New Editorial Director and Editor-In-Chief create new look and vision for 2007
Scratch magazine is being reborn. The two and-a-half year old title, already a bible for hip-hop's producer/DJ community, is now being overseen by XXL Editor-In-Chief Elliott "YN" Wilson.
Wilson's first official act as Editorial Director is appointing former XXL Senior Editor, Online Brendan Frederick as Editor-In-Chief. Wilson praised Frederick, who helmed the celebrated relaunch of XXLmag.com last spring, as a "leader" with "crystal-clear vision." "I have complete confidence that my new Editor-In-Chief Brendan Frederick is the man for the job," he adds. “He has endless ideas of how to improve this book and he has my full support.”
"We're taking XXL's savvy take on hip-hop one level deeper with the new Scratch," Frederick says. "While XXL focuses on MCs’ personalities, Scratch will dissect the art of making music. Since the magazine already has a solid foundation with producers and DJs, we're focusing on attracting the everyday hip-hop fan who wants to discover the blood, sweat and tears that goes into popular music's most innovative genre. Call it an XXL for hip-hop's super-fans."
Wilson, who has spent the last 7 years turning XXL into hip-hop's preeminent magazine, will maintain an advisory role with the magazine. "I am extremely excited to be given the responsibility to make Scratch magazine a more commercially successful publication while still maintaining its essence," Wilson says. "I respect what Scratch has already accomplished in a short time but I know there’s much more to achieve. I love the challenge of being able to take my experience and guide a staff of talented young men and women to the level of success I’ve reached with XXL.”
Executive Publisher Jonathan Rheingold proclaims, "Under Elliott Wilson's direction, Brendan Frederick's day-to-day oversight and the certification of a trusted brand, XXL Presents: Scratch, will continue to grow as the only publication that caters to beatmakers, DJs and MCs. This magazine is all about the music."
The first issue of the new and improved XXL Presents: Scratch is the March/April issue and will be on newsstands February 6. Consider yourselves warned.
Contact: Brandon Himmel
BrandonHimmel@vzw.blackberry.net
