Thug Life Army

As of Friday April 8^th, rap artist and hip-hop entrepreneur Ray ‘Benzino’ Scott resigned from his position of Chief Brand Manager of the leading hip-hop magazine, The Source.

The Co-Owner of The Source also wants to sell his interest in the magazine.

The hip-hop rapper said in a statement:

"I want to step down from the magazine and sell my stock effective immediately," he said. "I''ve been consumed too much with the whole conflict thing ... the Eminem suit, and I am sick of it," Benzino said. "I don''t want to take away from what The Source has built up, but I got issues with The Source and magazines like that. Everyone is too politically correct. They''re not thinking about the little guy who can''t afford to pay for high-priced ads. It's like a monopoly…"

"Our other partner, Black Enterprise, is another reason why I''ve decided to leave," Benzino said. "I don''t like how they perceive me. There are too many things that I don''t agree with, so I am moving on."

"I plan on creating another magazine that has my voice, which represents the little guy. It's because of the manipulation of SoundScan and radio that hip-hop is losing its edge. I want to come out with a magazine that will reflect that. I want to start from the ground up and speak for the artists,".

And in the same week Chief Operating Officer of The Source magazine, Jeremy Miller, who resigned his post at the Source 2 weeks ago; announced the launch of DOWN magazine, a new publication focusing on the southern Hip-Hop scene.

So the landscape of The Source is bound to change. David Mays has said nothing about the departure of his ‘partner’, so we will just have to wait to see.

The late great west coast rap icon Tupac Shakur said it best about change:

“Change, sh*t,

I guess change is good for any of us.

Whatever it take for any of y''all niggaz to get up out the hood,

Shit, I''m wit cha, I ain''t mad at cha;

Got nuttin but love for ya, do your thing boy.“

(From Tupac's - ''I Ain''t Mad at Cha'')

This move by Benzino is bound to change the landscape of The Source and of hip-hop, and we can only wish Benzino the best in his new ventures.

Benzino’s new album ‘Arch Nemesis’ is in stores now.