August 17, 2005

Fahiym Ratcliffe Resigns from Source Over Little Brother Rating

Yet another Source Editor-in-Chief bites the dust. Maybe now they will finally give the job to Professor Snape?

The Source's Editor-In-Chief Resigns
Joshua "Fahiym" Ratcliffe resigned his position as Editor-in-Chief of "Hip-Hop Bible" The Source Magazine today (Aug. 16). According to Ratcliffe, the reason for his abrupt departure is a difference of opinion between himself, Chief Brand Executive Raymond "Benzino" Scott and CEO Dave Mays.

Ratcliffe said Little Brother�s album,The Minstrel Show, was to receive a rating of 4 and 1/2 mics in the magazine's October 2005 issue, but Mays and Scott disagreed.

"It's a situation were I believed in Little Brother and the rating we attempted to give them," Ratcliffe told AllHipHop.com via phone. "After speaking to Ray and making sure that was okay, I moved forward with that. Then it was decided that they wanted to change . I told that this is what they're getting and for me to go back on that is a challenge to my own personal integrity. Whether they deserve 4 and half mics or not is debatable; though I believe in it, though most of the staff believes it deserves 4 and half mics, as well as the writer. For me to tell someone this is what you're getting and to go back on it after I got confirmation, I just could not stomach that at all."

According to Ratcliffe, despite the magazine closing the issue last week, today Mays and Scott expressed their intention on reducing the The Minstrel Show's rating down to 4 mics (the same rating their debut, The Listening, received in The Source's May 2003 issue)...

Posted by jsmooth995 at August 17, 2005 9:09 AM

Comments

As usual, everybody's wrong.

Posted by: icarus502 at August 17, 2005 10:20 AM

icarus... whattup man.

i think the irony of the Source -- as "greatest" hip hop magazine -- is that it is best known for how many stars it gives (or doesn't give) to particular albums. i mean, are people really that desperate for authority?

Posted by: i'm the skwidawd at August 17, 2005 12:42 PM

there has got to be more to the story than that. okay, i understand the situation must have beeen frustrating, but resigning over that? perhaps the LB rating was the straw that broke that camels back...

Posted by: nam at August 17, 2005 3:27 PM

I'm sure Nam is onto something. I can't see someone resigning over just that as frustrating as it might be.

Posted by: ian at August 19, 2005 1:46 AM

I'm sure it got to a point where the brother couldn't sleep at nite and he was tired of them strings. I'm sure benzino wishes he was lil brother...

Posted by: afrocon at August 19, 2005 3:17 PM

Snape at the Source. You think Snape could do Benzino like he did ALbus?

Posted by: Daniel at August 20, 2005 8:02 AM

It's a shame when a magazine like the source was such a big part of true hip hop with it's record report system. I think the source played a big role in fuckin' up hip hop all together. Benzino's a wack bitch but he'll never realise that coz he's fucked up in the head. Little brothers debut was classic and should've recieved 4 and half, as for the minstrel show, i havn't heard it yet but am pretty sure LB stepped their game up. Little brother may be the dudes to birth the 2nd golden Era of hip hop. peace

Posted by: Benzino's wife's best friend - Harry at August 21, 2005 1:24 AM

The Source is about as juvenile as Highlights For Kids. If you truly love hip-hop, you can find all your information somewhere else. Who cares what those douchebags think is good. I would give Little Brother 5 mic's, 2 turntables, and a mixer.

Posted by: Orion Psyence at August 22, 2005 4:45 PM

I believe that little brother is one of the greatest groups of my time. i am only 16 years old but i feel i have found the realiest hip hop ever. On the real they deserve 10 mic and any other award that will bring about a lyrical movement that is real hip hop.

Posted by: kao the kid at August 30, 2005 7:54 PM

That has got to be the gayest and most pointless thing I have ever read. As if there's all this news and people resigning over half a mic, if I didn't know the Source I'd say this was an April Fool's joke. I mean, wtf?

Posted by: Benja at September 4, 2005 3:02 PM

Whats with kids nowadays calling everything gay Benja? Anyway, the man is being true to himself about all of this. He could probably get work at some other magazine making the same amount of money or more. Its good to see someone not take anymore shit and not worry about getting fired becasue he did not want to jump through hoops for them anymore.
Everybody is more concerned about making the dough so they just fold and do whatever, but if I was in charge of something and made my fianl decision, then have someone come in and make me change it, I would quit too because its obvious shit like that would happen more than once.

Posted by: de la plugs at September 7, 2005 2:36 AM

As usual the Source is out of touch. Benzino is one of the worst figures in rap. Almighty RSo was wack, Made Men was wack... His solo stuff was wack.

I heard the Minstrel Show and its pretty dope, Better than the Common Album. The Source is just done and a shell of its former self.

Posted by: 33third.com at September 8, 2005 1:48 AM

The source has been a big part in hiphop and it really bothers me that they want give credit where it is due.

Posted by: Strat-a-G at September 15, 2005 8:34 PM