I wasn't really in the mood to write this yesterday because I was still a little taken aback by the news of VIBE closing its doors. I don't think I'll ever really be in the "mood" so I'll keep this short. As an intern it was painful because I was really starting to feel like part of the team and really get comfortable, but even more than that, I think this hurts as a fan of hip hop. VIBE has been such a huge staple in the hip hop community nearly 16 years and has brought forth some of the most creative and exciting covers, stories, photos, and all around representation of the hip hop and R&B culture. This is definitely a huge loss for the industry and it begs the question, "What's next?"

With so many people turning to the internet for information (which is not a bad thing at all, unless you are in the publication industry), it seems only inevitable that print as we know will be no more. It is actually a sad thing because although it is very easy to get information from the web, for some reason, a magazine just always seems to be a little more special. Just even wondering who is going to grace the cover for the month and reading the cover story can do something for the reader. Then there are other little things that are placed in a magazine that you don't necessarily get online (i.e. VIBE's "20 Questions).

With all that said, there are something things that you can only try to prolong, but we have all known for a while now that the internet is the choice of receiving information. But who knows, in a few years when the majority of magazines have run their course, there may be some brave soul who tries to revive the print industry and they just may come out successful. But that would be years from now and only time will tell.

I would like to give VIBE a very special thank you for the opportunity. It was a honor and privilege. I wish all of the staff well. As for the interns, I'm telling everybody now to watch out for them because they are going to be making some noise in this industry. You will still see the effects of VIBE for years to come. So, to VIBE, I say...


Peace.