The Source: Classic or Dud?

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A question inspired in part by this thread about the Village Voice poll and the state of music criticism -- what are your thoughts on the the hip-hop magazine The Source? I almost NEVER see it discussed on ILM, which is odd considering how much discussion there is here of both music criticism and hip-hop. Does The Source offer any kind of alternative approach to music writing? (That is, to ref. that earlier thread, is it addressing its audience in a different way than rock criticism?) Who is the audience for this magazine, precisely? (Y*ncey, maybe you can fill in some specifics here.) Does anyone here write for The Source? What discussion board are Source writers posting to? Is The Source worthwhile?

― Mark (MarkR), Saturday, 15 February 2003 04:02 (twenty-three years ago)

LOADED with conflicts of interest that make even Rolling Stone's cronyism pale in comparison.

― James Blount (James Blount), Saturday, 15 February 2003 04:12 (twenty-three years ago)

I hate their editor, but I hate that jackass from VIBE with more vengeance. I'm not even a real Hip Hop fan, and I know he's a poser!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 15 February 2003 04:41 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought this was gonna be about one of the greatest records I've EVER heard, "You Got The Love".

But no.

Fuck The Source, the magazine. Myopic tunnel-vision bollocks.

Anyway. Back to the absinth.

― Charlie (Charlie), Saturday, 15 February 2003 10:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Fuck The Source. You thought GQ was full entirely of adverts and no actual writing? Pick up the Source and take it all back.

Whatever happened to Hip Hop Connection, anyway? Considering the way they were going with their coverstars in the final months (Trina, Oxide and Neutrino) I was eagerly awaiting them putting, say, David Sneddon or Journey on the cover.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Saturday, 15 February 2003 10:33 (twenty-three years ago)

The Source...... :: cackles ::

― maria b (maria b), Saturday, 15 February 2003 16:23 (twenty-three years ago)

I only look it occasionally, but it seems like The Source gives all the significant albums a fair number of words (maybe 800 or more). Is anything interesting said? Forget about the fashion spreads, etc. for a sec.

― Mark (MarkR), Saturday, 15 February 2003 17:08 (twenty-three years ago)

The Source may have it's head up it's ass a lot of the time, but most hip-hop artists would so almost anything for a positive review from them. It's still pretty influential and a 5 mic rating carries a lot of weight in some circles.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 17 February 2003 04:07 (twenty-three years ago)

I actually confuse The Source and Vibe a bit, but I've found both frequently do excellent features - an interview with Foxy Brown last year and Jay-Z's recent autobiographical retelling (in whichever magazines they appeared in) stand out in particular.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 17 February 2003 04:14 (twenty-three years ago)

Personally I lurve the Source. Who wants to read music criticism in a magazine anyway? There's more of it on the web for free than I know what to do with. The Source gives me photoshoots of Trina and Lil Kim on all fours, plus scurrilous gossip, plus hilarious letters and an idea of what fantasy man and woman are wearing in the US.

And even though the editor is a muppet, that front cover with the giant monster killing the XXL editor over their mutual beef was hilarious. I'm waiting for them to shoot each other in a lame Biggie/Tupac emulation bid. Maybe the editor of Touch will then release a tribute single that samples Madness and gets to number 53 in the charts.

― Jacob (Jacob), Monday, 17 February 2003 10:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Search: Eminem - "The Sauce"

― mark p (Mark P), Monday, 17 February 2003 18:02 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm wondering why I could fill in specifics for the Source... But anyway, I've subscribed for a couple of years (a freebie) and find it to be pretty lacking. Some good features, as some have said, but the review section, much like Rolling Stone, gives career artists a pass (see: the four-mic review of the last LL Cool J). It's also pretty pro-undie, which is a bit surprising considering the antagonism between the mainstream and indie camps. The writing can be pretty good at times -- a good mix of by-the-books criticism and hip-hop slang, which, as one could imagine, makes for some funny wordplay.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 17 February 2003 18:33 (twenty-three years ago)

I'd rather talk about "You Got The Love", too.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 17 February 2003 18:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Yanc3y, for some reason I thought you had special access to industry data, not sure why.

But re The Source -- I'm just puzzled by the fact that this board talks about hip-hop & R&B so much & really never mentions it. It just seems weird, considering how often reviews in other pubs. come up. Maybe b/c the Source has no online presence (or do they?)

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 17 February 2003 19:03 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah, the jay-z autobiog thing was really nice. any thoughts on the zadie smith eminem-apologist piece in vibe?

― mitch lastnamewithheld (mitchlnw), Monday, 17 February 2003 19:07 (twenty-three years ago)

I do have access to a lot of industry data through my day job, but that's just sales figures and radio airplay stuff.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 17 February 2003 19:31 (twenty-three years ago)

Mark - we don't mention Rolling Stone either. The Source was worth skimming about ten years ago, but now.... sheesh. No balls, no style, no smarts, no skills. XXL has much better photospreads, not to mention Vibe.

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 17 February 2003 20:12 (twenty-three years ago)

We should talk Rolling Stone, and Blender too! I got subscriptions to both (freebies again) in the past year, and I really like them. Johnny Walker Black's Best Songs Evah column in Blender is really nice, as are their features (the review section's a bore, though). The new-look Rolling Stone is a shame, but their features are still very solid.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 17 February 2003 20:18 (twenty-three years ago)

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