Source 2.0: Dave Mays, Benzino, Mimi Valdes, Wendy Williams, Star & Buc Wild To Bring You Hip Hop Weekly!!!

Previously Rumored Cover Of Hip Hop Weekly Via Allhiphop.com

Former Source overseers Dave Mays and Benzino will be reunited in hell in a new publishing endeavor with former Vibe Editor-in-chief Mimi Valdes entitled Hip Hop Weekly [or Hip-Hop] that's due on newsstands October 16th.

It's a celebrity thing:
Valdes, exec VP and editor in chief at Hip Hop Weekly, said the magazine will try to get in on the celebrity-weekly action, particularly through columns by radio vets Wendy Williams and Star & Buc Wild, but won't leave it at that...

"The rest of the magazine is really about trying to offer some insight, reflection and criticism on hip-hop as it influences everything," she said. "It's not like we only look at hip-hop. We watch TV like everyone else, we go to the movies, but when you hear our discussions of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' they're probably a lot different than other conversations you hear."

Man, I bet those discussions of Pirates of the Caribbean will be fascinating!

Hip Hop Weekly will be priced initially at $2.99 then at $3.99.  It is said to be a property of Hip Hop Global Media.

Currently hiphopweekly.com, a domain apparently owned by the folks at HIPHOPDIRECTORY.COM, has the following message:

9/15/2006 Update: We are now in the final stages of transferring this domain name and it's entity to Mr. Mays, the founder of The Source Magazine...

In closing, we are comfortable with the vision that David Mays has for this entity and we strongly feel that with what overall has been accomplished by David in creating The Source Magazine we feel that any and all worthy men should be given a chance to reinvent themselves.

I like that, a "chance to reinvent themselves."

Looks like the rumors were true.  I think this is a great idea, for them as business people, if not for hip hop per se.  My only question is on hearing the $2.99 to $3.99 cover price, otherwise I would expect this to be a huge hit, especially if someone responsible keeps an eye on the checkbooks.

Initial news via Miraflor.

Update:
At some point rumor had it that the Hip Hop Weekly name was trademarked by the owners of the hiphopweekly.com domain.  I'm not sure about the details but according to the trademark registration for Hip Hop Weekly, it was filed on April 26, 2006 by Hip Hop Global Media of New Jersey.

Update 2:
Here's the press release.

Related ProHipHop Coverage:
Slav Kandyba Interviews Mimi, Dave & Benzino From Hip Hop Weekly