Tuesday, April 12th, 2005

Miranda Jane on The Source

Former Source staffer and hip-hop activist Miranda Jane talks about the mag’s 99 problems:

They built it by walking across our collective backs. When I was at the source, Women ran shit literally and figuratively. We led the editorial meetings, we held down the fort, we provided the research, development, fact-checking, writing, planning and scheduling it took to print the most popular rap magazine on the planet. But we also provided the ass…

posted by @ 6:56 am | 1 Comment

Monday, April 11th, 2005

Chaos At The Source: Benzino Returns, Kim Osorio Files A Sexual Harassment Lawsuit & More

Scroll to bottom for updates…

It’s been another one of those weekends for The Source and people around it.

On Friday, Benzino announced he was stepping down from The Source. It’s Monday. Guess who’s bizzack? The press release is reprinted in full below.

In the meantime, former Editor-In-Chief Kim Osorio appeared at the University of Chicago’s Hip-Hop and Feminism conference on Saturday. Kim stunned the crowd by starting off by saying, “I want to admit to having made a lot of mistakes.” She went on to say that, in retrospect, sections such as “Dime Piece” and the swimsuit issue may have been ill-considered. “The way we treated women was as objects–turn around, take off your pants, put this on,” she said. She added that she was even asked at one point by another magazine to do a fashion spread. She declined.

In a very revealing moment, she said that she had to pick which battles she wanted to fight. One which she chose not to pursue had to do with a story about rappers and rape in hip-hop. The story was timed to coincide with the Kobe Bryant trial. But, she says, “I was told (by higher-ups), ‘You can’t do that story’. That was a reality check.”

Kim has chosen now to take on a new battle. Allhiphop.com is reporting today that she and former vice president Michelle Joyce have filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against their former magazine of employment. Among the claims the lawsuit alleges are that a former managing editor was forced to hide out in her office in fear of male harassers.

The lawsuit comes against the backdrop of a massive exodus of staffers over the past several months.

In a press release detailed by MTV.com and Allhiphop.com, Joyce said, “I chose to take a stand for women of the Hip Hop generation and for all women who quietly endure such treatment for fear of retaliation and for those women who have suffered in silence and quietly surrendered.”

Sexual harassment at the magazine has been a poorly-kept secret, one that may have played a key role in previous staff upheaval over its fifteen-plus year history, according to former employees of the magazine. But this is the first time such allegations have been made public.

In response, Mays attacked Osorio personally, stating, “Neither of those women ever filed any complaints during many years of working at The Source. It raises alot of quesitons when these types of charges are made subsequent to valid and legitimate terminations of their employment.”

He added, “Also it is a fact that Ms. Osorio had sexual relations with a number of high profile rap artists during her employment as Editor-In-Chief.”

He also went after Joyce, saying, “We also suspect that Joyce falsified health claims in an effort to attack The Source when she learned that she was going to be terminated. We look forward to our day in court on this matter.”

In the meantime, Benzino says his short-lived resignation was reversed because of an emergency meeting of community leaders who insisted that he return, including the Reverend Al Sharpton and executives from Black Enterprise–who own a portion of the magazine, and whom Benzino openly lashed out against on Friday.

Apparently, he chose to leave after Def Jam president LA Reid was forced to pull his advertising from the magazine at the insistence of his boss, Interscope head Jimmy Iovine. Benzino says, “When I heard that LA Reid was going to lose his job, I thought it was the right thing for me to do, to step down, because I don’t want any executive to lose their job over the beef between myself and Eminem”.

Benzino also went on to add that he was giving up making diss records.

The full text of the press release:

Def Jam Records Shocker Cause of Benzino’s Resignation Decision on Friday, April 8, 2005

Chairman LA Reid Pulls Def Jam Advertising From The Source After His Job Is Threatened By Interscope’s Jimmy Iovine

Partners and Black leaders Appeal To Benzino To Continue His Fight For Artist’s Rights and Empowerment in Hip-hop Industry

Benzino To Stay At The Source, Vows Not To Make Anymore Diss Songs… In Partnership With Reverend Al Sharpton’s Movement For Non-Violence In Hip-hop

April 11, 2005- New York, NY- On Friday, April 8, Ray Benzino announced that he was stepping down from his position at The Source Magazine, as Co-Founder and Chief Brand Executive. At press time, however, many community leaders called an emergency meeting and told him he must not leave The Source.

Reverend Al Sharpton, executives from Black Enterprise, David Mays, and others insisted he retain his position for the good of the cause. Benzino says, “When I heard that LA Reid was going to lose his job, I thought it was the right thing for me to do, to step down, because I don’t want any executive to lose their job over the beef between myself and Eminem”

The ongoing Eminem lawsuit played a big role in Benzino’s initial decision to leave The Source. Benzino continues, “For the last couple of years I was speaking up for Hip-hop and going against one label’s manipulation of Hip-hop music and its culture.

The Source Magazine will no longer print any beef with Eminem. Benzino also adds that he will no do anymore diss records against Eminem or any other artist. Benzino adds, “The Source needs to be preserved for future generations of Hip-hoppers. I’ve learned a lot these past few years. The major vehicles of Hip-hop (radio, TV, etc) are aligning themselves for the money. I understand that but we need to look beyond profit and install the balance so everyone has a chance to eat and benefit from one of the most important economic opportunities- Hip-hop.”

Benzino will not step down from The Source Magazine. He will continue to work closely with partner, David Mays and with Black Enterprise (Earl Graves and his son Butch) and others to make The Source bigger and better. Zino concludes, “We’ve started The Source Life Project, The Source Youth Foundation, The Source Latino, a Source clothing line, and our own mobile ring tones. We will also continue with The Source Awards and The Source All Access. Most important of all is the music side, fat tapes, ZNO Records and The Source Hip-hop hits.”

The Source Magazine, the leading voice for the Hip-Hop community for the past 17 years addresses these problems in the May issue which is on newsstands now. It asks the question, “Is Hip-Hop The New WWF?”

The Source goes on to provide in-depth reporting and analysis on the state of Hip-Hop in light of the recent 50 Cent/The Game beef and subsequently staged “truce.” The May issue also features an exclusive interview with an insider within The Game’s Black Wall Street camp who reveals shocking news on the confrontation at Hot 97 and the truth about Game and G-Unit.

In recent weeks, the New York Daily News, Reverend Al Sharpton and others have turned the discussion of responsibility for violence in Hip-Hop from a focus on the artists back into the corporate headquarters of the music industry’s largest record and radio companies. This follows over two and a half years of reporting by The Source on forces working to destroy Hip-Hop, including corruption, racism and monopolization within the music industry.

Updates 4/11:
+ MTV News Coverage
+ Press Release From Kim Osorio and Michelle Joyce’s Lawyer, via Prohiphop.

Update 4/12:
+ Allhiphop.com Interview with Benzino, Part 1.
+ Allhiphop.com Interview with Benzino, Part 2.
+ Murder Dog Interview with Benzino (Note: This is in the current issue but was conducted long before the events of the past weekend.)
+ EEOC Documents From Kim Osorio and Michelle Joyce, via SOHH.com.

posted by @ 10:49 am | 2 Comments

Friday, April 8th, 2005

Benzino Quits The Source

I didn’t believe this when Davey D told me. But here it is.

From the official press release:

April 8, 2005, New York, NY- Ray Benzino, Co-founder and Chief Brand Executive of The Source will step down today from his position. He says, “I want to step down from the magazine and sell my stock effective immediately.”

Benzino continues, “This is a big step for me. I’ve been consumed too much with the whole conflict thing… the Eminem suit and I am sick of it. I don’t want to take away from what The Source has built up but 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.”

“Our other partner, Black Enterprises, is another reason why I’ve decided to leave. I don’t like how they perceive me. There are too many things that I don’t agree with so I am moving on.”

Benzino concludes, “I plan on creating 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. 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.”

posted by @ 11:02 pm | 0 Comments

Friday, April 8th, 2005

Arianna on Bush’s Fight Against Gangs

Check Arianna Huffington on the federal budget debate and the Bush’s inner-city initiative on gangs that I’ve been talking about so much. Again, the Reeps are light years ahead of the Dems…

posted by @ 6:05 am | 0 Comments

Friday, April 8th, 2005

W. Jelani Cobb on Harold Cruse

Here’s a great piece by on Harold Cruse.

posted by @ 5:41 am | 0 Comments

Monday, April 4th, 2005

Swing It Like A Helicopter!


Matty’s kids raise up!

Props to Illinois. But man, there hasn’t been an April game that’s brought tears to my eyes since The Shot and The Pass (and I will always feel sorrier for Fred Brown than I will Chris Webber). If I could, I’d send this one out to all the ones that never got the shine they truly deserved, my childhood heroes like Phil Ford, Jimmy Black, and yes, even Matt Doherty (the sixth–or seventh and sometimes eighth–man of the century). Dave Tompkins’ fam is playing Petey Pablo very loud even now and that’s where I’d like to be. I feel so good I may even forgive Roy Williams for Kansas. Hey Borman, Duke sucks!

posted by @ 8:27 pm | 6 Comments

Monday, April 4th, 2005

George W. Bush’s Cadillac


You can’t go left in George W. Bush’s Cadillac. This is not a picture of said Cadillac.

BTW if you’re in Madison on Wednesday night, or going to the Hip-Hop and Feminism conference at the University of Chicago, please holla!

posted by @ 10:03 am | 0 Comments

Monday, April 4th, 2005

Limited Quants of Can’t Stop Mix CDs Available

Folks are still asking so I saved up some dough to make some more very limited quantities of Can’t Stop Mixtapes available.

Here’s the new final word on how to cop a mixtape…

+ Come through one of the events and get your book signed.
+ Enter the solesides.com contest.
+ Check out West Coast Mixtapes.
+ Check out The Giant Peach.
+ Check out Turntable Lab in NYC.
+ Catch DJ D-Sharp on tour with Flipsyde and beg him to sell you one.

Have no idea what we’re talking about? Track listing is here. Previews can be found below:

–Campus Progress website
–Hard Knock Radio (Scroll down to 2/18/05…)

or as part of interviews here:

–NPR News & Notes with Ed Gordon and Farai Chideya
–Fresh Air with Terry Gross
–WNYC Soundcheck.
–MPR :: 89.3 The Current and MPR.

posted by @ 7:19 am | 0 Comments

Wednesday, March 30th, 2005

DJ Kool Herc on NPR!!!

The Terry Gross Fresh Air interview with DJ Kool Herc finally aired today. The audio will be here. You can probably still catch it on your local NPR affiliate later today. They did the interview about a month ago and we’d been waiting for notice on when it might be aired. The producers just decided last night. Check it out!

posted by @ 10:29 am | 0 Comments

Tuesday, March 29th, 2005

Reggaetón!

Must be spring because hot music and hot music writing is breaking out all over. Here’s a deep, extensive piece by our girl Raquel Cepeda on the sound of this coming summer, Reggaetón.

Need a Reggaetón 101? Pick up DJ Warrior, Big Dee, and DJ Strong’s El Reggaeton and El Reggaeton 2 mixCDs here. Check out reggaetonline.net for more.

Kinda related, kinda not: Giant Peach has two awesome, super rare Mighty Crown roots style mixtapes Crown Jugglaz Warriors Attack G9 and The Good Ol Days 2, both worth every penny. Plus an amazing dancehall photo book, Maverick Lensman. Move now!

posted by @ 2:51 pm | 0 Comments



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