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''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment
magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...
founded by producers
David Salzman David Elliot Salzman (born December 1, 1943) is an American television producer and businessman. Salzman has been involved in a number of industries that include television news and entertainment, feature films, live theater, sports, and musica ...
and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production in the summer of 2009, it was purchased by the private equity investment fund InterMedia Partners, then issued bi-monthly with double covers and a larger online presence. The magazine's target demographic is predominantly young, urban followers of hip hop culture. In 2014, the magazine discontinued its print version. The magazine features a broader range of interests than its closest competitors '' The Source'' and '' XXL'', which focus more narrowly on rap music, or the rock and pop-centric '' Rolling Stone'' and ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
''.


Publication history

Quincy Jones launched ''Vibe'' in 1993, in partnership with Time Inc. Originally, the publication was called ''Volume'' before co-founding editor, Scott Poulson-Bryant named it ''Vibe''. Though hip hop mogul
Russell Simmons Russell Wendell Simmons (born October 4, 1957) is an American entrepreneur, writer and record executive. He co-founded the hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, and created the clothing fashion lines Phat Farm, Argyleculture, and Tantris. Simmons' ...
was rumored to be an initial partner, publisher Len Burnett revealed in a March 2007 interview that Simmons clashed with editor-in-chief Jonathan Van Meter. In May 1994, Meter resigned after Jones prevented the publication of the June/July 1994 issue featuring
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
on Dennis Rodman on the cover. Meter's successors were Alan Light, Danyel Smith,
Emil Wilbekin Emil Wilbekin (born September 16, 1967, in Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American journalist, media executive, stylist, content creator, culture critic, and human rights activist. He is the former editor-in-chief of ''Vibe'' and ''Giant'', editor-at-lar ...
, Mimi Valdes, and finally Danyel Smith again. Miller Publishing purchased ''Vibe'' in 1996, and shortly afterward bought ''
Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
''. A private equity firm, Wicks Group, bought the magazine in 2006. On June 30, 2009, it was announced that ''Vibe'' was ceasing publication immediately, although according to '' Essence'', Quincy Jones stated he would like to keep it alive online. After shutting down, private equity investment fund InterMedia Partners bought ''Vibe'' magazine. They added ''Uptown'' magazine to ''Vibe''s parent company, Vibe Holdings. Ronald Burkle and
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
later invested in the company. Vibe Holdings merged with BlackBook Media to form Vibe Media in 2012. On April 25, 2013 it was announced that ''Vibe'' magazine along with vibe.com and vibevixen.com had been sold to
Spin Media Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning * Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis * Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
for an undisclosed sum. Spin Media was thought likely to shut down ''Vibe''s print magazine by the end of 2013, which a representative stating: "We're still trying to find a print model that makes economic sense in the digital age." Instead, they cut the magazine's frequency to quarterly. In December 2016,
Eldridge Industries Eldridge Industries LLC is an American holding company headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut, with offices in New York City, London, and Beverly Hills. Eldridge makes investments in various industries including insurance, asset management, techn ...
acquired SpinMedia via the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group for an undisclosed amount.


Covers

''Vibe'' magazine was known for the creative direction of their covers. R&B singer
Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...
repeatedly was on the cover of ''Vibe'' with countless articles following her career. The trio
TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an As ...
was photographed for the cover in firefighters' gear, referencing the fact that member
Lisa Lopes Lisa Nicole Lopes (May 27, 1971 – April 25, 2002), better known by her stage name Left Eye, was an American rapper and singer. She was a member of the R&B girl group TLC, alongside Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. Besides ...
burned down the house of then-boyfriend and
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...
star Andre Rison. The first non-photograph cover of ''Vibe'' was an illustration of late singer
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
by well-known artist/illustrator Alvaro; this was
Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
's first appearance on the cover as well. Other famous cover subjects are Trey Songz,
Brandy Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. (born October 20, 1971), known professionally as Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg and briefly Snoop Lion), is an American rapper. His fame dates back to 1992 when he featured on Dr. Dre's debut solo single, " ...
,
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (; born March 27, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Referred to as the " Songbird Supreme", she is noted for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style and signature use of the whi ...
,
Beyoncé Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, Amerie,
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
, Keyshia Cole,
Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreog ...
, Lil Wayne, The Fugees,
Eminem Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), known professionally as Eminem (; often stylized as EMINƎM), is an American rapper and record producer. He is credited with popularizing hip hop in middle America and is critically acclai ...
, T.I.,
R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwid ...
, Michael Jackson (whom Quincy Jones' daughter Kidada had dressed in hip hop clothing, reportedly for the first and only time in the entertainer's career), Ciara, who also appeared on the cover numerous times and rap legend Tupac Shakur's famous cover story in which he reveals important details about his non-fatal 1994 NYC shooting (two years before his death in Las Vegas, Nevada). Electro- rapper
Kesha Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), formerly stylized as Ke$ha, is an American singer and songwriter. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to Kemosabe Records. Her first major success came in early 2009 after she was featured on America ...
became the first white female artist to appear on the cover as a solo act in October 2012.


Content

Featured segments included the back page list "20 Questions"', the ''Boomshots'' column about reggae and Caribbean music by Rob Kenner; "Revolutions" music reviews; "Vibe Confidential", a celebrity gossip column; and "Next", which profiled up-and-coming artists. The magazine also devoted several pages to photo spreads displaying high-end designer clothing as well as sportswear by urban labels such as Rocawear and
Fubu FUBU (, ) is an American hip hop apparel company. FUBU stands for "For Us, By Us" and was created when the founders were brainstorming for a catchy four-letter word following other big brands such as Nike and Coke.Keith Perrin interviewed by Ian ...
. ''Vibe'' made a consistent effort to feature models of all ethnicities in these pages. Former editor Emil Wilbikin was frequently credited with styling those pages and keeping fashion in the forefront of the magazine's identity during the early 2000s. Many clothing brands created or linked to hip hop celebrities, such as Sean Combs' Sean John, Nelly's
Apple Bottoms AppleBottoms is a fashion brand for women launched in 2003 by rap artist Nelly, Yomi Martin, Nick Loftis, and Ian Kelly. The brand was initially a denim label, but has since expanded to include other women's and girl's clothing, perfume and acce ...
, and
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released th ...
by
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
found plenty of exposure in ''Vibe''s pages. In the September 2003 issue commemorating ten years of publication, the magazine created different covers using black and white portraits of its most popular cover subjects. It also contained "The Vibe 100: The Juiciest People, Places and Things of the Year". Many successful writers and editors contributed to the publication, including Alan Light, Jeff Chang,
Dream Hampton Dream Hampton (stylized as dream hampton) is an American filmmaker, producer, and writer. Her work includes the 2019 Lifetime documentary series '' Surviving R. Kelly'', which she executive produced, and the 2012 ''An Oversimplification of Her B ...
, Cheo Hodari Coker, Kevin Powell,
Erica Kennedy Erica Kennedy (March 24, 1970 – June 13, 2012) was an American author, blogger, news correspondent, fashion journalist, and singer. Her 2004 novel ''Bling'', became a ''New York Times'' bestseller. In 2010, she was named to the list of 1 ...
, Sacha Jenkins, Noah Callahan-Bever and
Miles Marshall Lewis Miles Marshall Lewis (born December 18, 1970) is an American pop culture critic, essayist, literary editor, fiction writer, and music journalist. He is a graduate of Morehouse College, class of 1993. Career Lewis was born in The Bronx, New ...
. Mark Shaw was the magazine's art director.


Expanding the brand

In addition to the magazine, ''Vibe'' also publishes books on hip hop culture. To celebrate the magazine's tenth anniversary, it published ''VX: Ten Years of Vibe Photography,'' which featured a bare-chested
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
on the cover. The volume also includes photos of Alicia Keys,
RZA Robert Fitzgerald Diggs (born July 5, 1969), better known by his stage name the RZA ( ), is an American rapper, actor, filmmaker, and record producer. He is the ''de facto'' leader of the hip hop group Wu-Tang Clan, having produced most albums ...
from the Wu-Tang Clan, Eve,
Chuck D Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), known professionally as Chuck D, is an American rapper, best known as the leader and frontman of the hip hop group Public Enemy, which he co-founded in 1985 with Flavor Flav. Chuck D helped creat ...
of Public Enemy, and
Run-D.M.C Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history of ...
. Works by prominent photographers Albert Watson, Ellen von Unwerth, David LaChapelle, and Sante D'Orazio are among the 150 photographs in the hardcover edition. Other books published under the ''Vibe'' banner cover the history of hip hop, the women of hip hop, and rappers Tupac Shakur and
The Notorious B.I.G. Christopher George Latore Wallace (May 21, 1972 – March 9, 1997), better known by his stage names the Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or simply Biggie, was an American rapper. Rooted in East Coast hip hop and particularly gangsta ...
Additionally, the magazine published a spin-off publication, ''Vibe Vixen'', from 2004 to 2007. Aimed at ''Vibe''s female multicultural demographic, ''Vibe Vixen'' included features on beauty, fashion, and female entertainers. R&B starlet Ciara appeared on the inaugural issue's cover. Spencer was fired in October 1997 and replaced by comedian Sinbad, along with Big Boy as the in-house announcer. As was common practice for late-night talk shows (established by
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
and Merv Griffin), it had a live band, led by keyboardist Greg Phillinganes; Jones worked with him during productions for Michael Jackson's albums ''Thriller'' and ''Off The Wall''. The program aired in first-run syndication until the summer of 1998, when it was canceled. The show was taped at
CBS Television City Television City, alternatively CBS Television City, is an American television studio complex located in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles at 7800 Beverly Boulevard, at the corner of Fairfax Avenue. Designed by architect William Pereira and Ch ...
in Los Angeles. Other platforms featuring the ''Vibe'' brand are ''Vibe Online'', the magazine's online presence; ''Vibe On Demand'', an on-demand network
VLN TV
an online video channel; ''Vibe Film''; ''MVibe'', a wireless content provider for hand-held devices as well as CD and DVD lines distributed under the same name; and ''The Vibe Music Mixer'', is available for iPhone and iPad. In May 2015, ''Vibe'' expanded its brand by adding the digital extension, ''Vibe Viva''. ''Vibe Viva'' is a space where Latinos can explore their rich history, and see what is driving Latin culture. In October 2019 ''Vibe'' co-hosted Billboard's 2019 Hip Hop Power Players event in NYC.


Vibe Awards

Beginning in 2003, ''Vibe'' produced and aired its annual awards show on UPN through 2006, and VH1 Soul in 2007. An incident occurred at the 2004 ''Vibe Awards'' taping at the Santa Monica Airport hangar, in which
G-Unit G-Unit (short for Guerilla Unit) was an American hip hop group formed by longtime friends and East Coast rappers 50 Cent, Tony Yayo, and Lloyd Banks. After amassing a string of self-released mixtapes in the early 2000s, the group released th ...
rapper Young Buck stabbed 26-year-old Los Angeles native, Jimmy James Johnson after Johnson approached
Dr. Dre Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
under the pretense of asking for an autograph, and then assaulted him. Young Buck later pleaded no contest to a charge of "assault likely to produce great bodily harm," and was sentenced to three years' probation and 80 hours of community service.


Other editions

'' Vibe Vixen'' was a magazine geared towards female readers of ''Vibe'' magazine that covered beauty, dating, entertainment, fashion, and societal issues for "urban minded females". The magazine was initially released in fall of 2004, and sales were considered successful enough for the magazine to be issued on a quarterly basis. ''Vibe Vixen'' folded after its August/September 2007 issue due to low circulation. Stars featured on ''Vibe Vixen''s covers included Ciara, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kimora Lee Simmons, Kelis, Lauren London,
LaLa Anthony Alani Nicole "La La" Anthony (née Vázquez; born June 25, 1979 ) is an American television personality and actress. In the early 2000s, she worked as an MTV VJ on ''Total Request Live''. She was the host of the VH1 reality television reunion s ...
and Tia Mowry.


References


External links

* * , an interview with the former editor-in-chief {{DEFAULTSORT:Vibe (magazine) African-American magazines Fashion magazines published in the United States Online music magazines published in the United States Quarterly magazines published in the United States Hip hop magazines Magazines disestablished in 2014 Magazines established in 1993 Magazines published in New York City Online magazines with defunct print editions