STASH Magazine Debut Cover

While at MAGIC last week, I came up on two new Hip-Hop magazines: STASH and Antenna. Both are impressive, for different reasons.

STASH

This magazine, which launched with the Jan/Feb 2007 issue  with Mistah F.A.B. on the cover, is published out of San Francisco by Nino Pelaez and Arlene Romana. The first issue of the 100-page, free glossy – which is 4-by-6 inches in size – contains Q/A with the Zion-I and The Grouch, Dan the Automator, J.T. the Bigga Figga and various other Bay rappers, DJs, radio personalities – and a model or two. STASH sticks to the Bay Area Hip-Hop scene like white on rice.

In focusing geographically, STASH manages to cover both underground and mainstream scenes pretty thoroughly (perhaps somewhat telling of its slant is a rather harsh review of The Game’s Doctor’s Advocate), which I’m sure will win STASH no points with Geffen/Interscope.

The good news for potential audiences is that STASH is free and can be looked up online at www.stashonline.com.

Antenna Preview Issue Cover

Antenna

Antenna is a new magazine from New York-based Harris Publications, the folks who bring to the market XXL, KING, XXL Presents: Scratch, and other successful titles. Its prototype issue was also available at MAGIC, and frankly, I would’ve missed it if it wasn’t for the fact that I get in the habit of stuffing my conference bag with complimentary magazines for the hell of it.

I’m excited about Antenna because of the masthead and the content. The magazine’s premise is clearly to write about the newest, freshest electronic gadgets, sneakers, clothes and the people behind them – first and at-depth.

Antenna is edited by Tony Gervino and its preview issue is written and photographed by top-tier Hip-Hop journalists. While Antenna’s not exactly original – Overamerica Group’s Vapors Magazine* is very similar, although it’s slanted more towards skateboarders who love Hip-Hop – its content represents a branching out for mainstream-driven Harris.

I’m not sure when Antenna will make its debut on newsstands, but hope it’s sooner than later.

*Disclosure: I am an active contributor to Vapors.

-Slav