XXL is official
The new XXL site is up now and ready to do battle, as Elliott Wilson promised in his previous editorials.
Looks good so far. As Pro Hip-Hop already pointed out, the usability of the site is on-point. None of that annoying digging for content or trying to sort out how to navigate the page. Plus, there's exclusive features and tracks. Which means that the website is already exploiting its key asset: access.
I'm aware that this concept has been attempted by other mags before--to disastrous ends--but I feel like the climate is different right now. Hip-hop fans are on the internet for hours every day, reading blogs, posting on forums, and checking news. Building a sizable readership doesn't seem to be a monumental task right now.
The problem is quality. As much as I'm a fan of a lot of hip-hop sites, I feel like many are lacking a basic level of professionalism. Many don't enlist dope writers who are constantly honing their skills. Many don't post news stories in a timely fashion, or seek out original content (opting to regurgitate press releases instead), or confirm rumors with industry sources.
As a journalist, when you are working on a story, you have to get it by a lot of checks and balances. It has to stand up to all forms of scrutiny. Even if the piece in an opinion editorial. I think that practice, while occasionally restrictive, leads to better writing and better reporting. Also, the whole process of pitching encourages you to really think about why you want to write something--and be able to make a case for it. You have to be able to convince an editor that the timing is right, that the subject is something that's going to interest their readership, that the artist is significant enough to warrant coverage.
I'm not trying to hate on any one site or blog. These are just issues I see with the medium as a whole. (My blog included.) I just finished a 2-page feature spread on music blogs that will be out on Friday in Canada in DOSE, so I've been thinking about this topic a lot.
As for XXL online, my guess is that attracting a lion's share of the hip-hop readers out there is not going to be a problem for them, provided they can beat the hip-hop sites at their own game. Which means using their industry access and journalistic skill to get the news and gossip scoops first (and accurate), as well as posting exclusive interviews and tracks, and generating a decent level of discussion with edgy bloggers and engaging discussion streams. That's my two cents anyway.
Looks good so far. As Pro Hip-Hop already pointed out, the usability of the site is on-point. None of that annoying digging for content or trying to sort out how to navigate the page. Plus, there's exclusive features and tracks. Which means that the website is already exploiting its key asset: access.
I'm aware that this concept has been attempted by other mags before--to disastrous ends--but I feel like the climate is different right now. Hip-hop fans are on the internet for hours every day, reading blogs, posting on forums, and checking news. Building a sizable readership doesn't seem to be a monumental task right now.
The problem is quality. As much as I'm a fan of a lot of hip-hop sites, I feel like many are lacking a basic level of professionalism. Many don't enlist dope writers who are constantly honing their skills. Many don't post news stories in a timely fashion, or seek out original content (opting to regurgitate press releases instead), or confirm rumors with industry sources.
As a journalist, when you are working on a story, you have to get it by a lot of checks and balances. It has to stand up to all forms of scrutiny. Even if the piece in an opinion editorial. I think that practice, while occasionally restrictive, leads to better writing and better reporting. Also, the whole process of pitching encourages you to really think about why you want to write something--and be able to make a case for it. You have to be able to convince an editor that the timing is right, that the subject is something that's going to interest their readership, that the artist is significant enough to warrant coverage.
I'm not trying to hate on any one site or blog. These are just issues I see with the medium as a whole. (My blog included.) I just finished a 2-page feature spread on music blogs that will be out on Friday in Canada in DOSE, so I've been thinking about this topic a lot.
As for XXL online, my guess is that attracting a lion's share of the hip-hop readers out there is not going to be a problem for them, provided they can beat the hip-hop sites at their own game. Which means using their industry access and journalistic skill to get the news and gossip scoops first (and accurate), as well as posting exclusive interviews and tracks, and generating a decent level of discussion with edgy bloggers and engaging discussion streams. That's my two cents anyway.
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