introductory comment)?

"XXL couldn't break and artist, in any sense of the word. (Compare / contrast that with hip-hop bloggers and how they helped give M.I.A. shine and got some people at Hot 97 fired.)"

Guess you are more interested in them then anyone else, huh?

It's always about the money. Do you think the other magazines are in it for anything else? If they were than they would do it as a non-profit...

Hashim, I really can't figure out where your loyalty to The Source stems from, as well as your general indifference (or if not downright animosity) towards XXL.

In any case, I don't actually think XXL is the biggest seller - I'm pretty sure The Source, despite its loss of circulation numbers, might still edge out XXL.

As for weak branding, I think you're off-base here too. Check to see how many times XXL gets name-checked in rhymes. Not as much as the Source but the Source has also been around a lot longer.

I don't have any loyalty to The Source. They're just better than XXL.

ITS OBVIOUS U JUST HATING XXL CUZ OF THEIR COVERS WITH GUNIT/AFTHERMATH/SHADY ARTIST.

Hashim,

You are very disingenous and a patheti liar. People like you will end up making sohh.com another fallen news outlet like the source. You are better off keeping your mouth shut! And, I'm trying to be nice.

^^^^^Word

Hashim's getting some heat!

Hate to add to the fire but I"m disappointed for entirely different reasons. I wanted to see what you would do this week. You promised but you didn't deliver.

In any case, keep doing your thing, man. At least we know Elliott reads you!

I am also very dissapointed with SOHH.com! I have found them to be a nice alternative to allhiphop.com! However, just like The Source, this proves to me that this is not really a site that specializes in Hip-Hop journalism, but in hype.
The Source really was an icon in the hip-hop movement. That is until Benzino's album's marketing tactics and The Source's journalistic integrity became crossed. I think The Source is more about the G-Unit/Shady/Aftermath/Interscope. I have seen more covers, articles, etc. bashing these repective companies than actual journalism. You cannot say that you specialize in journalism if you are going to show incredible bias. I happen to like XXL. They produce a very polished product. Their magazine is filled with wonderful articles and sections!
I respect that you feel a certain way, but don't just throw out your opinion and not back it up! I mean what the hell do you even mean by the fact that you say it has no brand?
My last opinion (like if it matters) has nothing to do with XXL. But I don't understand something. People bash Interscope Records and G-Unit records by saying that these companies are killing Hip-Hop by exploiting the hood and making it seem as though it is all about drugs, sex, violence, etc. HELLO! What the hell else is the majority of the Hip-Hop community doing? People hate 50, G-Unit, Interscope, and everyone else associated with them because they are selling so many records! If either D-Block, The Diplomats, or any other group was selling the same EVERYONE would be hating on them. Just like all of New York was hating Death Row when they were doing their thing. If you notice 50 is only beefing with cats from the east coast. He is friendly with people from every other region of the country. I love how the Hip-Hop community likes to build people off, just to hate on everyone later.

That's my pointless rant. Thanks guys. Keep up your good work.

XXL is not great, but the Source now sucks as well. I had a subscription but cancelled it after I started getting my Dec issues in late Feb. So basically everything I was reading was about 4 months old.

And if XXL is pushing Eminem and 50 Cent then that is proof that they are garbage.

Eminem is so cute.

HASHIM! ill just say the 67 at the end of my name is 4 da year i was born i was there growing up in bedsty bk..in the parks helpn da brothers plug there dj systems in 2 light poles..puttn up illegal stop signs..no permits or nothing..rockn 2 the message n apache,james brown brakes chilln side by side in brooklyn with just-ice,shelton d from divine sounds,the mighty mic masters,bizmark in the mall! who r u ?where were u? f**k(like the average b.e.t personallity)graduating from a TYPICAL BLACK COLLEGE!!!! !!!!who u b? u bias moron?????

AND STOP SAYING [WE] DONT U MEAN ME..SOLO,SINGLE!! YOU GUYS WILL NEVER CATCH THE DUST OF ALLHIPHOP OR HPDX OR BSTATUS B CUZ U CATER 2 MINDS THAT R MORE HIPHOP DEPRIVED THAN YOURS! SO U SEEM SO HIPHOP KNOWLEDGABLE BUTT IN ALL ACTUALITY THERE R SO MANY LIKE ME THAT WOULD MAKE UR NOSE BLEED WITH THE HIPHOP HISTORY N KNOWLEDGE WE HOLD!!!OK THEN BYE!! AND BYE IS FOREVER!!!!1

The top selling rapazine = what the paying audience wants.

Maybe they don't have an emotional connection with us.

They definitely have a connection with the paying audience though.

Are you sure you can read? I mean who in their right mind would say The Source is better than XXL. The Source is garbage. XXL do a much greater job, indeed they embrace Interscope a little too much but still I find it a much more imformative and entertaining read. Saying The Source is better than XXL is like saying Sohh.com is better than Allhiphop.com... and we all know that is clearly not the case. Case closed.

I don't think anyone has the right to comment on another company, just because everything is supported by advertising, which makes opinions tainted no matter who the advertiser is. This is the first time I've logged in for a while and I was upset to see Sohh start advertising LG phones. I thought this was supposed to be the zen garden of hiphop new and reviews. If you look at the LG commercial its clear misuse of hip hop to promote, what a phone? So clearly every publication does this. Let's not hate on anyone just because they all do it.

P.S.: The source basically imploded on itself once Benzino killed the whole aftermath relationship and started to become the fox news of hip hop coverage. Benzino what the hell were you thinking.?

I wish I could be important like rappers. No one cares about me.......

XXL is better then the Sauce Already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

XXL Is better than the Sauce Already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don not particularly care for the Source any more either. But when you look at it XXL does the same thing. People have a connection to the Source because they were there for a lot of moments in hip-hop. At least they ride for Benz because he is part owner. Elliot sucks Interscope's dick so hard I wonder if they are part owners. If I pay your rent are you realllly going to be impartial toward me? Think about it. How XXL have more journalistic integrity than the Source when all they do is attack each other? When was the last time you read a political or social article that relates to the hip-hop community in XXL? Niggas need to stop being fags and choosing sides whenever SOME ONE ELSE is beefing. We need to hold our media outlets more accountable.

XXL is the BEST-WRITTEN hiphop magzine out! It shows you can be hiphop and literate. So it has interviews with Eminem, 50 Cent and G Unit?
So suckers? D`ya really think that The Source wouldn`t feature 50 and G Unit if they hadn`t decided to starting feuding with them because of their ties with Ja Rule, Irv Gotti, and because of Benzino`s desire to put his ugly ass, dwarf brained self out there all the time.
He aint content with extorting half of a magazine who did nothing to earn - he`s gonna make himself a Big Man! This halfgrown ugly ass dwarf`s got mental problems!
He`s bitter about whiteboy Eminem`s success - as a brother I`m not going to hold teenager racism against a grown Eminem. Most of us become different people when we`re about 30 or less - only Benzino stays stuck in the juvenile mentality.
Check out the XXL prison issue - a shitload of facts that made The Source one look lame. Check out the Biggie case article in the XXL that had Suge on the cover. Intelligent, literate, no fear or favor journalism.
XXL is the King of hiphop mags! Check out the proof instead of dissing.