Crib Notes

Following the sudden news that the monthly hip-hop publication Vibe magazine was folding, the last issue hit newsstands earlier this month with part one of what was intended to be a two-part story on the Dungeon Family. Written by Linda Hobbs, the in-depth story (”Am I My Brother’s Keeper? The Untold Story of Dungeon Family”) about DF’s internal makeup, eventual breakup and ongoing reunion has renewed interest in the South’s most influential hip-hop crew — especially its two cornerstone acts, OutKast and Goodie Mob.

Whether part-two of Hobbs’ DF story ever sees the light of day remains to be seen. (Word on the street is she’s in talks with other music publications to run part two). But here’s one reunion to bank on: Shameless Plug, the burgeoning promotions team that brought rappers Drake and Devin the Dude to Atlanta in recent months, just booked Goodie Mob for an Atlanta concert to take place Sat., Sept. 19.

The venue has yet to be announced. Stay tuned for further updates.

Update: Read CL’s Sept. 16 cover story, A dirty job for Goodie Mob, about the upcoming reunion concert.

Updated: Meanwhile, peep former CL music critic Roni Sarig’s 2003 cover story “Dungeon Family Tree: An oral history of OutKast and the extended crew’s first decade”:

Cee-Lo: We happened to be in Greenbriar Mall one day, and my homeboy was telling Marqueze [Etheridge, Organized Noize associate who co-wrote TLC's "Waterfalls" with them] that I sing. He was going over to the Dungeon, so we decided to give him a ride. We went over there, and I sung for Sleepy Brown. At the time, Rico, Dre and Big Boi had rode off to get something to eat. They came back and saw me sitting there and Dre got excited, like, “That’s my homeboy Cee-Lo I was telling you about. He can rhyme, he can sing.” That particular day, T-Mo and Khujo and Gipp walked in the door — I knew them from high school. When I saw their familiar faces, I was immediately comfortable.

Khujo: Me and T-Mo started fucking with them Crown Royal liquor bags, the purple and gold bags. We used to strap them on our belts and have goodies in them — weed, a couple dollars. Just a little bag we used to walk around with, and it would swing on the side. We’d say, “It’s the goodie bag, man.”

Edited: An earlier version of this post mentioned other DF acts scheduled to play the Goodie Mob reunion show. No other acts have been confirmed as of yet.

(Story image courtesy Vibe magazine)

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In an era in which blogs have become the breaking — though not altogether credible — source for hip-hop related news, gossip and interviews, Vibe magazine announced today that it’s shutting its doors after 16 years in the business.

Gawker posted the following note from editor-in-chief Danyel Smith:

On behalf the VIBE CONTENT staff (the best in this business), it is with great sadness, and with heads held high, that we leave the building today. We were assigning and editing a Michael Jackson tribute issue when we got the news. It’s a tragic week in overall, but as the doors of VIBE Media Group close, on the eve of the magazine’s sixteenth anniversary, it’s a sad day for music, for hip hop in particular, and for the millions of readers and users who have loved and who continue to love the VIBE brand. We thank you, we have served you with joy, pride and excellence, and we will miss you.

Danyel Smith
the former Chief Content Officer VIBE Media Group
& Editor in Chief, VIBE

Ironically, I just interviewed Smith two weeks ago, following the announcement that Vibe’s new quarterly urban lifestyle pub The Most was due to hit newsstands with divorced couple Nas and Kelis covering the first issue.

When we talked by phone, Smith was excited because she’d just finished editing Vibe’s upcoming story on the Dungeon Family which was scheduled to run as the August cover story. The photo shoot — which took place in Atlanta about a month ago and brought together the core members of OutKast, Goodie Mob and Organized Noize — had already stirred up blog buzz and anticipation. Even Smith seemed excited, suggesting at the time that the story, written by Linda Hobbs, might need to be stretched out over two consecutive issues. Hopefully, it will still see the light of day in some form or fashion.

In 1993, Quincy Jones and Time Warner gave birth to the general interest music magazine with a focus on hip-hop and R&B. The first issue featured an edgy, emerging artist then known as Snoop Doggy Dogg on the cover.

Stay tuned for my interview with Danyel Smith in which we discuss her two-term tenure as head editor at Vibe, the magazine’s credibility within hip-hop, and some of her favorite interviews over the years.

Gawker also posted a note addressed to staff from Vibe Media CEO Steve Aaron outlining the challenges that took the magazine under: (more…)

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wesley what what’s response to T.I. tackles rumors in Vibe’s April issue:

i doubt TI snitched.

sounds more like he made the u.s. attorney his bitch.

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Spotted at NahRight.com.

The Vibe press release offers a sneak peak into the magazine’s upcoming cover story in which T.I. addresses speculation that he must’ve snitched to receive such a light sentence over his federal firearms conviction:

In an extensive report titled “Cell Therapy,” VIBE Senior Editor Benjamin Meadows-Ingram chronicles the superstar’s history-making legal battle and gut-wrenching journey since his 2007 arrest for attempting to collect three unregistered machine guns and two silencers following his BET Hip Hop Awards performance rehearsal.

After the announcement on March 27, 2008 of what many felt was a shockingly light slap on the wrist for the serious charges, many responded by screaming, “Snitch!” However, authorities agreed to a groundbreaking plea deal negotiated by heavyweight Criminal Defense Attorney, Steve Sadow, who cited the star’s ability to influence others by serving 1500 hours of community service.

US Attorney David Nahmias says, “What [the defense] proposed, and what I ultimately thought was reasonable, is that Mr. Harris has the ability to reach thousands, probably tens of thousands of people, particularly at-risk young people. And that out of the tens of thousands of people he could reach, he has the real possibility of getting at least a few of them not to commit the kinds of crimes we would prosecute.”

T.I. bites back at rumors about how he scored this largely unprecedented deal by saying, “Ain’t no such thing as a secret snitch…Pull up my agreement. It’s public record.”

His one year sentence begins at the end of March. Stay tuned for Creative Loafing’s upcoming feature on T.I.’s Grand Hustle label and how its roster of artists (Young Dro, Yung LA, B.O.B.) plans to hold down the fort while T.I. serves his time.

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And you thought Atlanta R&B songstress Ciara didn’t have any talent?

Well, guess she showed you.

Her new album, Fantasy Ride, is due in October.

Click here to read an excerpt of her Vibe cover story.

Then, click here to check out the full photo spread, posted on Cutie Blog.

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