Source Evicted from Manhattan Offices?
The Source is supposedly getting evicted from their Manhattan offices.
I guess this is one of those "stay tuned" moments.
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The Source is supposedly getting evicted from their Manhattan offices.
I guess this is one of those "stay tuned" moments.
Target Market News compares the March '08 and March '07 ad revenues for the leading black magazines and shows The Source on the comeback trail up 87.8%, XXL up 35.8% and Vibe up 19% on much higher revenues than XXL or The Source.
Via Hashim Warren.
I'm not sure when this announcement at The Source was first made but I was checking out the Zinio digital version from October and saw this news:
Attention!!
Independent Labels and Artists
The Source Magazine...will now dedicate an additional 20 pages of each issue to independent music and artists. We invite you to call today to register your label and/or artist to become a part of our Independent Hip-Hop Network. Members will receive in-book or on-line profiles, special advertising discounts, giveaways, invites to high profile events, and more...
For More Information Please Contact:
Che' Johnson: 212.253.3712 - cjohnson@thesource.com
Shalinda Flemmings: 212.253.3738 - shalindaf@thesource.com
I can't believe I had to actually type that. But that's the sacrifice I'm willing to make for you, dear reader.
The important thing is that this is exactly the kind of move they need to make to revitalize and focus The Source as a magazine.
The Unsigned Hype feature is the thing I've always heard the most about from other people in terms of positive response to content and it has always struck me as one of The Source's true differentiators. It capitalizes on the positive history of The Source in an honest way.
I'm not sure how the Unsigned Hype Showcases are doing but the YouTube channel seems to be in stasis, the blog is covering the same news as everybody else and the Unsigned Hype forum is not about the features or showcases.
On a related note, The Source's blog and forum both open in new windows from the home page which is not a good look but the move to simpler online tools is a solid move forward. Honestly this is an improvement over the previous version of the site and that's a good thing for The Source.
Yesterday the Associated Press reported that The Source has filed for bankruptcy:
Source Magazine LLC and affiliate Source Entertainment Inc. have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after dishonest business practices by former management caused the hip-hop media outlet's advertisers to flee, according to court papers.
Apparently on December 31st, the "company listed consolidated assets of about $1.3 million and liabilities of $35 million". Furthermore:
LP Harrison III, an attorney for Source, said the company plans to "exit bankruptcy as a reorganized entity."
So that's all to the good rather than a statement of defeat, i.e., this should clear up some crippling debt and would then also give the investors some incentive to adequately fund the magazine's operations.
I haven't been closely following the gender discrimination lawsuit brought by Kim Osorio against The Source, Dave Mays and Benzino, but justice was served last night to the tune of $15.5 million. It should go without saying that the verdict will be appealed.
Jose Martinez gathers some details for the New York Daily News while Leonard Greene does the honors for the New York Post.
SOHH had a courtroom observer with daily reports but they don't seem to have a landing page for the series and reports aren't interlinked however, if you want a look back, go wander around over there or check out yesterday morning's report and you'll see some of the others linked in the right hand Related Articles column.
Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond recently interviewed folks with Source connections which leads into a larger discussion of hip hop journalism for the Village Voice.
BIG CED of The Industry Cosign announced in an email that he is joining TheSource.com as the website's "Online Coordinator". However, he assures his readers that The Industry Cosign will not only continue but that he's working on growing that as well.
Best of luck at the new Source!
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
Well, assuming this article at AllHipHop is basically correct, it's open season on Dave Mays now that he doesn't co-own The Source. I'd seen speculation online about what would occur and there seemed to be some question about Benzino backing Mays. The reality is, that punk's run dry for Benzino, you won't see them together again unless it involves legal action or fresh sources of revenue.
This whole story is an excellent example of how prison culture and street culture are not separate but continous spheres of influence, at least in hip hop. Once punked, always a punk. Until now, Mays had The Source but everyone knew he was Benzino's punk. Now Mays is useless and Benzino is a nobody.
Update: My bad, I somehow missed the Benzino paragraph with an audio link in the AllHipHop article! So what is the AllHipHop/Benzino connection? Is it that they're simply perceived as the place to break news (that's certainly their current position] or is there a deeper connection?
Since I seem to be in speculative mode, I'll guess that AllHipHop is ready for Benzino to disappear as well but they'll keep using their ability to get him on the phone as long as they find him useful.
From AllHipHop.com comes news of a triple whammy:
Judge Rules In Favor Of Black Enterprise, The Source Gets New Owners
Judge To Take Control Of Suge Knights' Assets
Feds Officially Seek Death Penalty Against Kenneth "Supreme" McGriff
That's a lot of heavy news. Are we in some kind of weird astrological phase or something? Hit me up if you're on to that kind of thing.
Here's more from Billboard on the Suge Knight/Death Row situation.
The epic saga of The Source continues as a judge upheld a temporary injunction on Friday that basically keeps Dave Mays and Benzino in play, for now. Stay tuned!
I haven't found any other details on this latest development at The Source but I'm still surprised I didn't post it earlier, given that Source Drama is one of my favorite channels.
Apparently Dave Mays and Benzino have managed to temporarily restrain attempts to auction off their shares in the company. It's unclear to me whether there's been any verification of the claim that they own 82% of the stock and it doesn't sound like AllHipHop actually had a reporter in the courtroom but, whatever the paper trail would reveal, once you're locked out, it's hard to get back in.
Actually, though this is almost off topic, I remember a bar in Greensboro whose owner was basically being evicted to make way for a new tenant, the locks were changed and he was locked out. He got the landlord to let him back in to remove some things and, as soon as he got in, he said he wasn't leaving and got his lawyer on the phone. Whatever occurred after that, he kept his bar.
I guess that's a reminder that the story isn't over, though my current belief is that what's happening now is an attempt by Mays and Benzino to get out with some kind of hefty settlement in order to make them go away. Considering everything that's been reported to date, there's very little [other than cocaine] that could make them think they could turn The Source around at this point, since they're directly responsible for its problems and seem to have exhausted all possible routes to recovery.
Hey, maybe they should give Suge Knight a call!
Eskay has a screenshot of The Source's website that displays a 100% Benzino Free graphic on there but, unfortunately, their site is down at the moment so I can't verify that or check out the FAQ from CEO Jeremy Miller that he mentions. But, bottom line, it confirms the general perception of Dave Mays as the pawn/mouthpiece and Benzino as the real problem.
For more commentary on Benzino, check out the responses to an earlier post at Nah Right. Cats are just sick of having to hear about that guy.
Eskay also points to a SOHH article on the IMAGE/Source deal that's a pretty good rewrite of the press release. Of course, that's a normal news thing, in case you didn't know, although I really wish that was clearer because I'm getting extremely tired of people excitedly telling me about something that AllHipHop.com or SOHH.com "reported" or even "uncovered" when they could find the actual source without reporter's embellishments at Hip Hop Press.
As Dave Mays promised, lots of legal action is ahead as he tries not to lose The Source. Actually, AllHipHop.com's Nolan Strong is reporting that:
The Source Magazine has announced the filing of a multimillion dollar lawsuit against the Black Enterprise Greenwich Street private equity fund, claiming members plotted to steal the magazine and illegally fired Source founder Dave Mays as CEO.
That statement confuses me and I wish I had more info than this article. Like, when he says that The Source Magazine has filed suit, I assume that's a legal tactic where Mays and lawyers are saying that he stills represents The Source? And I really would like to know more about Mays and Benzino's claim that they are still 82% shareholders. In any case, Mays is out and he wants back in.
However, with both Mays and Benzino out of the picture, folks are ready to do business again. In a press release issued yesterday, Image Entertainment, Inc. announced that it had resolved legal difficulties with Source Entertainment, Inc. and that "Image now possesses the exclusive rights to all Source video and audio projects" beginning with the next release in the Hip Hop Hits series.
That sounds like a big thing but I think the press release love fest indicates a lot about the prior tenants:
"We were extremely excited to meet The Source's new management team," said George Steele, vice president of Image Music Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Image Entertainment, Inc. "They have been very professional and really understand the business and the need to forge ahead together."
And the love is returned:
I know I speak for everyone at The Source when I say we are thrilled to resume our strong relationship with Image Entertainment," said Jeremy Miller, President and CEO of The Source. "We have a history of success together, and our content and brand combined with their deep distribution channels and unsurpassed knowledge of retail is truly a winning combination."
Whether someone in public relations wrote those quotes or whether they're real, I think it's the first step of what could be a truly bright future for The Source, though they need to update their self description as the "#1 selling music magazine on newsstands in America" which may have once been true but certainly isn't now.
The Source magazine's Board of Directors have officially announced that Dave Mays and Benzino are out and Jeremy Miller is the new CEO and President. Miller returns having worked for The Source for 15 years including serving as Chief Operating Officer.
This action was made possible by the lifting of a temporary restraining order requested by Mays and Benzino after it became clear that the board was going to oust them. The Source's Board of Directors stated last week:
The Board decided this was the only feasible course of action as Mays and Scott could not continue their series of financial recklessness and negligence that, in the end, hurts not only the employees of The Source, but all of its investors, vendors, subscribers and readers.
According to Sohh.com, yesterday Jeremy Miller, the new boss:
accompanied by two bodyguards, entered the offices today and called a meeting of the entire staff. At the meeting, he told staffers that there will be some immediate changes.
"As far as I am concerned, all of the previous beefs are dead," said Miller, referring to Benzino's long-standing rivalries with Eminem, 50 Cent and Interscope Records, among others. "They no longer apply."
Miller then instructed staffers to spread the word to clients and publicists alike. He also told them that there would be some restructuring with the goal of cutting costs.
Actually, my guess is that getting rid of Mays and Benzino immediately cuts some costs, given stories of their free use of Source funds, and also probably clears up most of the beef issue, since the Eminem thing seemed to be a combination of personal issues and some sort of twisted front intended to represent the elusive realness of hip hop. On the other hand, actually paying writers and writing checks that don't bounce will probably offset previous alleged misuse of funds.
Hey, does this mean no more blogger/journo beatdowns for The Source? I have to admit, incompetence and crime are so much more interesting than corporate journalism.
Related news: Former Source Editor Hired As Smooth Men's Mag Chief
According to the Boston Herald, Benzino has been charged with tax evasion for failing to file tax returns for 1999 and 2001, though he is said to have made over $1.5 million during that time. That's a lot of money for someone who doesn't seem to really contribute anything positive to The Source and certainly isn't earning much in the way of residuals on albums that no one seems to buy.
These allegations may be just the beginning or they may be all the government can come up with:
“There was an extensive investigation into this matter,” said FBI spokeswoman Gail Marcinkiewicz. “We took a sweeping look at this individual. We were aware of the allegations of murder and everything else. This is what we came up with.”
Benzino, aka Raymond Scott, is also facing other tax related charges:
According to public records, Scott sold a house in New Jersey last year for $2 million. He pleaded innocent Oct. 28 to willful failure to file tax returns before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Marianne B. Bowler in Boston and was freed on $10,000 unsecured bond.
Last weel. Aina Hunter of The Village Voice considered The Source's difficulties including this account of friction between G-Unit and Benzino:
When 50 Cent himself showed up in the Hot 97 studio of Funkmaster Flex on a recent Thursday-evening shift, the pair spent precious airtime stoking the feud. "I gotta ask you about this wack rapper Benzino," Funkmaster Flex said, referring to The Source co-owner Raymond Scott by his performing name. Hearing it, 50 Cent began to murmur menacingly.
A few days later, on allhiphop.com, Scott upped the ante, asserting that Flex "talks a lot of trash [on the air] and when he leaves, he has a group of security guards, but one day he is going to slip, and when we do collide you are going to hear about it."
Be that as it may, the article goes on to consider the wide range of legal issues facing The Source, many of which have been discussed here at ProHipHop.
I'm not sure why this is being reported at Women's Wear Daily, but rumor has it that Jay-Z, Lyor Cohen and Steve Stoute are looking at possible avenues for acquiring The Source. Apparently Harris Publications, which publishes XXL, is also checking things out.
If you've read ProHipHop for long you know I love writing about The Source. In fact, it's the one publication that has its own category at ProHipHop, not because I respect them or think they're especially important but because they do the craziest things and, as a friend of mine pointed out, they're driving that car till the wheels fall off.
Here are the highlights in case you've missed the recent craziness:
As the New York Post recently reported, a lawsuit filed by Textron Financial Corporation, a principal lender for The Source, states that the magazine "has failed to file state and federal income tax for two years and has skipped mailing issues of its magazine as its financial crisis has mounted . . . top executives have written nearly $3 million in bad checks over the past nine months."
Textron, who loaned The Source $18 million, is expected to return to "New York State Supreme Court Wednesday in a bid to force the company into receivership — a first step toward a takeover and eventual disposal or sale of assets."
Other goodies from the article:
The Source has "lost more than $11 million over the past four years . . . the landlord of 28 W. 23rd St. has started eviction proceedings and has given the magazine until Monday to clear the premises because of unpaid rent totaling $156,000 . . . The Source's freewheeling, self-styled moguls appear to routinely write checks to themselves for parties, jewelry, exotic trips and other things — with little or no record-keeping . . . in the first half of 2005, auditors unearthed nearly $1 million in unauthorized expenditures. The figure comprised $422,000 in payments to company insiders, $357,000 to travel agents, and $80,000 for 'promotional jewelry'."
Revenue and circulation are plummeting and, technically speaking, the situation is totally FUBAR.
The whole article is well worth reading and registration is free, so check it out.
For their part, The Source has sued BET for allegedly not airing The Source Awards as agreed. They're also pursuing some kind of legal action against Hot 97 and Funkmaster Flex due to on-air comments he made regarding their claims that he's taken payola. Furthermore, they claim to be pursuing a class action suit along with indie labels against alleged monopolistic practices of major labels.
As Dave Mays stated, "We are about to enter into a period of serious legal activity."
No doubt. Which reminds me that I haven't heard anything lately about murder charges against Source execs or the gender discrimination lawsuit brought by a former editor and a former v.p. but I have heard that their latest editor-in-chief Dasun Allah got busted for vandalizing a Jehovah's Witness assembly hall.
I should probably link to something about The Source's recent G-Unot cover but I'm running out of time here. Suffice it to say that the cover looks like some kid cut stuff out of other magazines and taped it together. I guess it's tough to get competent help when people finally realize that you aren't going to pay them.
Yes, The Source really is the gift that keeps on giving till there's nothing left to give.
Update: It's currently rumored that a group composed of Jay-Z, Lyor Cohen & Steve Stoute and, separately, XXL publisher Harris Publications may be looking at buying The Source.
Earlier in the month Source editor Joshua Ratcliffe resigned, supposedly due to a reduced mic rating for Little Brother's upcoming album The Minstrel Show by the illustrious tag team of Dave "I'm in charge here, really" Mays and Ray "I'm a rap star, really" Benzino. Of course, that sounds kind of flimsy, given what people are generally willing to put up with in the workplace to make ends meet.
Hashim Warren thinks it was because of part 2 of an article getting killed. I'm not really moved by that explanation either, given what we know about The Source. Really, unless JR had no prior experience in the publishing industry, then he's been screwed over at least this much plenty of times already. I believe that it's more likely a last straw in a whole range of unspoken concerns that allows Ratcliffe to get out while the getting's good.
Turns out he's been with The Source since Dec. 2000 and became Editor-in-Chief in March. I guess discovering that being near the top isn't all one might wish for was kind of a disappointment, especially after the high likelihood that he's been screwed over many, many times as he worked his way to the top.
Yesterday, attorney Mel Sachs is described as claiming that the two Source execs charged with murder were actually "unarmed and running for their lives." When arrested, Leroy "Bum" Peeples and Alvin Childs were unarmed. NYPD police have revealed that two guns were found in a car near the scene of the shooting. Attorney Sachs expects the two to be released upon raising $25k bail.
The NY Daily News reported that bail was set at $200k and the men pleaded not guilty yesterday. So I guess they need to raise the actual 10% or so that they'd pay a bondsman. Hmm, wonder if The Source has the funds?
Previous post: Source Execs Charged in Shooting
Two Source employees, president LeRoy Peeples and marketing director Alvin Childs, "were arraigned [yesterday] on three counts each of attempted murder" following a shooting early Saturday morning at a Manhattan club called Limerick House that's across the street from The Source's offices.
According to police, a "fight broke out and then bullets began flying after a club employee refused to play rap instead of merengue music." Three men were shot and one was hit in the head and is expected to die.
Once again, AllHipHop.com distinguishes itself by being a platform for The Source in this interview with Dave Mays. I'm torn between wondering why their coverage never seems to otherwise dig into issues at The Source and the fact that this and the Benzino interview gave Dave/Benzino all the rope they needed to hang themselves. I guess I should be thanking AllHipHop.com for providing this much needed service.
Dave's remarks are almost too silly to criticize. Apparently lots of people agree from the comments following the extended version. Also, Jeff Chang effectively critiques the interview mostly by simply pointing to the more absurd or questionable portions and revealing that Al Sharpton is distancing himself from Dave/Benzino and reminding us that investors at Black Enterprise have yet to speak out.
You know, if Black Enterprise hasn't made a statement by this point, it's a bad sign for their relationship with The Source. Eventually they'll have to either support The Source publically or sue, especially once stuff hits court and mainstream media gives it more attention. I have difficulty believing that the target market for Black Enterprise will be very happy to see the magazine or Earl G. Graves Ltd. aligning themselves with this nonsense. A lawsuit may be the only way for them to recover their losses.
It's also pretty obvious that you don't have repeated staff walkouts at a successful high-profile magazine unless there are serious problems. And I've never heard of a publication with as many mass resignations as at The Source.
I wasn't going to say too much but now that I'm rolling, I have to say that I am so completely sick of people like Dave/Benzino comparing their situation to COINTELPRO, an FBI program which was a huge force in destroying both activist organizations and activists' lives in the 50s and 60s through largely illegal means. For that matter, all those rappers who live to party and don't have any real meaning in terms of social change should also be ashamed of themselves when comparing the hip hop cops to COINTELPRO. I'm not saying you don't have legitimate complaints, but very few of your lives are nearly as worthwhile as those of the activists whose names are rarely heard and who gave their lives so that you could buy South African diamonds mined by slave labor. Get real or shut the f*ck up.
In case you haven't been following this as obsessively as I have, you can check out the Reginald Dennis interview that Dave discusses and the Source Mag category for further juicy material.
Dave Mays interview at AllHipHop.com:
Part 1 ~ Part 2 ~ Extended Version
Hashim Warren considers the rocbox Blog, written by a purchaser who's discovered that there's little customer support for the Rocbox and is in the process of hacking the firmware. The author also links to the official website which looks kind of cool but I'm not the one hoping to get information on my discounted Rocbox.
The Hip Hop Blogger also comments and suggests that the "Rocbox really could benefit from a fresh marketing plan." It sounds like a job for Jameel Spencer who recently joined Roc Brands. Maybe they're waiting for the Rocbox 2.
Mixtapes Etc.'s Ahsmi rounds up the news on DJ Green Lantern's departure from Eminem's camp due to fallout from 50 Cent's many feuds.
The Source was recently added to the Whispers and Warnings file at WritersWeekly.com.
I've started a separate category for The Source called Source Mag, mainly so I don't have to pull all those different links together and because I can see that we're going to have more and more Source related material to consider in the near future.
Hip hop activists are currently piling in with a petition entitled Stop Sexual Discrimination at The Source.
The biggest news in Source history documentation at the moment is Jay Smooth's posting of former Source Editor in Chief James Bernard's fax from 1994 sent to a list of 5000 power players in hip hop to announce his resignation over such issues as Benzino stating, "If I don't get at least a four [for my wack ass album - ed.], I'm putting n*ggas in bodybags" and Dave Mays grossly misusing his editorial position.
Jay Smooth also has an interview at SOHH with Kenneth Thompson, the lawyer representing Kim Osorio and Michelle Joyce who are filing suit against The Source for sexual harassment and gender discrimination. Apparently other women are also coming forward and this should be a major legal action.
SOHH has run a variety of articles about The Source in the past to which Mr. Irreverent links. They also recently ran an interview with former Source COO Jeremy Miller who is in the midst of launching Down Magazine, a hip hop publication that's "Dedicated to Southern Hip-Hop Music and Culture." I think that's going to be a winner if executed properly, especially since the Latino hip hop option is already looking like it's going to be saturated pretty quickly.
The well-known fact that Benzino wasn't a cofounder of The Source is confirmed by Dan Charnas, another early participant, who also joins other folks commenting on dubious initial responses to Reginald Dennis' revelations at HipHopDX.com.
Even though I have way too many Categories, I am probably going to have to add one for The Source because it's just such a rich example of everything that's wrong with hip hop, from gender issues to violence to the fact that doing bad things builds your street cred.
Jay Smooth posts an email from Dave Mays to Source advertisers regarding their lack of circulation documentation. The bottom line is, their circulation is what gets them their advertising. You can have all the street cred in the world but, in the long run, to monetize it you've got to document it.
Jay also links to an earlier post that reminds us that Benzino is not a cofounder of The Source.
I'm seeing a variety of responses to news about The Source online. What I'm not seeing is former writers defending The Source. I've been in a lot of workplaces in my time with people of a wide range of educational levels and backgrounds and I've noticed that even extremely f*cked up management always has supporters and apologists. For that matter, there is no evil figure in history that didn't have insiders supporting and believing them both during and after the fact. So where are the former Source writers who say, "yeah, I was treated unfairly, but all this other stuff sounds nuts to me"?
The NY Post has a great piece on The Source's problems including the possibility that they have defaulted on a loan for $20 million and that Black Enterprise's investment of $17 million has not shown a return. The Publisher's Information Bureau states that The Source's ad revenues continue to slip and a spokesperson for the Audit Bureau of Circulation said that they had suspended their service to The Source. Meanwhile, Benzino stated in a phone interview from Miami that he was "looking out over the bay and eating stone crabs" while repeatedly telling the NY Post's reporter that the Post is "irrelevant."
Yesterday in Baltimore, the Hip Hop Summit Action Network held another in a series of summits focused on financial empowerment. Russell Simmons, Rev. Run and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele also appeared at Bowie High in a school assembly with the theme Make Your Future Phat.
The Finish Line hired Chosen Dance Company to perform at their national manager's meeting in Indianapolis wearing their Back-to-School line.
Former Source music editor Reginald Dennis tells all sorts of tales in a 3 part interview at HipHopDX.com:
Part 1 - The Greatest Story Never Told
Part 2 - Benzino's Hostile Takeover
Part 3 - Mays, Benzino, and a Gun
It's a very sad story and a really important aspect is near the end of Part 3 where Dennis discusses a variety of investigative pieces about The Source from within the music press that were axed for unknown reasons.
I also have to agree with his closing take on the state of hip hop:
"The current hip-hop generation has so much more to work with than I did and if they can’t seem to find the handle, then it’s really on them, isn’t it? Everyone has a 24-hour rap station available. There is saturation coverage on television. You can walk by a newsstand and see a dozen glossy magazines speaking to whatever hip-hop experience you may be a part of. The fact that hip-hop is a legitimate lifestyle is an undisputed fact; everyone wants a piece of it and everyone wants to go along for the ride. But if you don’t like the way things are unfolding, then all you have to do to correct things is get back to the essence. Hip-Hop is all about bending the world to your will. So change this stuff into something that you want it to be."
The Source "delivers another timely and exclusive cover story with its May issue when it asks the question, Is Hip-Hop The New WWF?", but it may not rack up big sales with crossover wrestling fans. Unfortunately for The Source, the WWF or World Wrestling Federation became WWE for World Wrestling Entertainment back in 2002. Various wrestling sites (with way too many popunder ads) are already making fun of The Source.
I guess this is blog day at ProHipHop. I just checked out Jeff Chang's zentronix and he's tracking some great stuff on The Source controversy. Yesterday I read his chapter in Can't Stop Won't Stop that discusses The Source and I suddenly realized that he is an incredibly good business writer and is able to capitalize on his political and historical understanding, his personal connections and his writing skills in a way that I believe could actually be more politically effective than his straight-up political writing.
His discussion at zentronix on why The Source will not disappear is spot on and great business writing. He also gets into an interesting back and forth with "anonymous" about whether or not The Source is actually that great a business property. Although "anonymous" makes legitimate points about The Source's problems, it is an excellent media property at the center of multiple enterprises. They're initiating a lot of new ideas at a time when hip hop's currency is only increasing. And the reality is that even if the owners don't want to sell, if The Source really falls apart, they will go for the money. Whether that means selling and starting something else, taking on new investors or going into bankruptcy and restructuring, The Source is a powerful brand and there's lot of money still to be made.
He's also including some excellent posts on The Source like this piece on hip hop business and sexual favors by Davey D. The discussion that follows has some interesting participants, including MJ and Hashim Warren, although all this talk of Journalism 101 seems a bit naive. The bottom line is that the issues at The Source are not about sexual activity, they are about the creation of a hostile environment in which sexual harrasment was said to be the norm and workplace advancement was based on gender.
I wish Jeff would do a book on The Source or something similar rather than on electoral politics or whatever he takes up next. But, regardless of the topic, I'm sure it will be well worth reading.
My various worlds seem to be colliding at the moment. When I started ProHipHop I wanted to keep it really separate from my personal/political hip hop blog, Hip Hop Logic, partly because I had this vision of becoming a hip hop translator for those white male baby boomers in corporate board rooms since I'm a white male from the tail end of the baby boom. I know hip hop, to some degree, and I understand their concerns, sort of. So it seemed like an interesting possibility. I still think that route has potential but hiding my anarchist self isn't necessarily the way to go.
Mostly I've just been trying to focus on what needs to be said here, which is different from what needs to be said there. The cool thing is that trying to become more accessible and understandable here at ProHipHop has turned me into a more serious, somewhat less ranty writer over at Hip Hop Logic. Plus, now that I don't really need to cover news over there, I can focus more on politics. I also hope to do more reviewing cause I have a huge box of stuff to review but that's not happening so far. What can I say? I'm time crunched and it's not going to let up for at least a few more years and then there will be something else to consume my life. What exactly that will be remains to be seen, but my list is long.
I've been writing about the Hip Hop and Feminism Conference at Hip Hop Logic and The Source gender discrimination/sexual harassment charges over here and now it's all getting mixed together. Today, I ran into a pretty dreadful piece on the Source situation by Mr. Irreverent. I'm trying not to do too much name calling and was just going to point out that sexual harrassment isn't generally about whether or not people find someone sexually attractive, it's about creating a hostile environment, even though Mr. Irreverent was taking the low road and showing his ass to the world (oops). Anyway, MJ from How'd We Get From the Pyramids to the Projects? beat me to the punch by explaining realities of which Mr. Irreverent seems unaware so I just chimed in. The thing is, I'm also writing about her first impressions of the Hip Hop and Feminism Conference at Hip Hop Logic and somehow I'm not exactly clear on what should go there and what should go here.
The problem with Mr. Irreverent's take on The Source situation is that he might just be trying to get a cheap laugh but a lot of people really think that way. I'll be getting back to this topic soon, especially as it relates to Jeff Chang's take on The Source in his book Can't Stop Won't Stop. For the moment, let me just say that violence and sexual harassment in the workplace is bad for business in the long run. Media Chin-Check's Hashim Warren may unfortunately be right that the charges against The Source won't matter to a lot of people. But serious legal action is ahead and that's what always puts big corporations in check much more quickly than boycotts or consumer discontent. It also sets the stage for other forms of investigation, as Hot 97 discovered when they suddenly found my man Eliot Spitzer and the New York State Athletic Commission investigating them for their Smackfest slapouts. From the sound of things, The Source has a rich history of disturbing material to uncover and I look forward to watching the show.
Clover Hope of AllHipHop.com has an interview with Benzino about the current controversy, see Part 1 and Part 2. I was happy to find Hope pushing Benzino more than one normally sees in the hip hop press. And it reveals that Benzino will try to misdirect and manipulate interviewers in any way he can. One thing I have no way of knowing is if he's trying to play the not so bright thug for street cred or if that's what he really is cause his explanations are kind of weak. I'm really looking forward to Benzino's days in court. I truly believe that he and Dave Mays will be feeling a lot of pain.
Adisa Banjoko is writing about his recent experience working on a piece about Jimmy Iovine for The Source, see Part 1 and Part 2. Based on responses to his interview requests, he found that people just didn't want to talk to someone associated with The Source and that The Source wasn't interested in anything positive about Iovine. Check it out. It's unfiltered communication.
Keith at ThugLifeArmy also has a strong response to Benzino's antics.
You know, I appreciate the recent pieces that I've been linking to at MTV, SOHH and AllHipHop. I just hope they all start digging a little deeper. Actually, I wish hip hop had serious, in-depth, investigative reporting happening somewhere, anywhere. I'm not the man for the job and don't plan to become that guy. But there should be a team at work on such tasks as interviewing the former Source writers that must know so much, investigating the financial involvement of Black Enterprise and figuring out who Benzino's crew is and what they actually do at The Source as well as what they were doing before Benzino brought them on. I don't have the connections, the resources or the temperament for investigative reporting but I'll keep pointing out what I can and looking for patterns in what's publically available.
I imagine that whatever happens in court will tell us the most about The Source, just as it is about Michael Jackson. On that note, keep in mind that Michael's incredible contributions to entertainment are totally separate from his sexual activities. Don't use one to deny the other and that goes for The Source, as well.
Thanks to Jay Smooth for posting the link to Adisa and it looks like Jeff Chang is also continuing to track the situation. Hmm, Davey D must be on vacation or something.
Update: I've just been informed that Davey D writes for The Source so he can't really take a public stand. But someday he will tell all, no doubt, and I can't wait!
Regarding my previous post on Kim Osorio and Michelle Joyce's lawsuit against Source founders Dave Mays and Benzino, I now realize that it wasn't a lawsuit per se but a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that could result in the government taking legal action and that will also be followed by a civil suit, at least as I understand it without really knowing all that much. That should have been clear before but I was reading too fast and legal actions are not something I tend to keep up with. In any case, the documents make Dave Mays look like a punk and Benzino look like a total asshole.
Obviously I'm going to have to figure out more about how the EEOC complaints work but I'll tell you one thing, it's pretty obvious that Kim Osorio and Michelle Joyce have some serious legal representation.
Here's the full press release from the lawyers representing Kimberly Osorio, former Editor-in-Chief of The Source, and Michelle Joyce, former Source Vice President of Marketing, on which most of the news reports seem to be based. MTV's Chris Harris has numerous details and additional background on the suit against Benzino and Dave Mays. Apparently The Source has released a statement that, true to form, makes personal allegations against Osorio and Joyce. Osorio and Joyce's lawyer Kenneth P. Thompson says there will be an additional lawsuit filed.
Besides Chris Harris' report, the best stuff seems to be coming from hip hop scholar, activist, blogger Jeff Chang who reports on the speech Kim Osorio gave at the recent Hip Hop and Feminism Conference, that I've been writing about at Hip Hop Logic, as well as a typically self serving statement from The Source in which Benzino unresigns.
Typically bloggers are thought of as outsiders but both Jeff Chang, who blogs at zentronix, and Jay Smooth, who blogs at hiphopmusic.com, are long time hip hop writers and insiders who will probably know a lot of stuff that they can't say publically. Keep checking their blogs for interesting statements like Jay Smooth's comments on The Source press release:
"Anyone who doesn't understand why this press release is dripping with hypocrisy/absurdity should read the chapter in Jeff's book [Can't Stop Won't Stop] about Benzino's role in the rise and (mostly) fall of The Source."
I really get the feeling that this situation will get extremely nasty because so many writers have been burned by The Source, including many left/lib types who are probably quite sick of The Source's claim to be an important progressive force within hip hop culture. It looks like The Source's chickens are finally coming home to roost.
Update: Please see Source Docs at SOHH and a Clarification.
First Kim Osorio and Ms. Info show the boys that they're NYC's Reigning Queens of Spades, then Ms. Osorio comes clean at the Hip Hop and Feminism Conference in Chicago and now word's out that she and Michelle Joyce are going after The Source for sexual harassment and gender discrimination.
Now that's hardcore hip hop action!
Thanks to Hashim Warren for alerting me to the legal action via [the late] Media Chin-Check.
The Source's Ray Benzino is resigning and also states that he will sell his stock in the company. If the scenario unfolds as stated, that's a big separation for Benzino that comes at a good time for The Source as it faces multiple challenges and attempts major change. Although not all problems at The Source can be traced to Benzino, as Chief Brand Executive, Benzino has done little to strengthen the brand while appearing to make the publication a base for self promotion of a rap career that doesn't seem to be happening. The extent of his responsibility for what seem to be personal grievances against The Source's former writers and hip hop artists like Eminem masquerading as socially conscious reportage will become clearer after he leaves.
Benzino plans to create "another magazine that has my voice which represents the little guy. It’s because of the manipulation of SoundScan and radio that Hip-hop is losing its edge,” he lamented. “I want to come out with a magazine that will reflect that. I want to start from the ground up and speak for the artists.”
Benzino also states, "I got issues with The Source and magazines like that. Everyone is too politically correct. They’re not thinking about the little guy who can’t afford to pay for high priced ads. It’s like a monopoly.”
It's interesting, if anything, Benzino would be the one termed "politically correct" except that, as usual, it's not really clear what people mean by that anymore. I could say more about Benzino's statements but there will be plenty of coverage on this topic to which I'll respond. So far, Benzino's take on the situation sounds somewhat incoherent. When the publication comes out, then we'll know what he's really capable of, but my hopes aren't very high.
A recent press release from The Source that I initially ignored because of its overly hyped lead includes a paragraph about the magazine's plans:
"The May issue is the first in a series of upcoming exclusive cover stories, leading into the launch of the all-new millennium version of The Source . . . The August 2005 issue will feature a re-design of the magazine's contents including its logo-the first change to its logo in over 14 years-and the introduction of The Source 5.0, a DVD/CD-ROM disc that brings content from the magazine to life, creating a fully interactive experience for the magazine's readers."
The Source is getting a lot of attention these days with the recent appointment of Joshua “Fahiym” Ratcliffe as Editor-In-Chief to replace Kim Osorio and multiple changes coming at the magazine. While plans to shift to a somewhat older demographic and to launch a quarterly Spanish-language "men's magazine covering Latin hip-hop artists and culture" called Source Latino actually sound like smart moves, dropping advertiser and circulation numbers plus missing circulation documents are serious signs of trouble.
In addition, SOHH.com reports that multiple writers and vendors have not been paid by The Source leading to a variety of legal actions over the past year. Numerous key personnel have departed over the last 6 months, possibly leaving The Source with a skeletal staff.
MEDIAWEEK is reporting turmoil at Essence as well, including the quick shutdown of Suede and the resignation of Editor-In-Chief Diane Weathers. With the acquisition of Essence by Time Inc. complete, the future direction of the publication seems unclear. A few weeks back, NPR spoke with Black Enterprise vp and executive editor Derek Dingle and Brett Pulley, a senior editor at Forbes, about the sale.
SOHH.com recently profiled Vibe's Editor-In-Chief Mimi Valdes while RWD expresses concern about a Vibe cover that appears strikingly similar to a previous RWD cover.
AllHipHop.com has a brief feature on The Ave, a hip hop publication that describes itself as the "Street Movement in Print."
Hood Grown Magazine is developing The Indie Hip Hop Toolkit "based loosely on the popular Musicians Guide To Touring and Promotion series" but focused on hip hop. Check the release for information on being listed. May 31st is the deadline for the first edition.
I finally got a copy of the Jan/Feb issue of The Source which features the 9th Annual Power 30, a "who's who of hip-hop music, fashon & style." It's a nice look at some of the power players in hip hop and a reminder that many rappers are businessmen as well. Plus, you'll probably hear some names that are new to you, unless you've been keeping up better than I have.
Not only do many of the entries in the Power 30 include 2 or 3 people associated with a particular business, they also have additional sections with up and coming business folk, profiles of some fashion biz execs and an interview with Island/Def Jam chairman Antonio Reid who, I believe, is going to make Russell Simmons regret earlier attacks on the man.
However, the additional material begins with a full page on Source co-founders Ray Benzino (Raymond Scott) and Dave Mays. Mays is also the CEO while Benzino is the Chief Brand Executive. Although I think Benzino is the last person I'd want involved with branding, at least these guys are consistently self serving, whether promoting Benzino's attempts at a music career, talking political trash about competitors or identifying power players.
I should note that there's a lot more material scattered throughout the issue profiling hip hop business people. Special thanks to Hashim Warren, the founder of Hip Hop Blogs, who made sure I knew about it.
Eminem now has a NY judge's approval to continue his copyright violation lawsuit against The Source magazine for publishing parts of controversial recordings of Eminem in his even younger days. For The Source, this whole affair continues to be a combination of self-inflicted beat down and payback for Benzino's use of the magazine to pursue personal vendettas against writers and artists while providing a platform for his attempts at a performing career.
Of course, The Source had proceeded with its activities under an earlier court ruling and Eminem has been talking about squashing beefs. Nevertheless, Eminem wins again. Whether or not this is also a defeat for investigative journalism is well worth considering.
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