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Partners and Black leaders Appeal To Benzino To Continue His Fight For Artist's Rights and Empowerment in Hip-hop Industry

Benzino To Stay At The Source, Vows Not To Make Anymore Diss Songs… In Partnership With Reverend Al Sharpton's Movement For Non-Violence In Hip-hop

April 11, 2005- New York, NY- On Friday, April 8, Ray Benzino announced that he was stepping down from his position at The Source Magazine, as Co-Founder and Chief Brand Executive. At press time, however, many community leaders called an emergency meeting and told him he must not leave The Source.

Reverend Al Sharpton, executives from Black Enterprise, David Mays, and others insisted he retain his position for the good of the cause. Benzino says, “When I heard that LA Reid was going to lose his job, I thought it was the right thing for me to do, to step down, because I don’t want any executive to lose their job over the beef between myself and Eminem”

The ongoing Eminem lawsuit played a big role in Benzino’s initial decision to leave The Source. Benzino continues, “For the last couple of years I was speaking up for Hip-hop and going against one label’s manipulation of Hip-hop music and its culture.

The Source Magazine will no longer print any beef with Eminem. Benzino also adds that he will no do anymore diss records against Eminem or any other artist. Benzino adds, “The Source needs to be preserved for future generations of Hip-hoppers. I’ve learned a lot these past few years. The major vehicles of Hip-hop (radio, TV, etc) are aligning themselves for the money. I understand that but we need to look beyond profit and install the balance so everyone has a chance to eat and benefit from one of the most important economic opportunities- Hip-hop.”

Benzino will not step down from The Source Magazine. He will continue to work closely with partner, David Mays and with Black Enterprise (Earl Graves and his son Butch) and others to make The Source bigger and better. Zino concludes, “We’ve started The Source Life Project, The Source Youth Foundation, The Source Latino, a Source clothing line, and our own mobile ring tones. We will also continue with The Source Awards and The Source All Access. Most important of all is the music side, fat tapes, ZNO Records and The Source Hip-hop hits.”

The Source Magazine, the leading voice for the Hip-Hop community for the past 17 years addresses these problems in the May issue which is on newsstands now. It asks the question, “Is Hip-Hop The New WWF?”

The Source goes on to provide in-depth reporting and analysis on the state of Hip-Hop in light of the recent 50 Cent/The Game beef and subsequently staged “truce.” The May issue also features an exclusive interview with an insider within The Game’s Black Wall Street camp who reveals shocking news on the confrontation at Hot 97 and the truth about Game and G-Unit.

In recent weeks, the New York Daily News, Reverend Al Sharpton and others have turned the discussion of responsibility for violence in Hip-Hop from a focus on the artists back into the corporate headquarters of the music industry’s largest record and radio companies. This follows over two and a half years of reporting by The Source on forces working to destroy Hip-Hop, including corruption, racism and monopolization within the music industry.