Maybe ill buy it, JUSt maybe!
But with commercial American cats on d cover, im just not encouraged.
D new editor of HYPE was on d Essence d past Sunday n d interviewer rightfully asked him(d 1st Q i was also gon ask him) Why they r not putting local MCs/ Hip Hopers on d cover? In response he commented about how no 'big' releases have happened this year(locally) and d interviewer responded by mentioning Tear Gas's album(which i personally think is dope!) n d editor said local rappers(ie. d latter) r not performing a lot gigs , concerts etc.
Saying theres no hype around them(S.A. acts) to be put on d cover.
Saying that JiggaMan is coming to S.A. soon so it was about timing , calling him "d president of Hip HOP" n all.
I think they (d magazine) should b creating d hype around our local MCs if they releasing albums, coz d record COs r not giving sufficient support (ie. financially) to their artists.
Therefore HYPE should b d 1 pushing/promoting/supporting these artists to make them(albums) 'big' releases.
Coz by putting them on d cover a general RAP fan(or HYPE fan) will just c Tear Gas on d cover and think that by being on d cover there is something right/good they r doing(ie. making dope tracks) and go to Musica n listen(skeem) to their album n maybe buy it!
To sum it up im just not sure as to what is HYPE's duty/function to the S.A Hip Hop community, if its not to promote/push up local Mcs/rappers(by first putting them on d cover) that r hustling n making good music n real hip hop.
If was editor of HYPE, 4 d Oct issue i ud have put ZuluBoy or Tear Gas on d cover! Not JayZ even if hes coming 2 S.A., coz everybody(virtually) knows about his upcoming arrival, BUT not evrybody knows about Tear Gas or ZuluBoy's(dope singles) albums in stores.
And then there ask/complain about local Hip Hop's low sales.
HYPE could do something about these dipping sales coz of their power n resources! Dammit!
Maybe d only reason i bought d magazine(jus like most peeps), like d last issue, was bcoz of d 'free CD'.
I remember last year i used to love it, honestly, thats when i dubbed it d Hip Hop Bible 4 local Heads.
But now its just paper with print on it n photos.